How to Get the Perfect Foodstagram with Nothing but Your iPhone

Whether you work in ‘the business’ or not, there comes a moment— out brunching with your girls, splurging on a 5-course meal, or grabbing a much-needed 5 o’clock cocktail after work—where you feel the urge to snap your order. And who can blame you? The phone always eats first. But in today’s social media-oriented world, it takes more than just an Apple product to capture the juiciness of that burger.

We recently attended a photography course at the Ordinary with James Beard-nominated food photographer Jonathan Boncek (Instagram: @boncekimages). Now, before you post that well-earned meal, you can follow these guidelines for Insta-success with a foodstagram.

Directional Lighting and Composition

We’ve all had our fair share of dinner pictures that just didn’t turn out right. Lighting is the most important part of taking a good photo.

Pretend there’s a round clock surrounding your food or drink, and that the target is at 6 o’clock. Then, make sure the lighting is either coming in at 3 or 9 o’clock. This will add dimension through shadows on one side, and light enhancements on the other half, making the photo look more real and less flat.

Struggling with lighting? Try opening a door or moving your plate to a new angle.

Add Human Elements

People respond well to human elements because they make photos look natural and more in-the-moment. This could be hands holding a cheeseburger or that first big bite of a meal that leaves a noticeable chunk gone.

Tighten up the table Items

Now that you’ve mastered lighting and composition, focus on the space around the food. Position your table items to fill up blank spaces, and pick ones that will bring out the colors of the plate or drink you are photographing, whether because they match perfectly or are a contrasting color.

Improvise

The most interesting backdrop isn’t always the table. Place your food or drink on the floor or add a menu under the plate. Scout the room for the most interesting, perhaps unexpected, spots. Be prepared for others to stare; but hey, haters gonna hate

Simple Editing

Who has time for Photoshop? Use your most convenient resource. The magic wand editing tool on your IPhone improves your photo by just a click of a button (located in the upper-right hand corner of the screen after you click “Edit”).

If you want to play around with your photo more, there’s no need for fancy apps. Just look through what the editing software the iPhone already offers—you can change the highlights, shadows, contrast, colors, and much more!

With this handful of tips, you’ll have the perfect. Grab your iPhone today at Happy Hour and start snapping!