Food photography can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right process it’s fun and rewarding. In this beginner-friendly guide, I’ll walk you step by step through my food photography process—from choosing natural light and backdrops to styling props, composing your shot, adding food, and editing. Whether you’re photographing a colorful dish or a cozy cup of coffee, these tips will help you capture mouthwatering images that look both professional and inviting.

52 Clicks | Week 40 | Full Sun

We've moved on to Light O'Clock in our Project 52. We will spend the month of October exploring different types of outdoor light. First up is the controversial full sun that people typically either love or hate, with little wiggle room in the middle. Its harshness can make it difficult, but by embracing this type of light, you have so many opportunities to create joyful, vibrant and creative images. Let's see how the p52 participants approached this type of light.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Maternity and newborn photography is about so much more than beautiful images — it’s about safety, connection, and helping families feel seen in one of the most important seasons of their lives. From intentional posing that helps expecting moms feel radiant to embracing the chaos that toddlers bring, these 10 tips will guide you toward sessions that are confident, creative, and client-centered. And if you’re ready to go deeper, my course Parenthood in Focus: A Maternity and Newborn Course gives you the behind-the-scenes insight, safety training, and real client sessions you need to take your work to the next level.

52 Clicks | Week 39 | Monochromatic

Our Project 52 finished up color month with the monochromatic color scheme. Although this is often a term used for black and white photography, it's actually defined as using different shades, tints, and tones of a single color. Monochromatic images create a cohesive, harmonious look that emphasizes mood and texture. See how the p52 participants used this color scheme so very brilliantly.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the September JOY Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

52 Clicks | Week 38 | Analogous 

Our Project 52 moved onto the analogous color scheme in our month of color. If you're unfamiliar with this term, it refers to the colors touching on the color wheel, like blues and greens or yellows and oranges. These color combinations are oftentime harmonious, and they evoke specific emotions based on whether they're warm or cool in temperature.

The p52 participants used this color scheme thoughtfully, and I am yet again in awe of their creativity.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Every photographer faces creative slumps, but the key is finding ways to reignite your spark. From taking care of yourself and unplugging from screens to connecting with nature, experimenting with new techniques, and embracing weaknesses, there are countless ways to get inspired again. These simple strategies will help you push past ruts, discover fresh perspectives, and fall back in love with your craft.

52 Weeks | Week 37 | Complementary Colors

Our Project 52 moved onto complementary colors, which are the two colors across from each other on the color wheel. Blue + orange. Purple + yellow. Green + red. The p52 participants either set out to find these colors that occur naturally in nature or they were more creative in their approach to photographing the color combos.

Do you have a combination that you're naturally drawn to?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

"You make different colors by combining those colors that already exist” - Herbie Hancock

This month our colour was cyan. Cyan falls between green and blue in the rainbow colours, and includes loads of different shades such as turquoise, teal, petrol, aquamarine, peacock and so on. It’s a tranquil and fresh colour, making us think of tropical waters and sunny skies.

Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with cyan. 

52 Clicks | Week 36 | Cool Colors

Cool colors convey a sense of calm, tranquility, and sometimes melancholy. Our Project 52 participants were tasked with using cool colors (blues, greens, purples) last week, and I think you’ll agree that they definitely understood the assignment.

What is your favorite way to use cool colors in your work? Or do you gravitate toward warmer colors?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Street photography is more than pointing your camera at strangers. It’s also about noticing fleeting moments, playing with light and shadows, and capturing the story of everyday life. In this beginner’s guide, you’ll learn how to gain confidence shooting in public, compose striking images, and discover creative techniques like reflections, silhouettes, and patterns to elevate your street shots.

52 Clicks | Week 35 | Warm Colors

The whole month of September in our Project 52 is about exploring colors in our work. Just like any choice in photography, our use of color can be a powerful tool. Every color has an emotional connotation that can determine the intention of the image. Learning how to use colors to your advantage can make a huge difference in your work.

Last week we focused on warm colors, which are reds, oranges and yellows. These colors convey feelings of warmth, energy, and comfort. Look at how the p52 participants used warm colors and try to determine what their intentions were with their color choices.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Mini sessions aren’t just quick, low-cost shoots—they can be a powerful way to build consistent income and keep your photography business thriving year after year. When structured intentionally, mini session photography connects you with new clients, creates predictable revenue streams, and keeps you top-of-mind for families who may book you again and again.

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the August MOVEMENT Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

52 Clicks | Week 34 | Symmetry

We rounded out our final week in our advanced composition month in our Project 52 with the theme symmetry. I love how the use of symmetry in photography immediately creates a strong composition, the sense of balance resulting in aesthetically pleasing images. The p52 participants ran away with this assignment and created some truly beautiful photographs. I'm particularly impressed with their ability to find symmetry in unique places and objects, creating such interesting and creative images.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Although best known for her documentary photography, Emma Challinor has found a passion for creating double and multiple exposure portraits. What began as a creative experiment in a weekly photo challenge soon grew into a unique way of blending storytelling, symbolism, and artistry. In this blog, Emma shares how she builds meaningful concepts, captures base portraits, layers images, and edits with intention—offering practical tips for photographers who want to explore the magic of multiple exposure portraits.

52 Clicks | Week 33 | Patterns & Repetition

The next advanced composition technique we focused on in our Project 52 was patterns and repetitions. Using patterns and repeating items (objects, colors, shapes, etc) is a great tool that can be used dramatically or subtly to create an interesting composition.

As I was scrolling through the images for the week, I was struck with how many past theme elements the p52 participants are incorporating in their work - from light and textures to other compositional techniques. Everyone is growing and flourishing and developing their own personal voice and style. It's a fun thing to witness

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Photographer Christine McRoberts blends humor, creativity, and retro charm in her monthly “Portrait Retro Brand” project. From Oreos to roller skates, she uses nostalgic props, playful styling, and vibrant edits to capture the joy of simpler times. In this guide, she shares tips on choosing settings, styling shoots, getting in the frame, and editing for a vintage feel—showing how to fuse modern photography tools with timeless inspiration.

52 Weeks | Week 32 | Diagonals

As we continued on with advanced composition in our Project 52, we focused on using diagonal lines in our images. Diagonals can be used for a variety of reasons: to guide the eye, to create tension, to tell a story in a more engaging way, to create depth, etc. The p52 participants clearly got the assignment and they once again proved to be an inspiring group of artists.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

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Want to improve your photos without buying new gear? Learn how to harness natural light—indoors and outdoors—with these practical tips that work for any skill level.