Left: Golden raspberries, as is with nothing added. Right: I sprayed some water on the berries to make them glisten.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that can make or break the shot, yet it’s also one of those things that’s so easy to forget. Whenever I photograph fruit, veggies, or anything fresh I try to add a squirt of water to the food with a water bottle (set to a fine mist). That little bit can make a subtle difference (like it did with these raspberries) but it can add a lot of life and to your images. It also gives light a place to wrap around, which will equal more texture and sparkles.

And … this tip doesn’t just go for food! Plants, flowers, trees, spiderwebs, and even concrete glisten with water. Even people look good when they glisten (but you might want to first ask permission before spraying them down).

My favorite water to use for this is this is Evian Facial water spray. It sprays in a nice, fine mist that adds more realistic water drops to food.

Left: Golden raspberries, as is with nothing added. Right: I sprayed some water on the berries to make them glisten.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that can make or break the shot, yet it’s also one of those things that’s so easy to forget. Whenever I photograph fruit, veggies, or anything fresh I try to add a squirt of water to the food with a water bottle (set to a fine mist). That little bit can make a subtle difference (like it did with these raspberries) but it can add a lot of life and to your images. It also gives light a place to wrap around, which will equal more texture and sparkles.

And … this tip doesn’t just go for food! Plants, flowers, trees, spiderwebs, and even concrete glisten with water. Even people look good when they glisten (but you might want to first ask permission before spraying them down).

My favorite water to use for this is this is Evian Facial water spray. It sprays in a nice, fine mist that adds more realistic water drops to food.

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Nicole is a photographer, published author, and educator specializing in Lightroom, Photoshop, and photography. She is best known for her books on food photography but is widely versed in various photographic genres, including landscape, nature, stock, travel, and experimental imagery.

82 Comments

  1. Chris Davies July 21, 2012 at 4:12 am - Reply

    Looks much better

  2. Chris Davies July 21, 2012 at 4:12 am - Reply

    Looks much better

  3. Sherril T V July 21, 2012 at 4:14 am - Reply

    yea, it does a make difference! :)

  4. Sherril T V July 21, 2012 at 4:14 am - Reply

    yea, it does a make difference! :)

  5. Adriana Tobar July 21, 2012 at 4:14 am - Reply

    Makes me hungry…looking at it…

  6. Adriana Tobar July 21, 2012 at 4:14 am - Reply

    Makes me hungry…looking at it…

  7. Rowan Sims July 21, 2012 at 4:15 am - Reply

    Yum

  8. Rowan Sims July 21, 2012 at 4:15 am - Reply

    Yum

  9. Matthew Kozovski July 21, 2012 at 4:16 am - Reply

    Fantastic tip +Nicole S. Young!

  10. Matthew Kozovski July 21, 2012 at 4:16 am - Reply

    Fantastic tip +Nicole S. Young!

  11. Shabbir Ismail July 21, 2012 at 4:19 am - Reply

    G8 ***!!!

  12. Shabbir Ismail July 21, 2012 at 4:19 am - Reply

    G8 ***!!!

  13. Shakia Russell July 21, 2012 at 4:21 am - Reply

    Nice

  14. Shakia Russell July 21, 2012 at 4:21 am - Reply

    Nice

  15. Damian Vines July 21, 2012 at 4:22 am - Reply

    Wow, great tip

  16. Damian Vines July 21, 2012 at 4:22 am - Reply

    Wow, great tip

  17. mahi jiya July 21, 2012 at 4:25 am - Reply

    wt ds?

  18. mahi jiya July 21, 2012 at 4:25 am - Reply

    wt ds?

  19. Khiem Le July 21, 2012 at 4:29 am - Reply

    never seem it before, I think i may seem the white one though.

  20. Khiem Le July 21, 2012 at 4:29 am - Reply

    never seem it before, I think i may seem the white one though.

