Chefs use the term "plating" to describe the aesthetic arrangement of food. If you want to take Instagram-worthy photos of your meals, you need to know the best ways to plate them.
Caviar is a photo-worthy delicacy that looks great on your social media profile. Before you start taking snapshots, you'll want to understand how to serve caviar and what to pair it with so that your photos reflect the caviar connoisseur you're becoming. This guide will explain the basics of how to plate, serve, and photograph caviar so that your dish looks as delightful as it tastes.
How to Plate Caviar
The key to understanding aesthetic caviar plating for Instagram photos is understanding the basics of serving caviar. Caviar on its own is best served in a nonmetal bowl over crushed ice. The nonmetal aspect is essential — metal oxidizes and can give the caviar a metallic taste. Instead of metal, you can use mother of pearl, glass, bone, and even plastic bowls.
However, you're likely not taking photos of caviar by itself. You're taking photos of your beautiful meals that use caviar. As you plate your meals, you can get creative with beautiful nonmetal plates, platters, bowls, and utensils. The materials you use can enhance your photoshoot and add to the ambiance of your final post. For example, mother of pearl and bone utensils and platters will create an air of sophistication and luxury.
How Much Caviar to Serve and Plate
To present yourself as a true caviar connoisseur, you need to know how much caviar you should serve. Caviar servings are usually between half and one ounce, so you can usually plate that much caviar before taking your photo. Uploading a photo to your social media account with the perfect amount of caviar will show the world that you know how to appreciate the finer things in life and are an authority in caviar.
For a more inventive photo, you can take a photo of caviar on someone's finger as if they are about to do a caviar bump. You can blur the background and focus on the caviar, resulting in a dynamic photo that captures your tasting experience.
How to Photograph Caviar
Caviar food photography involves much more than just taking a quick snapshot of the meal before you. There are various technical elements to employ to perfectly capture the essence of your meal. These techniques will teach you how to take pictures of caviar.
1. Pair Your Caviar the Right Way
Pairing caviar with the right meals will improve your photo and dining experience. Caviar is best paired with food that accentuates its taste without overpowering its texture. Typically, this includes food with more subtle or light flavors. The following foods are delicious and can contribute to an aesthetically pleasing dish:
- Pasta: Pasta brings out the bold flavors of caviar and creates an aesthetically pleasing dish. The way the roe is embedded in or sits upon the pasta provides ample photo opportunities. Different types of pasta and pasta sauces provide endless customization options for your next Instagram post.
- Potatoes: Every style of potato tastes delicious when served with caviar, from potato chips to fried potatoes. For a casual caviar photoshoot, you can use potato chips. For a more lavish presentation, you can create scallops with potato pancakes and caviar sauce.
- Seafood: In terms of seafood pairings, salmon is your best bet. Salmon enhances the saltiness and hidden flavors of the caviar. Smoked salmon is the best type of salmon to pair with your caviar. Fresh fish provides the best colors for your photograph and looks more enticing.
- Eggs: Whether scrambled, boiled, or deviled, eggs and caviar are a fantastic pairing. The egg and caviar combo creates some beautiful contrasting colors. You can create some vibrant shots while enjoying a delicious meal.
- Crackers: Crackers are one of the most well-known and simplest ways of serving caviar. These delicious and effective snacks can be used for a ton of creative shots and beautifully decorated cracker displays. Consider making a charcuterie board or cheese plate on a wooden platter to show off your caviar.
Knowing the best foods to pair with caviar is the best way to get high-quality photos for your social media profiles. You can really dazzle your fans and followers when you use the right meals and the right plating techniques.
2. Prioritize Lighting
The best way to emphasize the textures and color variations in your caviar dish is with proper lighting. To get great lighting for food photography, you can use the following tools:
- Light source: Your light source can be something like a ring light, or it can just be a large window.
- Diffuser: Diffusers distribute the light evenly onto the subject. You can use a pillowcase as a diffuser.
- Reflector: Reflectors bounce light back onto the subject from the opposite direction. White foam board works perfectly as a reflector.
Follow these steps to achieve beautiful lighting:
- Place your caviar subject in front of a light source, like a window.
- Hang or place your diffuser between the window and the dish.
- Set up your reflector on the other side of the dish, opposite the diffuser.
You can play with angles to get the best shot for your photo.
3. Experiment With Your Framing
Try getting as many shots as possible from a variety of different angles. Side and overhead shots work well for most foods, but getting experimental with your angles can make your picture stand out and show off how delicious your meal is. Front-facing and downward angles are best avoided. These angles can seem uninteresting and rarely capture the best features of your food in an interesting way.
4. Prepare the Food for the Shot
How you plate your food makes a significant impact on the aesthetic appeal of your food. Make sure all the different food in your meal is visible. The neatness or presentation of your food on the plate can be used to your advantage. When trying to focus on one main ingredient, such as caviar, you want to place a bump in the central focus point of your shot so attention is immediately drawn to it. Use a cloth to wipe the perimeter of the plate to make things look extra neat.
Get the Perfect Shot With Caviar From Imperia Caviar
Imperia Caviar provides premium caviar at affordable prices to allow more people to experience everything this delicacy has to offer. If you want to find the best caviar for your Instagram reel and show the world that you appreciate the finer things in life, explore our online store to find the perfect fit for your tastes.
If the world of caviar intrigues you and leaves you wanting to know more about it, feel free to browse our library of online resources to fully understand what makes caviar so special and how to get the most out of it.
