Food Photography: Then and Now

I don’t have a good tip to share with you this week, but today’s Wednesday post will hopefully give you a laugh at my expense!

Mike’s been urging me to write a post like this for awhile now, and I’ve been resisting. It’s no secret that food photography is an important part of a food blog, and really I just don’t want to draw your attention to some of my more terrible pictures. When I look back at my older posts, the pictures actually make me cringe! I try to update them as I re-make meals, and Mike and I actually sit around the computer comparing the pictures and laughing at how bad the old ones were. Mike always says things like “I can’t believe we used to think these were good!” And apparently he thinks all of my readers should join in on the fun.  πŸ™‚

*Note: I in no way think I am an expert photographer, and I still take plenty of bad pictures. But there really is no comparison to the oldest ones. (Just in case you can’t tell, the old pictures are on the left and the new are on the right)


Double Chocolate Cookies

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Strawberry Shortcake

Chipotle Turkey Chili

So there you have it! Whenever I get upset that my pictures don’t look how I want them to look, I just have to look back and compare to the beginning of my blog. It always cheers me up πŸ™‚

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48 comments

  1. Keep up the good work. I have no doubt that your talent will only get better and better.

  2. Oh, my old photos make me cringe too. They are HORRIBLE.

    I did giggle at your broccoli cheese soup photo. Haha! You've definitely come a long way! Great job! πŸ™‚

  3. That is great! Interesting that the food looks completely different in some of the pictures. I've only been blogging since last summer and still have a LOT of work to do on my photos, but already I can see a difference and am kind of embarrassed from my early pictures.

  4. Megan, I do the same thing. Whenever I make a recipe from when I first started my blog, I update those horrble pics, lol. I, too, look at some and think, “and I thought that pic was good!?” ARGH! Great post! :o)

  5. Oh man… my old pics make me sick. I haven't even reposted them… I need to! Your photography is great girl!

  6. you really do take amazing pictures! I'd love to see a post about your photo “behind the scenes”!

  7. I think we get better at presenting our dishes as we see what others have done. I really don't have an artistic eye like so many of you. While good light has a lot to do with it, my camera is really old. I took one this week that was appalling.

  8. Some of the older ones ain't that bad. But your newer? Definitely a huge step in the right direction.

  9. Your photos are beautiful now- isn't it satisfying to compare with the old pics and see the vast improvement?!

  10. Amazing difference!! I always love your shots. What special tips or tricks do you have that you're willing to share? πŸ™‚

  11. I only hope that I can come as far as you have! I just started my blog a couple weeks ago, and can already tell a little bit of a difference. But I still have a LONG way to go!

  12. Look at you! Your pictures have improved so much – and I can only say that (with the utmost compliment) because I do the same thing…I cringe when I see old pictures and what's hilarious is that I remember taking those old pictures thinking “wow, this is a good picture.” Oh my. I think having the comparison is good to realize how much we are learning and growing. I love your food photos – you really have the knack!

  13. I think it's great to look at where you have come from….I look back on my pictures too and think…wow, I thought those were good? lol
    Your pictures are gorgeous these days, that is for sure!

  14. It's fun to see the evolution. The pics are looking great!

  15. Sadly, my “now” pictures look like your old pictures. I just haven't mastered the art yet. In my defense, I don't have a lot of natural light time to play around. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Any tips you have that helped you turn the corner would be very much appreciated. Your work now is great! I love how they are bright and light.

  16. You are so funny! What a fun idea to write about! Thanks for sharing and for what it's worth, my first pictures (and writing for that matter) were pretty rough on my blog also!

  17. Wow, what improvement! Have you purchased a new camera? I'm currently shopping around (hubby gave me the go-ahead!)–would love to know what you have. If you could give beginners one tip, what would it be?