  21. Jmeffects Kim July 21, 2012 at 4:41 am - Reply

    Yamyam ^^

  22. Jmeffects Kim July 21, 2012 at 4:41 am - Reply

    Yamyam ^^

  23. maddi brake July 21, 2012 at 4:50 am - Reply

    Looks yummy! :]

  24. Adriana Tobar July 21, 2012 at 4:52 am - Reply

    Peach colored raspberries……

  25. Adriana Tobar July 21, 2012 at 4:52 am - Reply

    Peach colored raspberries……

  26. Adam Demarcus July 21, 2012 at 4:54 am - Reply

    … and this is why I am not a photographer.  Had it been myself taking the photo, you would see Cool-Whip remnants and some empty teal cartons.

  27. Adam Demarcus July 21, 2012 at 4:54 am - Reply

    … and this is why I am not a photographer.  Had it been myself taking the photo, you would see Cool-Whip remnants and some empty teal cartons.

  28. Wu Daniel July 21, 2012 at 5:05 am - Reply

    Nice tip.

  29. Wu Daniel July 21, 2012 at 5:05 am - Reply

    Nice tip.

  30. Damien Jemison July 21, 2012 at 5:11 am - Reply

    At first, I thought their was just a depth of field difference. But yes, the skeet skeet does make a bid difference. I like the term "skeet skeet" better (thanks Lil John). :)

  31. Damien Jemison July 21, 2012 at 5:11 am - Reply

    At first, I thought their was just a depth of field difference. But yes, the skeet skeet does make a bid difference. I like the term "skeet skeet" better (thanks Lil John). :)

  32. Adam Demarcus July 21, 2012 at 5:13 am - Reply

    smdh +Damien Jemison  skeetin' on the fruit.

  33. Adam Demarcus July 21, 2012 at 5:13 am - Reply

    smdh +Damien Jemison  skeetin' on the fruit.

  34. Damien Jemison July 21, 2012 at 5:17 am - Reply

    +Adam Demarcus, aww Skeet Skeet skeet, does a body, I mean, photo good. 

  35. Damien Jemison July 21, 2012 at 5:17 am - Reply

    +Adam Demarcus, aww Skeet Skeet skeet, does a body, I mean, photo good.

  36. simmi rawat July 21, 2012 at 5:18 am - Reply

    dese r found in my place "garhwal (utarakhand)" & r knwn by d name KAFAL…u can find these fruits in summer. n olso d fruit grows on thorny plants.m <3 in it..

  37. simmi rawat July 21, 2012 at 5:18 am - Reply

    dese r found in my place "garhwal (utarakhand)" & r knwn by d name KAFAL…u can find these fruits in summer. n olso d fruit grows on thorny plants.m <3 in it..

  38. Michael Seneschal July 21, 2012 at 5:32 am - Reply

    I like the one on the right left the best. ;)

  39. Michael Seneschal July 21, 2012 at 5:32 am - Reply

    I like the one on the right left the best. ;)

  40. Gane sh July 21, 2012 at 5:58 am - Reply

    Thanks for the tip

  41. Gane sh July 21, 2012 at 5:58 am - Reply

    Thanks for the tip

  42. Cheyne Gallarde July 21, 2012 at 6:23 am - Reply

    Great tip, thanks!

  43. Cheyne Gallarde July 21, 2012 at 6:23 am - Reply

    Great tip, thanks!

  44. Rob Shipley July 21, 2012 at 6:36 am - Reply

    Works well with flowers and foliage, as well.

  45. Rob Shipley July 21, 2012 at 6:36 am - Reply

    Works well with flowers and foliage, as well.

  46. Maisie Dunning July 21, 2012 at 7:30 am - Reply

    yum

  47. Maisie Dunning July 21, 2012 at 7:30 am - Reply

    yum

  48. Afsaana sahin July 21, 2012 at 7:35 am - Reply

    water in my mouth…hhhehehe

  49. Afsaana sahin July 21, 2012 at 7:35 am - Reply

    water in my mouth…hhhehehe

  50. Nirupam Biswas July 21, 2012 at 7:42 am - Reply

    To tell u the truth.. These things look so delicious that I did not notice any difference (or "life") before I read the tip. :P

  51. Nirupam Biswas July 21, 2012 at 7:42 am - Reply

    To tell u the truth.. These things look so delicious that I did not notice any difference (or "life") before I read the tip. :P

  52. David Lee July 21, 2012 at 7:46 am - Reply

    Yammy

  53. David Lee July 21, 2012 at 7:46 am - Reply

    Yammy

  54. Monica Georg July 21, 2012 at 7:58 am - Reply

    Thanks for the tip. It surely makes a difference even you have to have a real look (on this picture). 

