Food Photos for Social Media and More

Whether you are enjoying a family barbecue, night out on the town, intimate gathering or a friendly get together, taking pictures of food and sharing them on social media is fun.  We have some tips for taking photos that will impress on your Facebook, Instagram and even when you share a shot in a text or e-mail.  Check out some of these tips. 

-Never photograph half-eaten food. Chefs and cooks take great pride in presentation.   Take the shot as soon as your food is plated.  

-Your picture should be taken at the angle that that someone eating the food or having the drink would view it. Shooting food from above gives your photograph no depth.

-Try to get the whole item you are photographing in the picture. If you use Instagram, the “square” setting on your camera is the one that puts the whole photo in your post.

-Make the food the focus of your photo. Keep silverware off the plate and try not to photograph a cluttered table with napkins and glasses. 

-You may wish to turn the plate or drink glass a few times to see which side looks best.  When photographing a main course, make sure that the signature item is the focus of the photo not the sides or the garnishes.

-Colorful shots are best. Foods with contrast like Salads, Pasta Primavera, or a Mexican meal have more photographic appeal than a bowl of soup or a steak.

-When photographing a cocktail or a glass of wine, you can also hold it up as though you are proposing a toast.

-Pose your food. Put a plate or glass in a place with a scene behind it. Putting a beverage on a deck railing with a view makes it look great. If you like to be in the picture, hold the plate or drink at an angle that people can see it.

-Observe the lighting. If your pictures appear bluish or yellowish because of the lighting in the room, better not to post. You can try to use some of the editing features on your phone to brighten up a photo or crop it. If you’re dining with a friend, you can use their cell phone flashlight to backlight your photo.

-Use Hashtags. Not only are they fun, but they may draw more attention to your posts.    Some popular food ones include, #food #foodie, #delicious #yummy. Drink hashtags may include #drink, #drinks #cocktails #wine, #beer. You can also hashtag the location where you are like #NYC or #WashingtonDC.

-Use @ (at) in your posts. Many restaurants may have their own social media accounts so you are indicating where you are.  A common example is @McDonalds.

So get those phones clicking and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marina P. Kennedy