How to take a like-worthy food photo for Instagram

Whether you’re a foodie or not, you’d surely have seen food photos on your Instagram feed as you scroll through the social media platform. Some look so pro that you suddenly find yourself craving for the food.

Want to take such like-worthy food photos? Lifestyle photographer Franz Navarrete shares his secrets to the perfect food shot.

Tip 1: Find a spot with good lighting

Lighting can make or break a photo. Natural sunlight is always the best option, and Franz particularly loves the way his iPhone’s camera picks up natural light. However, he cautions against shooting directly under harsh sunlight, as that will create a hard contrast in your photos.

Try to get a table by the window and shoot with sunlight streaming in from the side (rather than behind the food) for a softer, diffused light.

Tip 2: Adjust the exposure setting

Play around with the exposure to set the mood. If you’re using an iPhone, tap on the screen to focus, then slide the ‘sun’ icon up and down to brighten or darken your shot.

Tip 3: Stand away from your food

Phone cameras are not that good for taking macro shots so it is better to stand a few feet away from the dish that you are shooting. For the best shots, try snapping photos two to four feet away from the subject.

Tip 4: Shoot from above

Go for what they call the “bird’s-eye view” composition by standing up and positioning your phone camera directly above the food. Be sure to check your light source, so that you’re not blocking it. Having your shadow in the image will be distracting.

Tip 5: Vary the shoot angles

But don’t be a one trick pony and just shoot everything from above! It’s good to experiment with different views and angles. Franz shares that he’s also fond of shooting with his iPhone pointed downwards to the dish. This allows everything to be shown in the photo including the food and background.

This article was first published in Her World Online.