Do you ever get stumped over what props you should add while setting up your shot? 

You have a beautiful bowl of pasta, or a big sexy cake you’ve killed yourself making and you’re dying to show it off- the pressure is on to get everything else right. 

It is important to figure this out, and to do that, you need to know the difference between props and supporting elements.

Props are elements that add interest, color and texture to the shot. They are used to fill spaces and help to tell the story. 

They may be a wrapped Christmas present, or Christmas ornaments that will help tell a story of a cake or cookies that you intend to have a Christmas theme. 

They may be a mug of coffee, or a stack of plates placed strategically in the back to tell a story of breakfast for your beautiful quiche. 

Props let you be creative and produce a vignette of art.

Sometimes the props you choose may have nothing to do with the dish you’ve made. They may just be flowers, scattered around, or some old family photos. Even a patterned surface can fill space and add texture.

Props are a great way to use color. Bringing in an element that adds contrast to the color of your surface or your dish is a great way to add interest. 

Now we know what props are…what are supporting elements? 

Supporting elements are the things you can add to your photo that have direct relation to your dish. 

The most common supporting elements are, ingredients. 

Adding ingredients is the most effective, and maybe the easiest way to finish telling your story and help balance your photo. 

This may be by adding the actual raw ingredients you used to make the dish, or maybe just some of the garnishes you used to top it off, gently sprinkled around the surface near the dish.

You can also use other food elements that would make sense to have with the the dish you’ve created, such as garlic bread to go with your pasta, or a salad to go with that baked chicken. Maybe a jar of jam or honey to drizzle on the biscuits you’ve baked. 

Either way you decide to stage your photo, is great.

It’s your story to tell, be creative and have fun, but be careful to not make the photo about the props. It’s important not to choose things that take away from the hero of the photo, your food.

Too big or too many props will make the photo about the props, not the food, and the viewers eye won’t know what they are suppose to be looking at. 

Make your food the hero, and let subtle, interesting elements add interest color and texture to your masterpiece!