Did you know we have a famous chef living right here in Cheyenne? I met Petrina Peart when she first moved to Cheyenne. At that time, she was just launching her business and in need of some headshots. Last year, she reached out to get food photos in Cheyenne because she was about to appear on the Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay. I had to wait until the show aired last fall to share anything anywhere on my own website. The network interweaved my photos in during the show.

I recently saw Petrina in the news again. She's been selected to be a part of the American Diplomatic Culinary Corps, which seeks to use food as a diplomatic tool across the world.

I don't get a lot of opportunities to take food photos in Cheyenne, so I will always jump at the chance. Lucky for me, Petrina also let me taste these amazing dishes, which included Coconut, Honey and Rose Water Panna Cotta, Vegan Veggie Fried Rice, Vegan Fried Lasagna, and Vegan Bolognese. They all were absolutely amazing.

Petrina owns Gaiya's Harvest, and she specializes in special event catering, classes, and custom dining experiences. Her passion is vegan cooking, but she works her magic with all types of food and pastries.

A big Congratulations to Petrina on all of her accomplishments! I thought I'd share these in honor of her continued success. In case you are taking your own food photos, I also wanted to share a few tips.

I see so many local restaurants trying to post photos of food on Instagram or Facebook. Good food photos are interesting. They make your customers want to come into your restaurant to try your creations in person. No one can smell food in an Instagram post, so we really to rely only on one sense, our vision. Here are a few tips to up your game when taking your own food photos, even with your phone.

Use Natural Light!

Food should not have a yellow/orange hue. The number one mistake I see people making is that they take food photos in artificial light. Instead, move the food to a table near the window and turn off overhead lights. Overhead lights create terrible color casts on food, leaving your food looking unpalatable and strange. I took the following food photos in Cheyenne at the Paramount Ballroom. While the Ballroom has a lot of big windows the network needed Petrina to appear that she was in a kitchen cooking. Moving Petrina right next to the window was not possible. Instead, we took these near the bar, which was a bit far for any substantial window light to reach. These photos were taken with added studio light that was made to look like window light. All overhead lights were turned off. You'll notice the white panna cotta appears white, not yellow or orange.

Change Up Your Angles

Don't take every photo from the same angle. Try photos from a top angle and experiment with showing only parts of the dish rather than the whole dish. Put the light in front to showcase the food's texture, but experiment with how shadows show form on your dish as well. I love top-down photos, but I also love showcasing restaurant spaces behind the food. This is a great way to showcase the ambience of a space alongside your dish.

Styling is Important

While I'm sure your food speaks for itself, it's also important to consider the elements surrounding your food when you photograph it. White plates are a classic, clean look that let your food shine. Any solid color plates would work as well, and I've loved working on gray or black plates too. Because food is typically colorful and full of texture, solids, rather than patterns, tend to look best for food photos. Be careful that plates don't cast a color onto lighter foods.

Reach Out for Help

If you'd rather have someone else showcase your product, please reach out. love photographing food, so let me know if you're in need of food photos in Cheyenne, Laramie or Fort Collins!