Happy National Cookie Day! Allow us to whet your appetite for a little with these mouth-watering and creative cookie photos from various 500px food photographers. Plus, if you want more insight into food photography, scroll down to the end of this 20-photo collection, and read our interview with 19-year-old foodie Lithuanian photographer Gabriele Liaudanskaite.
But first, enjoy this serving of photo eye candy!
500px Interviews A Young Food Photographer
Now that you’ve seen some examples of just how creative you can get with food, read on for our exclusive interview with food photographer Gabriele Liaudanskaite.
500px: Hello Gabriele, could you tell us about your photographic journey?
GABRIELE: My first attempt to make a food photograph was someday back in 2010 or early 2011, if I remember correctly. I just wanted to capture the moment. The result was a simple, amateur photo of a very tasty cake from a very bad angle. After that time, somehow I realized how beautiful food is—even though my first camera didn’t. So many patterns, so many colors, and finally—so many tastes! What I love most about food photography is the moments. They never repeat again.
For the photos you take, do you cook or bake the food yourself? Or is there a friend who helps out?
GABRIELE: No way, I don’t like cooking myself. My photos would be nothing without the help of my mom. She is the one who deserves a medal.
The colors in your photos are very crisp, and the light is natural. Do you do any post-processing to achieve this effect, or is this just intuitive decision when taking a photograph?
GABRIELE: I shoot photos in natural light, usually on the kitchen table near the window. And though I use Photoshop to adjust the photos a bit, I try to never over-use it. People who see Photoshop as a witch from the medieval times that must be burned down should really take it easy.
What camera settings do you usually shoot with?
GABRIELE: When I shoot something important, I use automatic settings. When I want to “play pretend as a photographer,” I switch to Av mode. Oh, and I like manual focus! Sadly, my shaking hands don’t.
What is your go-to gear that you like to shoot food with?
GABRIELE: My beloved Canon EOS 1100D is only friends with one lens—and that lens is the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II.
Could you share with us any favorite childhood memories tied to food or cooking?
GABRIELE: When I was 4 or 5, I had a wonderful dish set made of colorful plastics. Once I decided to “make a soup”, I took some fresh peas, a leaf of a cabbage, a raw potato, and poured some milk. It was awful.
What’s your favorite food dish?
GABRIELE: Sushi. Definitely.(All the Japanese readers out there—arigato for such eatable masterpiece!
Besides the beautiful and cheerful food photos, your portfolio is full of quaint indoor details, romantic photos of the outdoors, and close-ups of life. Do you think there’s a reason you gravitate towards those subjects
GABRIELE: I am still learning how to see objects, how to capture them, and how to express the moments that I see. Many of those “other” photos deserve a “Delete” button but somehow they are still there.
You have won a few 500px Weekly Contests, and even got featured on 500px Editors’ Choice. How did it make you feel? Do you participate in other photo contests outside of 500px?
GABRIELE: Winning a Weekly Contest together with other photographers usually makes my day. And when talking about Editors’ Choice, shall I mention tears or not? I also have participated in many different, usually Internet-based photo contests, and I’ve won in several of them. Nevertheless, my biggest luck was to be among few other laureates of Lithuanian schoolchildren‘s photography contest. It was a blast, really.
Do you feel more encouraged now to promote your workm, or more confident to enter contests?
GABRIELE: No, every time I achieve something, my holy bar of requirements for myself rises.
Who are you favourite food photographers or chefs?
GABRIELE: My biggest muses are Katie Quinn Davies, Linda Lomelino, and famous 500px photographers like Natalia Lisovskaya, Galina Kochergina, Claudia Totir, Aisha Yusaf, Elisabeth Coelfen, Agnieszka Piatkowska and, of course, Alexey Julia.
What advice would you give to any beginner photographer?
GABRIELE: One should not be afraid to begin with ordinary pictures. Photos like blooming tulips in Grandma’s yard, “oh-my-god-how-awesome” clouds at sunset, touristy pictures of famous landmarks from a very boring angle, close-ups of friend’s new puppy or kitty, or whatever. Only after taking these photos will you start to feel the need to become different.
Follow Gabriele Liaudanskaite on 500px to see more of her inspiring and creative work with food. Feel free to leave a comment or your questions for the photographer below—we love your feedback.
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