Top-down Food Photography
A course by Espacio CrudoDesign & Photography Studio
A course by Espacio Crudo, Design & Photography Studio
Learn how to take top-down food photos using foodstyling and art direction techniques.
Accompanied by the talented creators of Espacio Crudo, Natalia Londoño, Paola Sánchez and Andrés Caicedo, you will enter the fascinating world of food photography from a unique perspective. It doesn't matter if you are passionate about cooking or just a creative enthusiast.
Immerse yourself in the art of capturing the essence of food from a top-down view, creating images that awaken the senses and convey authentic stories. Throughout this journey, you will join the team behind Espacio Crudo and discover how to bring everyday ingredients to life, transforming them into pieces of visual art.
Explore composition, lighting and editing techniques that will allow you to create food photographs that will delight both your palate and your creativity.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 22 downloads
Understand the idea visually
11 minutes, 25 seconds
Think about the photo
4 minutes, 24 seconds
Ingredient casting
6 minutes, 12 seconds
Bring life to the photo
10 minutes, 40 seconds
Everything ready for the sets
12 minutes, 9 seconds
The moment of the photo
6 minutes, 14 seconds
What's included in this course?
To begin, you will explore the world of flat lay or overhead, a technique that captures food from above to give it a new visual dimension. Soon, you will immerse yourself in the exciting creative process, from the aesthetic definition and the creation of moodboards to the choice of compositional elements and the perfect color palette. Next, you'll join Natalia, Paola, and Andrés to plan lighting schemes and equipment setups that enhance your creations.
At each step, you'll discover how to turn ingredients into protagonists, from careful selection to building authentic settings. Learn to master the camera and lights to capture every detail, and explore post-production techniques that will enhance your images to the fullest. By the end of the course, you will have developed the ability to transform ingredients into visual works and will have all the necessary tools to create striking images from a top-down perspective.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create two images that capture the essence of the food from a top-down view. The first image will highlight ingredients at their best, while the second will embrace the authenticity of the "not-so-perfect" ones. Through these images, you will put into practice all the skills you have acquired, exploring how the choice of elements, composition and lighting influence the visual narrative of your photographs.
Who is this online course for?
Designed for all lovers of creativity who want to explore food photography from a unique perspective. If you're a cooking enthusiast, a designer looking for visual inspiration, or simply someone looking to take their creative skills to the next level, this course is perfect for you.
It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or have experience in photography, the Espacio Crudo team will guide you through every step of the process so you can create stunning images from a top-down view.
Requirements and materials
To immerse yourself in this exciting course, you will need to have basic cooking knowledge and an interest in visual creativity. Make sure you have a camera, tripods and lights to carry out your photo sessions. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to experiment with props and compositional elements to build authentic settings that enhance your creations. Get ready to explore the art of food photography from a top-down view and take your creative skills to the next level.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
It is an interesting course. I recommend it a lot!
- 1 year ago
Es bastante interesante.
- 2 years ago
Aprendí mucho viendo cómo se va desarrollando el proceso creativo desde la idea inicial hasta la serie de fotos final. Merece mucho la pena.
- 2 years ago
Los cursos de Espacio Crudo son geniales, un curso que te invita a aprovechar al máximo los recursos para así potenciar tus resultados!
- 3 years ago
Me esta encantando el curso, muy bien explicado
From their base in Colombia, Natalia, Paola and Andrés have collaborated with a variety of brands, large and small, creating projects that transcend the ordinary. Their approach to food as a means of expression has allowed them to explore the cultural, social and political intersections that converge in each dish. This deep and multifaceted focus on food as communication has led them to be recognized both in the advertising industry and in renowned international publications.
With innovative personal projects, such as "Balanced Diet", where they transform food into unique visual creations, and collaborations with influential brands such as Cola and Pola Colombia, Espacio Crudo demonstrates how food can be a powerful vehicle for telling stories and challenging creative boundaries. Her approach not only highlights her artistic prowess, but also her deep understanding of how food becomes a powerful visual language that transcends borders and connects with audiences around the world.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
What is not seen in the photos
- Beginning of the creative process
- First steps: the mood board
- Understand the idea visually
- Choose the recipe
- U3
Inspiration for our photography
- Think about the photo
- The lighting scheme
- Finish the scenery
- Ingredient casting
- U4
The moment of truth
- Bring life to the photo
- Everything ready for the sets
- Assemble the photo: first set
- Montage the photo: second set
- The moment of the photo
- U5
Post-production, development and completion of photographs
- Developed with Adobe Camera Raw
- Finishing with Adobe Photoshop
- FP
Final project
- overhead photo of food
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
You’ll learn plating techniques, art direction, lighting, visual composition, recipe development, and post-production to create attractive, professional culinary images — plus how to optimize resources and craft cohesive visual concepts for brands.
This course is designed for people with intermediate knowledge of photography or gastronomy, perfect for those who already know the basics and want to specialize in food photography and styling.
You’ll need a digital camera, a tripod, some basic lighting gear (like softboxes or reflectors), culinary props, and access to editing software like Photoshop or Camera Raw.
You’ll be able to create professional culinary images, develop visual proposals for brands, apply food styling techniques, and master post-production for both commercial and artistic food photography.
Yes, the course teaches how to set up effective indoor lighting using minimal gear, simulating warm natural light while controlling shadows and reflections.
It’s not required, but having some cooking or food presentation knowledge will help you get more out of the styling and composition techniques taught in the course.
Yes, the course includes creating moodboards, selecting color palettes, and choosing visual references to organize and communicate aesthetic intentions in your photo projects.