If you’re equipped with a smartphone and/or Instagram, you’re probably guilty of taking food pictures.
A general photog misconception is that camera flash makes your photo subject (i.e. cheeseburger) look better. Besides making your daily nosh seem unpalatable, the flash probably annoys someone around you. Double dip and take a fabulous photo while being discrete, instead. With no flash in mind, feel free to take the ubiquitous food photo but with some rules that will make your friends feel like they can take a bite right from their virtual screens.
Shack Burgers and fries at Shake Shack in New York City (Credit: @mattduckor)
Smartphone Photography:
1. Framing
Smartphone photography works best if pictures are taken from directly above or looking straight at whatever you’re shooting.
2. Filters
If you’re using instagram, try the more subtle options, Popular opinion says Instagram filters like Amaro or Valencia fit best for color images, while Willow suits for black and white.
3. Editing
Go beyond Instagram filters with photo-editing apps like Snapseed that lets you adjust advanced settings like brightness, contrast, and white balance.
4. Watch and Learn
Follow Instagram greats, like @Alice_Gao, @nicole_franzen, @alifewortheating and @mattduckor.
DSLR Photography:
1. Proper Equipment
The right lens is a real hit or miss. No matter how fancy your DSLR, you’ll want a lens that can hit a low F-stop to allow the most light into your photos as possible.
2. Turn Off Auto
Swap auto to manual mode. A basic understanding of aperture, ISO and shutter speed–three fundamental principles of photography–will drastically improve your skills
3. Again, Watch and Learn
Learn and mimic. Blogs like The Ulterior Epicure, A Life Worth Eating, and Chuck Eats feature print-worthy photos on a near-nightly basis, from restaurants around the world.
Source: Bon Appetit
