Front focus

Overhead focus

Can you spot the difference between these two photos? One of the dis/advantages of using a macro lens for food photography is that you should know how and where to focus on a what I call as a 'loner', a small piece of food usually dessert on a plate.

To break down the monotony of this baklava finger from Mazza in Salt Lake City, Utah, I added the rule of odds (2 forks + 1 baklava = 3) to balance the photo. The top photo focuses on the layers of puff pastry and nuts, while the bottom photo focuses on the overhead texture topped with pistachios.

If I were to choose between these two photos, I would opt for the top photo, which shows how delicately the phyllo dough is rolled and stuffed with sweet cashews.

What do you think?