Ania Elias
Ania Elias is a Polish-born freelance food photographer living in England with her husband, two children and their working golden retriever. Ania has a passion for capturing images that focus on the natural origins and textures of real food. Her photographs often emphasize the simple beauty of traditional ingredients and recipes. She’s particularly interested in the human connections and emotions that food can evoke. Ania’s inspiration comes from everyday life, from nature, and from what she’s foraging or growing. When she’s not taking pictures of food, you’ll usually find her working in her garden, or foraging in her local hedgerows or woodland.
Talented food photographer Ania Elias delivers expert tips on her genre, outlines why the festive season is the perfect time to get started in culinary imaging, and discusses the incomparable value of her FUJIFILM X Series kit
If food photography highlights any one sentiment above other genres, it’s that art is all around us. With hard work and a little expert insight, we can find photographic beauty in day-to-day life. This all-important shift in perspective is something Ania Elias knows better than most, having fallen in love with photography – then the food genre – at a pivotal time in her life.
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, 1/8 sec at F9, ISO 250
Becoming a Food Photographer
“It would be fair to say that my adventure with the camera began when our children were born. I naturally wanted to capture every moment and every milestone,” she begins. “This turned into a passion for food photography quite quickly. I always loved cooking – as well as the family traditions, heritage and cultures around it. My experience in my family home was the key to discovering this passion, and shaped the way I look at food. I believe food is one of the most emotional subjects you can photograph. I found it irresistible.
“The creative challenge of transforming something that may seem ordinary into something extraordinary, or at least more visually appealing, also drew me in. From there, it was a case of figuring out what to do with the camera to get a certain effect. This genre is an opportunity to tell your own story from a very personal point of view.”
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF56mmF1.2 R, 1/30 sec at F4.5, ISO 200
Christmas Food Photography
While many genres have a window in which the best images can be made, few are as important as Christmas is to food photography. During this special time of year, opportunities run high.
“There’s no better time to explore food photography. Christmas gives you this unique chance to explore food in a rich, celebratory context,” Ania effuses. “Then there’s the aesthetic appeal, with a whole range of colours, textures and decoration.
“For me, Christmas is also about storytelling. It’s about traditions and gatherings. People create their own special recipes – sometimes ones they only make once a year. So, food plays a key role in these traditions and often tells a story of family culture. I want the narrative to go beyond the plate, creating memories that will last.
“Traditionally, you’ve got intricately decorated Christmas cookies, a beautifully set festive table and delicious meals people put a lot of effort into making. It all gives you this opportunity for artistic expression, and to experiment and play. Don’t be afraid of that. Enjoy the process.”
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, 1/15 sec at F5.6, ISO 320
The Best Camera and Lens for Food Photography
Ania’s choice of camera plays into December’s festive appeals, and the food genre more broadly. For her, it all comes back to the essential first steps of cuisine-based still life photography.
“I love the colour, resolution and ergonomics of FUJIFILM X Series. They’re amazing. I’m using the FUJIFILM X-T5, and my two favourite lenses for food photography are the FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro and XF56mmF1.2 R. The macro lens literally changed my photography. When I got that, it took my photography to the next level because I could focus on those details. With the 56mm, my gosh, once you see what it can do, there’s no going back.
“Most of all, food photography requires a change in perspective,” she continues. “You need to develop a keen eye for detail in everyday subjects. Practice helps, as well as a little bit more of a mindful approach. You can transform something ordinary into something visually compelling. Pay attention to what’s around you – that means closely examining the colours, textures and light.”
Looking back to the challenging first steps of the journey, Ania delivers more essential food photography tips.
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF56mmF1.2 R, 1/4 sec at F13, ISO 160
Food Photography Lighting, Composition and Backgrounds
“I would definitely choose a theme or subject to explore,” the photographer states. “It can be a particular ingredient, type of cuisine, cooking technique or anything else. But once you have a subject or theme in mind, it gives your images a more coherent and intentional look.
“Don’t be afraid to experiment with lighting. Around winter time, it will usually be a soft, diffused natural light. But play with candles and Christmas lights – they’ll almost certainly be available. When you’re shooting with a wide aperture, small sources in the background or foreground will create this beautiful bokeh effect. It’s visually very powerful.
“If it’s not softer, diffused light – and happens to be a sunny day – play with harsh light. This gives a more dynamic mood that’s more energetic. But if you want to diffuse your light, you can. If you don’t have a diffuser, just use a light, reasonably translucent piece of fabric.
“Consider the direction of the light as well. Side light is a good starting point, but certain objects photograph well with backlight, like drinks. If you’ve got nice flutes of champagne or bottles, they will look stunning when photographed with the light behind the subject.
