All you need is a phone, some food and a few pro tips to help you set off on an Instagram-worthy photographic binge. Food blogger and photographer Isha Saxena shares how one can ace the camera work for those perfect shots.
1. Triangles and Curves
“Flat lays are the easiest to capture, but using composition techniques takes the photo to another level. For example, placing objects to form a triangle or ‘s curve’ draws the eye to the subject.”
2. The Right Angle
“45-degree angles create depth as well as indicate height. Use 90-degree angles to show the layers in food. Most smart-phones nowadays have a depth or portrait feature, so you can easily blur the background and bring the food in focus.”
3. Human Touch
It helps the viewer to establish an immediate connect. A still image shows beautifully arranged food but an image with a human element adds life. “Use your hands and fingers generously. It will make a picture more intimate and personalised.”
4. Tune into Texture
Take into account the micro and macro patterns of food to add gravitas to the photos. “Make a note of the geometry, myriad formations, uniformity, and density.”
5.Black is Best
Using dark backgrounds creates more contrast and shadows, and makes the dish pop. “The attempt is to keep distractions at bay and to draw attention to the food. Black has that quality. It forces the eye to follow one direction, while blurring out the fringes.”