To take AMAZING food photos, you need a great camera. If you’ve researched and browsed as many food blogs as I have, you’ll notice that almost all bloggers use DSLR cameras. Many food bloggers use Canon cameras, but I use a Nikon. It’s really up to personal preference as either brand of DSLR is amazing for food photos. I personally like my Nikon because it is slightly more ergonomic and lenses can work on both cropped and full frame cameras (more bang for your buck!). Mirrorless cameras are gaining in popularity as well. All are great options but I think it is crucial to master the basics before you’l notice a real difference in the quality of different cameras.

As I’ve progressed in my photography, I’ve upgraded my camera so I’ve provided info on my current and old camera below.

For the Beginner:

Try the Nikon D3500. I shot on an older 3300 version for years before upgrading and it did the job! This cropped sensor camera is a great beginner camera at a (more) affordable of a cost. I got mine on sale for ~$450 at Costco and it came with two kit lenses. The camera does a great job for those wanting to learn photography.

A cropped sensor camera just means that the field of view is cropped, so your images will look tighter that the same photo taken on a full sensor. Cropped sensors are cheaper to make which is why most enthusiast cameras have them. That doesn’t make the camera any better or worse than others though! You’ll just want to keep that on the back of your mind if you ever decide to move to a full frame camera or are building out your lens kit.

For the World Traveler:

I recently gifted myself an Olympus OM-D E-M10 MARK III for travel and on location shoots. It’s tiny and more discreet than my full frame Nikon, but doesn’t compromise on quality. It also does 4k video!

For the Pro (or pro-ish):

I shoot primarily on the Nikon D750 and I LOVE IT. This is a full frame professional camera with a bigger investment. You can read a review on it from one of my favorite photography sites, Photography Life. It’s not the top of the line model out there, but it does a great job! Recently, Nikon had a recall on some of the 750s due to a shutter issue so if you buy one, be sure to check their recalls page to make sure you didn’t get one that was affected. They take care of everything if you are!

Lenses:

Lenses are by far the biggest investment I’ve made in my photography (gulp). If you use Nikon, I highly recommend buying FX lenses. This means that the lens is compatible with both a full frame and cropped sensor camera. DX lenses, while cheaper, only work well on a cropped sensor camera, so you will need to buy new lenses when you upgrade to a full frame. My favorite lenses are:

For the beginner:

• The Nifty Fifty: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens or “nifty fifty” prime lens is the most common lens you’ll see recommended for food photography. That’s because this lens has a focal length that is similar to what the eye sees. The “prime” lens means that you can’t zoom in or out so you have to move around to get the right shot. This challenge can help you improve your photography skills and explore new angles.
• The 60mm Macro: Nikon AF-S FX Micro-NIKKOR 2177 60mm f/2.8G ED is one of my favorite lenses!! It has a focal length similar to the 50mm but it’s a Macro lens (called micro by Nikon- I know it’s confusing). This lens is amazing because it allows you to get up close to your food, allowing you to show detail and get AMAZING food shots. This little guy acts like an 80mm would on a full frame, so you can get in even tighter if you have a cropped sensor camera. Not sure what I mean? Read this great post by Rachel Korinek of Two Loves Studio!
• The 24-70mm Zoom: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED is the most recent addition to my camera bag! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this lens because it allows me to get nice wide angle shots as well as close ups without having to change my lens. It’s great for all angles, especially flat lays and is very sharp with beautiful bokeh. It was a big investment, but I sure do love it.

For the Pro (or Pro-ish):

• 105mm Macro. This prime lens is the DREAM. Get up close and personal with food for those drool-worthy shots! I only recommend this lens if you have a full frame camera though!  

Lighting:

I love shooting with natural light. But it isn’t always possible in the winter!! I used to use the StudioFX H9004SB2 2400 Watt Large Photography Softbox Continuous Photo Lighting Kit 16″ x 24″ + Boom Arm Hairlight as my artificial light source. I rarely used all 3 included in the set up, but they are nice to have! I ended up getting rid of this set up because it took up too much space, and now shoot with speed lights instead. I’m still figuring out what I like, but more updates to come!

Photography Courses:

• Tasty Food Photography – this is an e-book from Pinch of Yum author, Lindsay Ostrom. She also creates the photography courses on FBP. This e-book is a great intro into settings and fundamentals of photography! Great resource if you’re just starting out and want to learn your way around a DSLR.
• Two Loves Studio – this is a wonderful food photography blog that I’ve referenced for everything from gear to inspiration. Rachel is so knowledgable and relatable! She gives really great advice for more intermediate photographers. I’ve taken her Composition Essentials and Lightroom Magic courses and have learned so, so much!
• Food Blogger Pro – there are hundreds of really great courses on FBP that I’ve taken! I’ve learned a lot about camera settings, composition, movement, food styling, and even how to create good videos. Definitely recommend FBP if you want to learn more about starting a food blog – they’ll walk you through every step.
• Cheeky Kitchen with Brooke Lark: I also love the 90 minute food photography crash course by Brooke Lark from Cheeky Kitchen. She has so many great tips on how to shoot monochrome, colorful, light, and dark. ALL in 90 minutes!
• Foodtography School with Sarah Fennel: I took her Advanced Foodtography course and it was AMAZING! She is also launching her “style edit” 12 month immersive which looks great!

One of the most useful resources I’ve had for Rosemary and Rye is Food Blogger Pro. Food Blogger Pro is a community and “university” for food bloggers where you’ll find a plethora of videos, courses, checklists, ebooks, and a robust forum to answer all your food blogging questions. If you’re interested in starting your own blog, this is a great place to start! They even offer a free ebook, check it out!

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. Any affiliate link is linked to a product or service which I’ve personally used before and had a wonderful experience with – I wouldn’t suggest it otherwise! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment or use the contact form and I’ll do my best to get back to you!