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, 1/250 sec at F2.8, ISO 640
“Play with different angles and compositions. It goes beyond the rule of thirds. When you’ve got a bowl of soup, you have to ask how you can make it more appealing. Try some nice garnishes on top. When you’ve got a piece of cake, try a few crumbs scattered next to the plate. It can be a napkin or a piece of cutlery, but you’ve got to have layers. Overall, think about anything that will add more visual interest. My rule is: less is more.
“Don’t just focus on the dish. The process of making something helps bring the story to life.”
The final piece of the scene-setting puzzle is background. Looking at professional work, it may be the most daunting aspect for a beginner food photographer – and undoubtedly, certain food photography settings are elaborate. But, minimalist backdrops form a key part of Ania’s homely aesthetic. Following her lead, incredible results are highly achievable.
“It’s surprising what you can use as a background,” she notes. “You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment and gear. Usually, a simple, neutral background will work best because it helps avoid distractions. It could be a wooden table, plain glass or even a clean kitchen counter – as long as it’s not too reflective. A nice piece of rustic wood can add extra texture to your background. Also, try taking shots outside. Again, keep an open approach and don’t be afraid to play and experiment.”
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T20 and FUJINON XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS, 1/15 sec at F3.6, ISO 100
Camera Settings for Food Still Life
With a subject chosen, scene set and optimal imaging tools selected, it comes time to take an excellent exposure. As ever, that means choosing the right settings for the moment. On this front, Ania has a clearly defined selection.
“A wide aperture is definitely advisable,” she notes. “It’s more desirable in food photography because it helps create this shallow depth-of-field and isolate a subject. I like shooting anything from F1.4 to F3.6, depending on the scene, shape and layers. When I’m doing a motion or an action shot, a fast shutter speed helps, and often continuous shooting mode; out of 20 shots, only one might be usable. Then I try to get my ISO low, especially if I know the image is going to print. Having said that, the X Series cameras are so good these days, you can have a high ISO and little noise.
“I also use manual focus because it helps me perfect those little details. Finally, I prefer the RAW format – it retains a lot more information and flexibility in post-production.”
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS, 1/8 sec at F9, ISO 125
Food Photography Editing
Post-production itself is an important step in the food photography process – but one that’s full of misconceptions. Many high-end commercial campaigns showcase impossible imagery only achievable through digital manipulation – and there’s live action food photography magic to consider, too. Dyed liquid glue can replace sauces for increased holding power, inedible acrylic ice cubes are a long-lasting substitute, and the pristine Christmas turkey’s golden-brown skin may have been painted. These steps, however, are not in line with Ania’s approach.
“As a general rule, if it’s not edible, I don’t use it,” Ania reveals. “I like to keep things as authentic as possible. What I do use, to keep things in place, are skewers and toothpicks as supports. Without them, it will be hard for a burger, for example, to have all these layers and still look stunning.
“Another trick of the trade is dark liquid food seasoning. It’s incredibly useful and versatile, and helps you create all range of drinks,” she continues. “With a few drops in water, you will have a nice Chardonnay. Add more for tea or whisky.
“The reasoning is: I don’t want to waste food. Opening a new bottle of wine or whisky for one photo is a shame when much of it may get wasted afterwards.
“I also often use a convenient 50/50 mix of water and glycerine to spray on fresh produce or bottles. Normal water droplets will merge and disappear quickly, but the mixture looks beautiful.”
Photo 2023 © Ania Elias | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF56mmF1.2 R, 1/250 sec at F1.6, ISO 800
Ania carries the same sense of authenticity through to the edit – and delivers an important reminder that there’s no post-production alteration better than in-camera perfection.
“Editing images is my happy place,” she acknowledges, “but you should always try to do it right when taking a picture. It requires the planning and attention to detail I emphasised earlier to know exactly what you want before you take a picture, but it pays off.
“When I’m in the edit, my go-to adjustments are white balance, exposure and tweaking levels and contrast. I’m usually reducing highlights, lifting shadows, doing colour correction and adding a bit of sharpening. Obviously, there’s also cropping to get framing perfect.
“Anything more depends on who the image is for and what kind of mood you’re trying to create. Personally, I love to play with the different FUJIFILM Film Simulations – but coming back to storytelling, you have to be considerate. As long as I feel the image is natural, I’m happy.”
Ania parts with an encompassing statement, definitive of her style and useful to those hoping to follow in her artistic footsteps.
“This genre of photography is here to make food look delicious. There’s a fine line to be walked,” she concludes. “For me, your presentation of food has to send a genuine message. The subject matter should be understood by everyone who sees it. It’s easy to go too far and create something that doesn’t resonate as real.”