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Posting snapshots of what's for dinner is a favorite pastime of social-media users, but making dishes appear as delicious as they taste is an elusive skill.
把晚餐照片发到网上，是社交媒体用户喜欢的一项消遣活动，但让菜肴看上去和尝起来一样美味，却是一项不太好把握的技能。
With a few professional tweaks, though, amateur food photographers can give their smartphone-captured meals a major upgrade. Austin, Texas-based food photographer Jody Horton believes nearly any dish can make for a pretty picture -- extensive food styling not required. Items ranging from pecan pralines to barbecue have taken center stage in Mr. Horton's work for publications such as Texas Monthly and Southern Living.
但是，经过几条专业点拨，业余美食摄影师也可以让他们用智能手机拍摄的美食照跃升一个档次。得克萨斯州奥斯汀美食摄影师乔迪·霍顿(Jody Horton)认为，几乎任何菜肴都可以拍出一张漂亮的照片，同时还不需要做很多的食物造型工作。在霍顿为《得州月刊》(Texas Monthly)、《南方生活》(Southern Living)等刊物拍摄的作品当中，从山核桃果仁糖到烧烤，各种美食都曾占据中心舞台。
First of all, when taking food snapshots, he says, 'Don't overthink it.' The result should look natural.
首先他说，在拍美食照的时候“不要想太多”。拍出来的照片应当显得自然。
While stressing out about perfect plating is unnecessary, Mr. Horton does pay attention to the plate itself. 'You want to be sure that the food will separate from the surface on which it's sitting,' he said, so a red apple on a red plate likely won't photograph well. Consider creating a contrast between the plate and the table, such as white china on a dark wood surface, as well.
虽然强调完美造型是没必要的，霍顿还是很注意盘子。他说，“要确保食物与承托它的表面是分开的”，所以红盘子上放一个红苹果拍出来的效果很可能就不是很好。也要考虑在碗碟和桌子之间形成反差，比如把白色瓷盘放在深色木质表面上。
But if that's not possible, a white plate on a white surface almost always works. In a pinch, placing a white plate on a white napkin or paper towel allows the food to 'become the star,' Mr. Horton says.
但如果办不到，白色表面上放白色盘子几乎总是可行的。霍顿说，万不得已的情况下，将白色盘子放在白色餐巾或纸巾上面可以让食物“成为主演”。
Good lighting is key. Natural light that comes from behind the food is best, he says, so Mr. Horton turns off indoor lights and the camera's flash, and he places the plate in front of a window that provides indirect sunlight.
良好的用光是关键。霍顿说，从食物背后照过来的自然光是最好的，所以他会关掉室内灯光和相机的闪光灯，把盘子放在一扇有非直射日光照进来的窗户前面。
If it's after dark or natural light is unavailable, he suggests making sure only one type of light is on -- not both a halogen lamp and a fluorescent overhead light, for instance -- and that the artificial light comes from behind the food, if possible.
如果是在天黑以后或者没有自然光的条件下拍摄，他建议确保只有一种光源开启（比如不能让卤素灯泡和荧光顶灯同时打开），而且在可行的情况下，这种人工光线也要从食物背后照过来。
Restaurants, unfortunately, are inherently difficult spots to shoot food. When taking professional pictures, Mr. Horton usually moves the entire table to the desired light, an option not available to the average diner. But candlelight placed just out of the shot can add nice texture, even if it might take a few tries to find the best candle placement.
可惜餐馆天生不是方便拍摄美食的地方。在拍摄专业照片的时候，霍顿一般会把整张桌子搬到理想光照环境中，而普通餐馆都不具备这个条件。但刚好在画面范围之外的烛光可以增添不错的质感，即便可能要试几次才能找到放置蜡烛的最佳位置。
The most fail-safe angle for taking a food picture is from directly above, with only the food in the frame, Mr. Horton says. That way, the picture taker doesn't have to worry about a distracting background.
霍顿说，拍摄美食照片最保险的角度还是直接从上往下拍，且画面范围内只有食品。这样拍照的人就不必担心背景喧宾夺主。
When shooting from overhead, it's helpful to hold a piece of paper out of the frame but opposite your light source to bounce light back toward the food.
在从顶头拍摄的时候，可以在画面范围之外逆着光线照过来的方向举一张纸，把光线反射到食物上面，这样也是有帮助的。
Those who want a little ambiance in their photos should consider taking their smartphone camera even higher by standing on a chair. 'Something that I do a lot that people find really compelling is overhead table shots,' Mr. Horton says, adding that they bring in the layout of the table, while still allowing the lighting to be fairly simple. Plus, he says, 'you don't have to worry about people closing their eyes or having weird expressions.'
如果想在照片中加入一点气氛，那么就应该考虑站在椅子上，把手机举得再高一些。霍顿说：“我经常拍、大家又非常佩服的一类，是从上方拍摄的桌子的照片。”他还说，这样的照片会显现出桌面的布局，同时又使用光能够比较简单。另外他还说，“你不必担心人们闭上眼睛或露出奇怪的表情”。
Certain types of food can be especially hard to photograph well. Foods in 'bland' colors can be problematic, as well as casseroles, because it can be hard to tell what they are. Drinks are challenging because glass is so reflective, and they have a shorter 'shelf life,' with melting ice and wilting garnishes. (One tip: Light them well.)
某些种类的食物有时候特别难拍。色彩“平淡的”食物以及焙盘都有可能不好处理，因为有可能很难分辨出是什么东西。饮料的拍摄是一种挑战，因为杯子太反光，且饮料的“保质期”更短，冰块会融化，装饰品会发蔫。（一条建议：把光线用好。）
Food photography can be about much more than the final product on the plate. 'Some of the most interesting moments happen during preparation,' says Mr. Horton.
美食摄影涉及的东西可能远远不止于盘子上的成品。霍顿说：“有些最有意思的时刻是在制作的过程中。”
Something like fried chicken waiting at the table in a brown paper bag, grease spots included, can provide the opportunity to tell a story in a single photo, he says. 'It suggests more before it, and you know more is coming after it.'
他说，有些摄影作品可以用单幅照片讲出一个故事，比如桌子上静静地放着褐色纸袋包装的炸鸡，油脂形成的斑点都可以看到。“它说明之前发生过一些事，你也知道之后还会发生一些事。”
