This piece has been largely inspired by the fact that we’ve recently joined Instagram (and you should obviously go check out our page here), and it’s fair to say that we’re currently pretty obsessed with food photography. If you’re new to this, don’t be intimidated. You no longer need a dark room and fancy equipment to take stylish photos. You just need a smart phone and a good angle.
Banish the Flash
If you only take one thing away from this blog post, turn your phone’s flash off now. It makes the food look yellow, and it’s guaranteed to make your snaps looks amateur. If you’re desperate for some extra light, why not use a friend’s smartphone’s torch? You can always adjust the lighting and saturation in an editing app later. (Snapseed is great, by the way)
Embrace the burnt bits
And the uneven bits, and the couldn’t-wait-so-you-nibbled-a-bit bits. If these photos are for your personal Instagram, you’ll just start raising eyebrows if you’re constantly churning out show-kitchen-esque shots. Crumbs can look rustic, a missing slice of pie just shows how delicious it was, and a toddler with cake on her face will probably be prettier than the cake itself.
Prop to Perfection
Although the focus should be on the food, your berry-topped porridge isn’t going to look its best if it’s centimetres away from a heap of dirty laundry. Generally, the less background noise, the better, but a few well-placed props can really help the mood of your shot. If you’re eating out in an ultra-slick restaurant, keep the props modern and cool, whereas a home-made pie will look good sat atop a wooden chopping board, with some foraged leaves and twigs in the background.
Try a Tripod
It’s not as intimidating as it sounds, promise. Modern tripods are available so small they’ll fit comfortably into any handbag, and you can wrap them around almost anything to steady your shot. Say goodbye to blurred photography forever.
Get Creative
We’ve covered the technicalities, now let’s talk about content. Because your photos can be taken using the best lighting and angles, but if you’re taking a picture of dry stale bread, no amount of theatrics is going to help it. A great way to up your like count is by experimenting with your dishes. Try topping Soreen with some Emmental cheese or honey and peanut butter for instant foodie-cool.
