There are three core camera angles in food photography: the flatlay, the straight on, and the 45 degree. Each one is used intentionally in different instances and with different subjects in order to highlight specific features of the food. In today’s post, I’ll be running through what the 45 degree angle refers to, how you can use it in your imagery and the types of food or food scenes that will benefit most from this angle.

You can read more about the flatlay here and the straight on angle here here.

What is the 45 degree angle?

While typically referred to as the 45 degree angle, this style of shooting covers anything from around a 25 to 75 degree angle, which essentially is anything between a straight on shot and a flatlay. The food generally guides me here, as the angle that looks best will depend on the texture, layers and details of each individual subject.

how-to-use-45-degree-angle-food-photography-by-samantha-couzens-photography

How to capture a 45 degree angle shot

The first and most important thing you need to consider when looking to capture a 45 degree shot is the food. What is it exactly that you want to highlight? What is the key selling point to the viewer? While a straight on shot could have been a great option for the focaccia sandwich, I wanted it to be clear that the bread used was in fact focaccia, and that would only be understood if the top of the bread was visible. By opting for the 45 degree angle, I was still able to capture the beautiful layers of the sandwich, but could also ensure the focaccia topping was visible in the background.

Props will similarly play an important role and can be another determining factor for choosing to use the 45 degree angle in the first place. The key selling point of the French onion soup below is the melted cheesy crouton on top, but had this shot been a flatlay, it may have been a little less clear as to what the food or recipe actually was. By capturing the side and handles of the bowl, I was able to communicate this better to the viewer, so it’s always worth considering whether the angle might help communicate a clearer story.

Generally, it’s better to opt for a closer cropped image when shooting at 45 degrees so you can really hero in on what makes the viewer hungry.

When to use the 45 degree angle

I use the 45 degree angle whenever I want to capture both the detail on top of my subject, and on the side. It’s for the instances when a flatlay or straight on shot would miss key features of the food itself.

Typically, flatter foods look best with an angle of 45 degrees upwards as there’s more detail in the surface of the food than the side, while taller subjects suit a lower angle. Compare the mojito example below, shot at more or less a 25 degree angle, with the layers in the drink clearly visible through the glass, vs. the two bowl shots, both nearer a 75 degree angle, in order to capture the textures on the surface of the food.

It also depends what I’m trying to highlight in any given subject. In the tiramisu example below I wanted to be able to capture the layers in the glass to some extent, but was mostly focused on capturing the cream and chocolate topping and the implied movement of the scoop that’s been removed. I was also aware of potential lens distortion as the glass was reasonably tall and it needed to be clear to the viewer that this was a glass. If I’d increased the angle much more I would have lost the stem and structure of the glass and potentially confused the viewer.

The 45 degree angle can also act as an incredible powerful tool for mental stimulation - in other words, getting people to imagine themselves eating your food. This is because the 45 degree angle typically mimics a person’s line of sight if they were to sit down at the table ready to eat a meal, so it’s always worth considering if you’re keen to use your imagery to make more sales.

This is what makes the 45 degree angle such a great option for branded shots too, like the Nutcessity example below. The key selling point here was the smooth, creamy texture of the nut butter, so while the branding is visible on the side of the jar, the camera angle pulls the viewer right into the centre of the nut butter swirl.