Shooting Ramen and Noodles That Look Mouthwatering — Steam, Toppings, Angle

Ramen and noodles are all about steam and toppings, but they tend to come out “dull” or “sunken in color.” The causes are angle, brightness, topping placement and steam. Even at the counter, a little care conveys the appetite.

Stand the toppings up from a 45° angle

Shoot the bowl from straight overhead and the toppings sink into the broth, looking flat. Aim from a 45° angle to bring out the dimension of the chashu, egg and scallions, and convey the volume of the noodles.

Raise the brightness to bring out color

Ramen shops tend to be dim. Tap the bowl and raise the brightness a little to bring out the broth’s color and gloss (→ Exposure compensation basics). When it’s dark and shaky, hold it with both hands and, if Night mode appears, hold still while you shoot (→ Fixing dark indoor photos).

Make the steam and toppings the star

Steam is easier to see against a darker background with light from the side to back-diagonal. The trick is to shoot quickly while it’s hot, right after it arrives. For toppings, rotate the bowl so the one you want to show comes to the foreground or an intersection before you shoot, making the star clear.

Composition tips

Lifting noodles a little with chopsticks, or laying a spoon in on a slant, brings in a slanted line for movement (→ Diagonal composition). Moving in boldly on the bowl conveys the gloss of the noodles and the steam, stirring the appetite (→ Fill the frame).

Composition guideDiagonal compositionSee the full guide for this composition → Composition guideFill the frameSee the full guide for this composition →

BeforeAfter

Start with just this

Stand the toppings up at 45°, raise the brightness a notch, and catch the steam while it’s hot. Rotate the topping you want to show to the foreground. That cuts down a lot of “dull and sunken color” in ramen and noodles.