Food photography 101: Playing with texture

This shot really works to sell the the recipe, with the fluffy cream gently oozing out of the cake and the light bouncing off the moist strawberry slice. It’s enough to make you want to grab a fork to dig in. Click here for the recipe.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

How do you know it’s a grilled cheese sandwich unless there is melted cheese spilling out? One of our favorite grilled cheese sandwiches, from Suzanne Goin of Lucques. Click here for the recipe.  (Eric Boyd / Los Angeles Times)

Does this look like grilled cheese to you? It’s hard to tell, since the cheese looks so skimpy. You really want the cheese flowing, not only to identify it as a grilled cheese sandwich, but to make the recipe appealing to the viewer. Click here for the recipe.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

From Susan Feniger’s Street, the Kaya toast is a sandwich-like creation featuring sliced butter and coconut jam spilling out of warm toast. Doesn’t it just beg to be eaten?. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

One more grilled cheese shot. This was from a story on grilled cheese, and with this recipe, we decided to stack the finished sandwich, making it all the easier to spot the gooey blue cheese and pear slices in the soft warm light. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

In this simple overhead shot, the rich texture of the ricotta-based gelato comes through nicely. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

A not-so-good gelato shot. The gelato was scooped and refrozen before the shot was taken, and rather than getting a nice shot of the creamy milk-based texture, the scoop is covered with tiny crystals. We could have done better. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

We waited a little too long to take the shot, and the warm fudge sauce started melting the ice cream underneath. While the dessert itself was amazing, the shot was just a little too, well, messy. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

A much better shot of ice cream, the creamy scoops just starting to melt along the edges, practically begging to be eaten. Click here for the recipe.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

A nice tight shot of sangria? Almost. Can you guess what’s missing? Check out the next photo. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

A fresh sangria, and any cold beverage for that matter, looks much more appetizing with a little condensation on the glass. If you need to, spritz the glass or pitcher using a spray bottle to give it a more tempting look. Click here for the recipe.  (Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

We peeled back the wrapping when we shot these wheat-free muffins to give the viewer a better, more tempting look at that wonderfully crumbly texture underneath. Click here for the recipe.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Sometimes you don’t want a perfect shot. This pudding looked plenty appetizing before we broke off the edge of the slice, but that little imperfection gives the viewer a much better glimpse at the rich, moist texture. Click here for the recipe.  (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

Same with these butterscotch brownies: A little crumb gives an extra sense of texture in a rather tempting way. Click here for the recipe.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Did the crumbly cookie break? Or did someone sneak a little nibble? Either way, that hint of texture makes those rich butter shortbread cookies look rather enticing, doesn’t it? Click here for the recipe.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A little extra crumb works well for savory dishes too. Showing just a little of the sandwich spilling out of the flatbread helps to illustrate the variety and vivid colors of the filling in an almost sensual way. Click here for the recipe.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Having a single forkful of pasta next to the plate helps to break up the composition, highlighting the texture of the pesto for the viewer. Ready for a bite? Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

In this shot, pan-fried cod and tangy radicchio slaw is practically spilling out of the pumpernickel bread. It’s one way to shoot a sandwich -- up close and ready to be eaten. Click here for the recipe.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

These homemade sandwich cookies aren’t perfectly assembled, like the ones you would find packaged in stores. Sandwiched by hand, the light, creamy filling may ooze out a little on the sides, but that’s not bad. Tempted to run your finger along an edge for a little taste? Click here for the recipe.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

We decided to shoot this brown sugar pound cake right after it was frosted, to show the creamy caramel glaze pooling in random puddles along the side. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Sometimes nothing beats fresh glaze dripping over a warm cinnamon roll ... Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

... except, of course, when that glaze is dripping over a batch of warm cinnamon rolls. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Dripping also works well here, helping to break up the geometric pattern of this still-warm pastry. Click here for the recipe.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

And why show a boring bowl of maple brown butter glaze when you can show a freshly made doughnut being frosted with it? Click here for the recipe.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

A gratituous shot of a devil’s food doughnut, the chocolate glaze dripping off to the side. You’re welcome. Click here for the recipe.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Mayonnaise can be boring to shoot. But spooned just so into a colorful bowl helps the viewer to get a sense of the light and airy texture of the spread. Click here for the recipe.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A nice tight shot on a spoonful of freshly made tofu really gives a sense of the creamy, custard-like consistency. Click here for the recipe.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

These cookies looked plenty amazing on their own, but the photographer decided to break one open, just to show off the melted chocolate inside. Click here for the recipe.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Focusing just so, the photographer got a great shot of the delicate sugar-dusted crust catching the light on top of this blackberry pie. Click here for the recipe.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)