My Top Wedding Cake Photography Tips!
Mar 10, 2026
Hello there! As we move our old Zaza Marcelle blog content across to our shiny new Modern Cake Society blog, I couldn’t leave behind one of my most read (and watched on Youtube) “how to” post.
It was created a few years ago, but the good thing about photography is that contrary to techy subjects (hello new AI update every 5 minutes!), the principles you’ll learn here have not changed since 2017.
The whole idea of creating a wedding cake photography tutorial came to me back then when I realised there were hardly any resources (none that I could find, anyway…) on the wedding cake photography subject. Of course, there are plenty of food photography tips and general cake photography guides floating around, but next to nothing when it comes to fitting a tall three-tier cake into your camera frame and actually making it look stunning.
If you're reading this, chances are you're a cake designer or custom cake maker yourself, looking for photography tips to showcase your cake designs at their very best. So before we dive in, I want to be upfront: you won't find any deep technical details here - aperture, ISO, shutter speed - because I'm a cake designer, not a professional photographer. And if I'm completely honest, I have a very basic knowledge of cake photography techniques, but enough to play around with light and my camera (and I'm still learning every day!).
What I really want to share is my hands-on experience, my best tips for composition, backgrounds for cake photography, and getting those gorgeous, clean shots. As I explain in the video, when I first started photographing my cakes at home, it was quite the struggle: no white walls, too much or too little natural light, the fridge lurking in the background… you name it! But with a bit of effort and a better feel for my camera settings for cake photography, I worked my way around all of those issues, and it turned out pretty well :)
Here's what you'll find in the video:
- My "starter" camera gear for cake photographers
- How to work with your own home environment for the best DIY cake photography setup
- My totally affordable budget photography setup for cake designers
- The photography backgrounds for cakes I use and love
- How to shoot wedding cakes for Instagram when you're using an actual camera (and not just your phone…)
- How to edit your cake photos for free
So, with no further ado, I really hope you enjoy this little video - and please leave your comments below :)
And if you’re the type of person who loves a good summary, here's what to remember:
- Natural light is your BFF, and it's free, so you might as well enjoy it! Whatever your space, home kitchen or dedicated cake studio, find the spot with the best natural light for cake photography. Once you've found it, even if it's the last place you'd expect (next to the fridge, right under a window…), you can always work with photography backgrounds and cake stands and nobody will know the difference!
- Play with your creativity to develop your own signature cake photography style. It's what will make your portfolio stand out on Instagram and Pinterest.
- All these wedding cake photography tips work beautifully with a DSLR, but you can absolutely start with your smartphone camera for cake photos!
- And lastly… HAVE FUN!
Helpful Links
Camera Gear: www.canon.com
Free Photo Editing Software: Snapseed | MacBook Pro iPhoto built-in software
Photography Backgrounds for Cakes: diy.com, IKEA (roller blinds), Hobbycraft (boards and foam boards)
DIY Light Diffuser: baking paper or a white sheet :)
Favourite Food Photography YouTube Channels:
The Bite Shot - she's funny and amazing, AND shares loads of great information on how to use a camera!
Nick Anderson: always has good practical tips for staging and best gear to use.
Follow along for more cake design inspiration:
Instagram | Facebook @zazamarcelle
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/zazamarcelle/
Website: www.moderncakesociety.co.uk
Filmed & Edited by Isabelle B. (Zaza)