  18. Hi Megan from an OLD (85 yrs)cook, who was a photographer in the Service 50 years ago! I do the cooking and my better half for 62 years does the baking…Began cooking in 1947, same year I met Marie. We married 1949, still here, still in love! Still cooking! Marie bakes all our bread, muffins, cakes, cookies! But she does NOT use the computer!
    So, IMHO you are doing just great now. Mike had a good idea, one learns and grows by one's earlier efforts! Cheers, old Doug and Marie in BC Canada

  19. what a difference!! Great improvement πŸ™‚

  20. It is awesome! It gives me hope for improving my photography skills!

  21. I love posts like this! It's always so much fun to see how far we've come! You've certainly come a long way and your photos look fantastic! πŸ™‚

  22. I definitely see the difference. I'm scared to look back but I'm constantly working to try to improve. Good job, Megan!

  23. It's really an amazing difference! I look forward to your next post of this kind – it could go directly to an art gallery :-).
    p.s. by the way, did the taste change also?

  24. Your pictures have gotten a whole lot better, Megan!

    Food photography is quite challenging for me. I think I've gotten better, but honestly, I look at some of my current pictures and cringe.

    But at least I'm trying, and hopefully practicing will lead to better results for me. πŸ™‚

    Anyway, I've never tried a broccoli cheese soup before, but your picture sure makes me wish I could grab a spoon and dive right in! πŸ™‚

  25. I'm constantly learning how to be a better food photographer/stylist – but I know I have so far to go! I think your pictures are gorgeous!

    My next step should be to take some classes and buy a better camera! My point & click just isn't cutting it anymore!

  26. Wow you can def tell your progression! Your presentation has gotten a lot more exquisite as well. Keep up the good work πŸ™‚

  27. At least you can compare. I think I deleted my whole entire 2008 blog…HA, HA. What a great post (before/after).

  28. I love that you did this!! It really took a lot of nerve on your part and I appreciate that πŸ™‚

    Anytime I get an email from someone who says they read through my ENTIRE blog I cringe, thinking of all the old, ugly pictures they saw. SO EMBARRASSING!!

    And I think your photos now are GREAT.

  29. your improvements are amazing! I too cringe when i look at my old photos…though I still have a long way to go!

  30. I love this post! It gives me hope!! lol Truly your recipes and your photos are inspiring. I love your blog and your work!! Thank you Megan!

  31. Amazing! It's always great when you can look back and see your improvement πŸ™‚

  32. Your pictures are just beautiful! I do the same thing with mine – I look back and think, “Wow, I thought this was good?” I can even tell the difference between a few months ago and now. I think it's good for new bloggers to realize that improvement just takes practice. Food photography is so frustrating sometimes.

  33. just found your blog! these recipes look divine! can't wait to browse around πŸ™‚
    xo,
    mini
    minibakercupcakes.blogspot.com

  34. You are doing a great job Megan! Love your blog as it's full of amazingly interesting yummy recipes!.. Wish you all the best!
    P.S. Thanks so much: I'm in love with broccoli cheese soup and now I've seen a link to the recipe..! yahoo!!;) ~ xoxo

  35. You are a brave girl! I cringe too when I do comparisons with past pics. It's a good exercise though and a good learning tool.

  36. While my pictures have greatly improved, I think many of mine are still with your 'bad' ones! I will keep clicking away and try to improve πŸ™‚

  37. Wow, you have really improved! Did you get a different camera somewhere along the way? I was trying to do the food blog thing but haven't done anything this year because my camera is so awful, nothing really looks appetizing with it. Oh well! Do you have any photo tips to share?

  38. Wow–what a tribute to improvement. Your food has always looked delicious, but the improved pictures just make me ten times hungrier! πŸ˜‰

  39. Love it! I've gone back and updated a few my older posts with new photos, and it feels great.

  40. Totally loved this post. It is really amazing to see how we improve with time. And what we thought was good, was.. well.. not good at all!!

    Great Blog too!

  41. I need to do some updating myself. Great photos!

  42. Your photos are the very reason I've tried and loved so many of your recipes. Don't sell yourself short on how very great they are now. Definitely those old ones were fun to see – but keep in mind that's how 99% of your followers would take the pic too, so what you're doing now really IS commendable. So glad I found your blog. I adore you – the recipes AND the Mike comments. πŸ˜‰

  43. Those pictures look great!! I love it when I actually have time to photograph my food AND the picture turns out. My brother is a really great photographer and I feel like my pictures are always being picked at, and my pictures are so mediocre!

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