Top tips on how to achieve a food or drink action shot

‘Esprogato’ by Joe Preston, 3rd, MPB Award for Innovation, 2024

In 2024, Joe Preston entered the photography competition for the first time. He achieved great success, coming 3rd place in the MPB Award for Innovation category with ‘Esprogato’, his creative image of affogato, the classic Italian dessert in which espresso is poured over ice-cream.

Amy Moore, Content Marketing Manager, MPB says, “Making an image look this beautifully simple, when it is such a difficult thing to set up, is truly an art. Not only does the subject's positioning in the frame draw your eye down, following the coffee drips; but the lighting and colours offer wonderful soft balance to the food whilst still creating something striking.”

For our latest blog, Joe shares his top tips for mastering a food or drink action shot and how they helped him achieve ‘Esprogato’.

Words by Joe Preston

Capturing action in food and drink photography is highly rewarding. It lets us freeze a moment from a unique perspective and creates stunning images. Movement enhances the story, engaging viewers and deepening their connection to the image.

If you have an action shot in mind, consider these tips before jumping in.

Plan, Plan, Plan

To achieve the shot you envision, careful planning is essential. Don't assume things will move as expected - consider the physics involved. Practicing beforehand can save time during the actual shoot.

For my 'Esprogato' image, I tested the espresso pour multiple times before adding the ice cream. This ensured all elements worked together to create the desired look.

Timing Is Everything

To nail your timing, consider these:

Set the Timer: This lets you get in position to work on the action.

Shoot in Burst Mode: Taking several quick shots increases your chances of capturing the right moment.

Use a Remote Shutter Release: This tool helps you time your shots precisely, allowing you to capture the action at the right moment.

When pouring the espresso, I used a remote to ensure I captured those perfect drips and drizzles.

‘Eggs’ by Joe Giacomet, Highly Commended, MPB Award for Innovation, 2021

Have Backups

Even with good planning, action shots can be unpredictable. It’s frustrating to use up ingredients or props before getting the shot. Be ready for multiple attempts and have plenty of extras on hand in case things don’t go as planned.

I went through several espressos and ice cream scoops before I was happy I’d got the shot.

Freezing The Motion

To capture action in sharp focus, use a tripod for stability. If using natural light, aim for a shutter speed of at least 1/1000th of a second. For artificial lighting, focus on flash duration. Set your camera’s shutter to the max flash sync speed and aim for at least 1/1000th of a second flash duration, increasing this for moving liquids etc. Lowering the flash power helps achieve this, and compensate for reduced light by raising the ISO, opening the aperture, or adding more lights.

I used artificial light for my image and used multiple lights with short flash durations to freeze the espresso drips.

‘Pudding Reminisce’ by Wesley Dombrecht, Highly Commended, MPB Award for Innovation, 2021

Fix It In Post

For complex action shots, capturing everything in one take can prove difficult. You may need to create a composite in post-production. Have a clear plan for how the individual shots will come together.

For ‘Espragato’, I separated my shoot into several key parts, and this helped me to focus and keep a clear checklist of what to capture. Get comfortable with Photoshop and you can really start to have some fun!

Story First

Whilst action shots can be impressive, it’s tempting to just shoot for the wow factor. I prefer to start with an interesting concept then apply an action element. Try and incorporate a narrative into your shot and you’ll have a winning formula. Most importantly, have fun!

Got an appetite for more innovative imagery? Check out other finalists from the MPB Award for Innovation and learn more about the category