What I’m Currently Using:
Camera Body:
Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera – I love this full frame camera because it has 61 Auto Focus points, ISO ranges from 100 – 25600, and it can also capture 1080p HD videos. This is by far the best SLR I have owned in terms of quality, clarity and versatility. My good friend Jordan who is a professional photographer in Melbourne also uses this camera, so if you’re looking for something amazing, I’d definitely go for the Mark III. I was previously using a Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera which was also absolutely fantastic and is a cheaper alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to splash out too much on a camera body.
Lenses:
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM – I use this lens for 95% of my food photography. It is a fixed lens, meaning it doesn’t zoom in or out. This lens is perfect for food photos as it can get you pretty up close and personal with the food (not as close as a macro lens, but close enough for awesome food shots). It has a large aperture and opens up to f stop 1.4, perfect for shooting in lower light, and also for shooting images with a shallow depth of feel (think bokeh, and blurry backgrounds). If you only want to buy one lens for your food photography, this would be the one to get.
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Wide Angle Lens – I use this lens occasionally for overhead shots. Wide angle lenses broaden the angle of view, which means you don’t have to stand on your tippy toes or on a chair to get good overhead shots. This lens also has a relatively large aperture which can open up to f stop 1.8.
Tripod:
Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 055 Aluminium 3-Section Tripod with Horizontal Column – I use my tripod about 30% of the time, and recommend it for photos that are taken in low light when you need to use a lower shutter speed. A tripod reduces camera shake which creates unwanted blurring in images. It is also great for taking action shots (pouring sauces etc) since most action shots are taken at a low shutter speed.
Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head – This head allows movement of your gear in three directions – pan, tilt and side to side tilt. It also has a quick release plate and easy adjustable knobs, allowing you to change the position of your camera for different angled shooting.
Camera Extras:
Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter – This inexpensive UV filter helps eliminate blueish casts in your image and protects your lens from UV damage.
Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Canon EOS Lenses A-EXTUBEDG-C – Extension tubes attach to your camera in-between the body and lens, shortening the focus distance of your lens. These allow you to get “macro” shots, without having to invest in a Macro Lens. If you would rather get a macro lens, your best bet is a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens .
Lighting:
Lowel EGO Digital Imaging, Tabletop Fluorescent Light Unit – When I am not using natural light in Winter or when I shoot at night, I use 2 Lowel Ego lights for my food photos. The lights are registered by your camera as daylight, and are an excellent alternative to natural lighting. They come with color paper sweeps, reflector boards and extra replacement bulbs. I highly recommend getting 2 lights rather than one, as from experience, the use of just one light tends to cast harsh shadows in food photos.
Neewer 43-inch / 110cm 5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector with Bag – These affordable reflectors are compact, collapsible and easy to store. Almost all food photographs should always utilize reflectors to eliminate or even create harsh shadows. This set comes with Translucent, Silver, White, Gold and Black reflectors.
Photo Editing:
Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom – These programs are essential for editing food photos. They are able to correct white balance, brighten, darken, filter and edit individual colors. I use both simultaneously, and usually first edit my RAW images in Lightroom, before exporting to Photoshop.
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