Christmas cookies photos are a great way to showcase your baking skills and share the love with friends and family. The best part is that they’re super easy to take, so you don’t have to worry about spending hours in front of a computer editing photos.
The key to taking great Christmas cookies photos is making sure you have enough light and using props that complement your subject. Here are some tips for getting started:
Find the right location
You want a space with plenty of natural light, so choose a room with windows or a spot near a window where the sunlight streams in. If you don’t have an area like this, use artificial lighting instead, like lamps and candles.
Choose your subject
Try using a still life setup with multiple objects or just one item that’s larger than life. For example, if you’re photographing gingerbread men on a plate, set up several plates filled with different kinds of sweets on top of each other or around them. Or use a cookie cutter as the centerpiece of your shot — it will make your photo look more festive!
Light up the scene
Make sure there are no shadows on your subject or any dark areas where there shouldn’t be. Use reflectors or place additional lamps around the set-up.
The best way to get good lighting is to use natural light. If you don’t have a window that gets good sunlight, try using an artificial light source. Use a lamp or two, or even try putting your cookies underneath a window and pointing a flash at them (make sure there isn’t anything reflective in the background). Be aware that if you are using flash, your photos may come out overexposed (too bright). If this happens, try lowering the ISO setting on your camera so that less light is required for each shot.
Shoot vertically
Most people like to shoot their cookies horizontally (like a normal photo), but I much prefer taking vertical shots because they look more interesting and give me more room for creativity when editing them later on my computer. Try shooting vertically with all of your cookies, then choose your favorites and shoot them horizontally as well if needed.
Don’t forget about props
A simple prop can really bring a photo together and make it more interesting than just a plain cookie alone on a plate (although I still love those too!).
Choose Your Camera Settings Wisely
If you want to take good quality photos of your food, then make sure that your camera settings are set properly. For example: if you want to take photos at night, then make sure that your ISO is set low as possible (ISO 100). You don’t want grainy photos or blurry images because there are too many light sources in one area.
Use Natural Light
Using natural light is always a great way to get better results when photographing food – especially if it’s an outdoor scene or if you have an indoor kitchen window nearby where there is plenty of natural light coming through.
Other Tips
1. Start with a good recipe. A tasty cookie is the first step to a delicious photo!
2. Use fresh ingredients and bake from scratch whenever possible.
3. Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before taking the photo. If they’re still warm, they’ll melt your frosting and look messy!
4. Use plenty of frosting and toppings so each cookie is nicely decorated, but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up with a messy looking photo (see tip #2).
5. Keep your props simple and clean so they don’t distract from your beautiful cookies!
Christmas Cookies Photography Ideas
