6 Ways to Take a Better Food Photo

You’re an ambitious hobby chef who creates amazing dishes that taste like a million dollars but don’t look the part in front of the camera? Don’t worry! You don’t need an expensive camera or specialist know-how to take great food photos. Here are our top tips for tasty images using your mobile device:

1. Light

Good light is key to a successful image. Try and only photograph your food in natural light conditions, for example, directly beneath a window. Daylight is particularly soft and makes your food appear more beautiful. Avoid artificial lighting such as lamps.

2. Angle

An angle that never disappoints is the birds-eye-perspective, as it shows your meal in all its glory. If your dishes are quite tall, like smoothies, you can also snap from the front. Make sure that the image background doesn’t contain anything that may distract from your dish.

3. Background

A neutral and natural background makes your food stand out. It can be as simple as a wooden table, piece of paper, or fabric. Your tiled kitchen or plain white walls are timeless classics that work well with most dishes.

4. Food Styling

You don’t need a lot of tricks to present your food nicely. Simply put it on a plate, highlight the most important ingredients, and remember: less is more! Small portions, beautifully decorated, can impress more than an overloaded plate.

5. Decoration

You can use decoration to add a special touch to your photo. Fresh food works best, such as crisp, green leaves or colorful fruits. Pretty dishware, linen napkins, or cutlery can also make a great impression.

6. Photo Editing

Photo editing apps offer countless possibilities to optimize your images. A slight raise of contrast or saturation often suffices to improve your food photos. You can also experiment with filters. Anything is possible as long as you find the outcome as tasty as the dish in front of you.

Now grab your camera and give it a try! We’re looking forward to seeing your new and improved food photos. To share them with us, and see your photos shared with our community, simply comment on this article or attach your photo to any Kitchen Stories recipe. You can also tag us on Instagram @kitchenstories_official. Happy snapping!