15 Best Food Photography Props

1. Matte Plates

Its important to look at the finish when buying plates as a high-gloss finish can show reflections in the final shot. I had a tough time finding matte plate and I was doing a ton of research trying to figure out the best size. A few things –

1. Look for “stoneware” plates. I’ve had some luck buying marble pinch bowls as well.
2. Look for 5″-6.5″ size width – the reason is a large plate has too much white space and the main focus looks too bare in the shot.
3. You can also search for “bread plate” “side plate” “appetizer plate” “dessert plate” “fruit plate“.
4. I prefer my plates being neutral colored so that it can highlight the recipe but you can add texture by looking for plates with interesting plate edges.

2. Linen

Linen napkins are such an amazing prop to enhance your food! They add a gorgeous textural element in your photography and they help “fill” out empty spaces in your shot. I would get a set of neutral white/beige/grey in the beginning and then buy more bold color tones later on!

3. Cutting Boards / Cheese Boards

Cutting boards / Cheese Boards are another great way to change up the background of your image – I always prefer buying a smaller size than a larger size but it depends on how you want to utilize it.

4. Kitchen tools used to make the recipe

1. Whisk
2. Rolling Pins
3. Pan you cooked the dish in (cookie pan, muffin tin, baking dish,pie pan)
4. Measuring spoons/cups
5. Cake Server
6. Sifter (Small and Large)

5. Jars – Clear or Neutral

Mason jars, clear vases and even milk jugs are a great way to add more depth in your photo without overshadowing the main focus.

You can also purchase flour or cookie jars to place in the back of the photo to add another element.

6. Utensils

I found my utensils at a thrift store but I would search for vintage utensils or matte utensils. You can get a few and place them in a mason jar to be used as a prop or place them through out the image when taking an overhead shot.

7. Pinch Bowls

Pinch bowls are also another great tool to use to fill your image.

8. Fresh Flowers / Dried Flowers

Fresh flowers like baby’s breath would be a great neutral touch or even eucalyptus leaves! I love using dried flowers for more fall/winter dishes and they last forever!

9. Real Food

1. Use cracked egg shells
2. Ingredients in the recipe (chocolate chips/nuts/fresh fruit)
3. Drizzle on the glaze or even cocoa powder!

10. Candle Sticks

These would be great during the holidays or to fill up the background even more – just make sure you buy shorter candlesticks to they fit in the frame of the image along with shorter candlesticks!

11. Parchment paper

You can use white or brown parchment paper crumpled up or even layered on top for more texture in the background of a flat lay.

12. Cooling racks

While the piece below is technically a large wire cheese grater (perfect for loaves). You can use your regular ol’ cooling racks or buy black cooling racks.

13. Old Books / Newspaper

You can stack food on top of sheets of old books or newspaper to set up a scene that is more rustic or cafe-like.

14. Cake Stand

Ideally the cake stand will be neutral and matte! Make sure the cake stand isn’t too much larger than the width of your cake or it will make the cake look small in comparison.

15. Yourself!

Use your hands to show movement and make it a dynamic image!