How can I improve my food photography?

[Soliloquy]

I want to be able to take some gorgeous, appetizing-looking pictures of the food we bake (mostly cookies) and got a dSLR this past Christmas. How do I get more appealing pictures? They always come out blah.

 

[Mayvin]

Now-a-days so many people are snapping any picture you can think of with their camera phone having them come out so amazing! Have your tried taking a few test shots with a camera phone?

 

[Becky]

Firstly make sure you have good lighting - it can make a big difference. If you have to use a flash then it can sometimes make photos look washed out, so try and get good lighting to start with. Secondly, for more artistic looking photos you want to get a short depth of field - this means that the target of your photo is in focus and the background/foreground are blurred. As to how to do this on a DSLR... I don't have one so can't help I'm afraid! I have a more basic camera, and I can only achieve short depth of field by standing right back and zooming right in.

 

[AyeManda]

The majority of the photos of baked goods you see today that make your mouth water, are extremely edited. When I take pictures of food I have prepared I use the filters on my Instagram app on my phone. I just play around with them until I find one that works. Instagram isn't the only app service you can get on your phone with filters either. If you are using a digital camera and uploading your photos to your computer, then play around with different filters on photoshop.

 

[limcid]

Getting a tripod and a cabled controller for snapping the photo can make a big difference. The tripod will stabilize everything so you get the sharpest photos (especially when experimenting with the exposure time). The controller will allow you to snap the photo without having to touch the camera. It will also make experimenting with your food layouts more fun because you can easily tweak and snap the photo. Plus, no messing up the expensive camera with hand that have been handling food.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

There is a program online called PicMonkey, and it is a free editing webpage. They also have a paid version, if you really get into doing stuff with your photos, but the free one will do most of the basic things, and you can brighten up, and enhance the colors on your picture, as well as crop it to where it look the best, and even put it on a frame of you want.
You can blur the background, and make the focal point stand out, things that will really make your photos look great.