Fast Ed: How to turn you food photos into digital works of art

CELEBRITY chef Fast Ed Halmagyi explains how you can turn food photos into digital works of art. And dishes up a very shareable toasted granola.

Fast Ed’s toasted granola with pistachios and cranberries.

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IS IT just me, or does the entire ecosystem of social media seem to be inhabited in equal measures by photos of sunrises, pouting selfies, small cats doing inexplicable things, and a truly astonishing array of foods.

For all the technological power at our disposal, that seems to give short shrift to the idea of progress.

But who am I to judge, check out my own feeds and you’ll see I’m as guilty as anyone. That said, if you’re going to post pictures of food, make them delicious. And there’s a few professional tips you can easily learn that will help transform your tired-looking dinner into a work of digital art.

Chef Ed Halmagyi picking strawberries at home.

RULE 1

It’s all about the shadows. Most people think that an image is composed of light, but shape actually comes from its opposite.

In most indoor situations the illumination comes from overhead, usually by way of downlights.

These flatten the food and make it look drab. Try holding something over the plate (but out of shot) — a menu works well in a restaurant.

This allows light to come in primarily from the sides, and gives your image far better form.

RULE 2

Remember the contrasts — light/dark, tones/offset colours, shapes. High-contrast lighting (or enhanced by way of an app) gives the food punch.

Using a tonally layered background (think variations of greys) with individual colours placed on top (say the red and green of salad) gives the image vibrancy and depth.

A variety of shapes makes the image interesting.

RULE 3

Smartphones don’t cut the mustard, at least not yet.

It’s not their fault, but phone manufacturers don’t have the sensors or lenses to do justice to food.

If you’re really keen on making your social feed a work of edible art, invest in a quality digital stills camera with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth out, so that you can export directly to your phone for posting.

Also, there are some excellent apps for editing available, even a mobile version of Adobe’s inimitable Photoshop, so there’s no longer an excuse for sloppily rendered images.

TOASTED GRANOLA WITH PISTACHIO AND CRANBERRIES

Serves: makes 1L

1. 400g rolled oats

2. ½ cup wheatgerm

3. ½ cup vegetable oil

4. ¼ cup molasses

5. ¼ cup honey

6. 2 tsp ground cinnamon

7. 1 tsp ground nutmeg

8. 1 ½ cups shredded coconut

9. ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped

10. ½ cup raisins, chopped

11. ½ cup pistachios, chopped

12. ½ cup almond kernels, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 130C. Combine the rolled oats and wheatgerm in a bowl. Mix the oil, molasses, honey and spices in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Toss with the oat mixture, then scatter on a lined oven tray and bake for 1 hour, mixing from time to time.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, then store airtight.