There are so many styles of pies. Flat, rustic crostata and galette styles. Inches-thick fillings and meringues. There are multiple ways to tackle them depending on the style you are working with.
Thanksgiving is coming up here in the U.S. which is essentially pie season. I’ve photographed a lot of pies and tarts, specifically for my cookbooks. These are my best tips for working with these desserts along with some photos sprinkled in for inspiration.
A favorite pie from a creative project. It took forever to style, but I share the photo of it often.
First, if you have control over the recipe focus on the top. The more detail the better - crumble, lattice, piped meringue, layered fruits. Even if your pie doesn’t set up or look as nice on the inside, you’ll still get some lovely detailed shots of the dessert whole.
Practice patience. If you need a shot of the interior, give the pie all the time it needs to cool and set up. Rushing this step is a recipe for frustration. Consider letting it sit overnight if necessary.
Go overhead for flat pies and galettes. Stacked plates can help elevate the subject.
The acorn squash galette in my cookbook, the California Farm Table Cookbook. Slightly stacking plates helps separate multiple subjects from each other. Different colors of plates help, too.
Thickly filled pies make beautiful slice shots. Lower yourself and your camera to focus on the height of the pie. Ensure enough light is on the filling itself.
The deep dish quiche on the left from my book allows for a great filling shot. The pumpkin pie on the right is shorter but with a firm filling that holds well. Both have plenty of light on the filling, highlighting it for the viewer.
Crostata photographed at the breakfast table during a workshop in Italy. Backlight works well with the lattice top.
Backlight works for whole pies and especially catches the light on toppings.
Keep styling simple. Pies are large subjects that deserve attention. Let them have it.
Slightly pulling away a slice or slicing the pie, but keeping it whole gives you another option that is halfway between the whole or single slice decision.
The tart on the left is from my cookbook Food on Tap and the one on the right is an outtake from a pie in my book, The California Farm Table Cookbook.
New here? If this is our first introduction, maybe you’d like to know a little more about me, my work, and how I can help. You can always check out my About page at LoriRice.com, here are some recent articles I was featured in. It’s great to meet you!
From Science to Art at Faire Magazine
The Writer Behind the California Farm Table Cookbook by Georgia Freedman
Build some skills before the holidays. Take a look at my FREE trainings and PDF guides.