  55. Alexander Panzeri July 21, 2012 at 8:46 am - Reply

    Thanks to add to the other of the day about food…

  56. Alexander Panzeri July 21, 2012 at 8:46 am - Reply

    Thanks to add to the other of the day about food…

  57. AADHITHYA AADHITHYA July 21, 2012 at 9:11 am - Reply

    IC…

  58. AADHITHYA AADHITHYA July 21, 2012 at 9:11 am - Reply

    IC…

  59. Ruth Seifferth July 21, 2012 at 10:45 am - Reply

    Hm….lecker!

  60. Mashal Khan July 21, 2012 at 10:53 am - Reply

    true…….i have alot of rose plants at home…..and i constantly photograph them…..a few water drops makes the image sooooo PROFESIONAL

  61. Mashal Khan July 21, 2012 at 10:53 am - Reply

    true…….i have alot of rose plants at home…..and i constantly photograph them…..a few water drops makes the image sooooo PROFESIONAL

  62. Isabella Drake July 21, 2012 at 11:20 am - Reply

    true how those tiny little differences make a big deal

  63. Allen Schneider July 21, 2012 at 11:59 am - Reply

    Great shot Nicole! Looks beautiful. Food is perfect for photography

  64. Allen Schneider July 21, 2012 at 11:59 am - Reply

    Great shot Nicole! Looks beautiful. Food is perfect for photography

  65. Keyi Fang July 21, 2012 at 12:24 pm - Reply

    wow…. small changes but big difference. the texture is enhanced…

  66. Keyi Fang July 21, 2012 at 12:24 pm - Reply

    wow…. small changes but big difference. the texture is enhanced…

  67. Wade Brooks July 21, 2012 at 12:42 pm - Reply

    Thanks for the tip, now I'm hungry. Thanks

  68. Wade Brooks July 21, 2012 at 12:42 pm - Reply

    Thanks for the tip, now I'm hungry. Thanks

  69. Youngstown Consulting-Corp July 21, 2012 at 2:47 pm - Reply

    Nice tip!

  70. Youngstown Consulting-Corp July 21, 2012 at 2:47 pm - Reply

    Nice tip!

  71. Shelly Gunderson July 21, 2012 at 3:04 pm - Reply

    Yummy!

  72. Shelly Gunderson July 21, 2012 at 3:04 pm - Reply

    Yummy!

  73. Ana Lomba July 21, 2012 at 9:36 pm - Reply

    Simple but colorfurl.

  74. Ana Lomba July 21, 2012 at 9:36 pm - Reply

    Simple but colorfurl.

  75. Carolyn Rauh July 21, 2012 at 3:43 pm - Reply

    Wow, incredible tip! Thank you.!

  76. Jaeger Gustafson July 22, 2012 at 4:16 am - Reply

    Its like the catch lights in peoples eyes

  77. Jaeger Gustafson July 22, 2012 at 4:16 am - Reply

    Its like the catch lights in peoples eyes

  78. Tony Loro July 22, 2012 at 6:42 am - Reply

    Auto photos love water added. 

  79. Tony Loro July 22, 2012 at 6:42 am - Reply

    Auto photos love water added.

  80. Melissa Skorpil July 22, 2012 at 10:40 pm - Reply

    A mist of water also helps to freshen up dirt, sand, foliage, and other organic props.  Great tip.

  81. Melissa Skorpil July 22, 2012 at 10:40 pm - Reply

    A mist of water also helps to freshen up dirt, sand, foliage, and other organic props.  Great tip.

  82. Martin July 27, 2012 at 6:41 am - Reply

    Great tip Nicole. Just found your blog, I like it a lot :) Keep up the good work.

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