1. Consider Layout

And then make it better! The position of the food and the angle that you take your photos at make all the difference. In all still life photography, composition is one of the most important factors to take into consideration. In order to take the best food photos, you’ll want to make sure there you are setting up the photo to look great. Try using like colours and accessories. Think about how you will arrange the food and other items around it. Think about space! If you’re photographing multiple plates, it would be a great idea to arrange them neatly. Think about if you want cutlery in the background, think about the background surface and consider whether or not it contrasts well with the food. The best backgrounds are not distracting. The layout of food photos is very important because the composition of the image is a lot of what makes the food look interesting in the first place.

Photo by ikhsan baihaqi on Unsplash

Photo by ABHISHEK HAJARE on Unsplash

2. Find The Right Angle

Angles are just as important as composition! With the right angle, your photo will have an extra added element to it that will improve the whole look. Food photographers will often take straight on overhead shots that look down at the food on the table. This is a very popular angle and it often looks great when executed with practice. However, this angle doesn’t allow to play with vertical arrangement very much. In order to make your photos stand out, you might be interested in finding a different angle! In this photo, everything on the table is arranged in an asymmetrical, but balanced way and it works really well!

3. Use Natural Light

Natural light is the best way to go with food photography! Artificial light tends to alter colours in food and that’s not a good thing because everyone knows what food is supposed to look like! Natural, diffused daylight can keep the food looking exactly the way it should and it can also create some night light shadows! Shadows can be a great addition to all still life photography, food included! This photo was taken under natural light and we can see some shadows!

Photo by Sama Hosseini on Unsplash

Photo by Jonathan Riley on Unsplash

4. Try Keeping It Simple

Although putting effort into establishing a fabulous arrangement of your photo can turn out great, you should also consider keeping it simple! Sometimes simplicity is key and its best to avoid too many distractions. Do your best to read the situation and decide what kind of look you’re going for in your photos. With food that doesn’t really need to be put together neatly on a place, like a fruit or vegetable, you can photograph it anywhere and any way you want without having to make sure that your plate is clean or your spoon is in the perfect spot.

5. Use Photo Editing Apps

Since you’re taking photos on your phone, it’s definitely a great idea to try and edit your pictures with a photo editing app! This photo was edited with VSCO. Using an editing app can help you make alterations to exposure and colour. They can also allow you to apply filters and presets to your images. This might be convenient if you want a series or set of photos to look cohesive. Adding the same preset to your images can help you define a series and establish that certain photos belong together. They can also help you give your Instagram account a theme to bring it together. Photo editing apps can definitely be taken advantage of with any phone photography and food photos are no exception!