Food
Take Better Food Photos: 10 Instagrams To Follow
Drool-worthy, and educational to boot. Learn how to improve your own food photos by following these 10 enlightening and appetising Instagram accounts
During these long days of self-isolation, many of us turn to the kitchen to cook and bake – and stay sane. And after all that hard work, who doesn’t want to show the world their results (or even show off a little)? However, even if your dish looks amazing IRL, your photos might look less than appetising. These Instagrammers come to the rescue with tips, tricks and inspiration to take better food photos.
(A little note: We included Instagrams with a main focus on food photography and styling tips, with followings large and small, and we only included accounts with captions in English.)
Frenchly Photography – Fanette Rickert
US-based French food photographer and educator Fanette Rickert is the mind behind Frenchly – where she not only posts wonderful, light-filled photos of fresh, homemade dishes and baked goods, she also provides advice on food styling, photography and marketing via her captions and IGTV tutorials. Fanette aims to help followers build a successful photography business, but really, anyone who wants to take better food photos should pay attention: she doesn’t just cover the technical stuff, but also offers small tips that are infinitely helpful. Did you know that adding a human element to a photo, such as your own hands, results in a spike in engagement?
That’s Sage – Lauren Caris
When British-born, Zurich-based Lauren Caris started her vegan food blog, she quickly became obsessed with all the ins and outs of her DSLR camera. She then discovered that she loved answering the questions that readers asked about her food photos, even (or especially?) the most technical ones. It all grew into a proper business: That’s Sage, where Lauren teaches food bloggers and photographers how to sky-rocket the quality of their own work. These days, she’s offering special courses for people to follow at home, such as the 5-day ‘Manual Mode Essentials‘, helping new food photographers navigate their camera.
The Bite Shot – Joanie Simon
Joanie Simon is a commercial and editorial food photographer, but also finds time to help people take better food photos, one bite at a time. She does so via upbeat videos on her wildly popular YouTube channel, as well as online courses and her Instagram page. She goes into macro photography, drinks photography and natural and artificial lighting setups. One other thing she talks about is how motion is becoming a necessary skill for many professional photographers, from GIFs to short videos. Her advice: “If you find yourself with time to learn something new, and you don’t have motion in your portfolio, now is the perfect opportunity to add it. Like everything, start small, experiment, share it with the world, rinse, repeat.”
Lenka’s Lens – Lenka Selinger
Yes, there’s stunning imagery, but it’s really Lenka Selinger’s captions (in English and Spanish) that provide food for thought. Have you ever thought of sketching the images you’re after before a photoshoot, and thinking through what you can try out? Or paying more attention to colour schemes (monochromatic, analogous, complementary) and their different impacts? The Barcelona-based photographer uses her photos to explain more about storytelling in food photography. Take the shot of a soft pretzel: by tearing open a knot and spreading some butter onto it, the photo emotionally draws the viewer in by activating senses and memories.
Fotogredients – Joshua Jude Miranda
Based out of Chennai, Joshua Jude Miranda runs Fotogredients and gives followers a peek behind the scenes of his action-packed food photography. He shows how he blends technology with art, revealing the exact light setup, camera settings and retouching that result, for example, in shots captured in mid-air that are quite cool – but the behind the scenes tutorials are even cooler. We’re a little less impressed by the graphics added in recent photos, as the text tends to take away from the overall effect.
Two Loves Studio – Rachel Korinek
An Aussie food photographer in Vancouver, Rachel Korinek is the creative force behind Two Loves Studio, or ‘the home of food photography’. On her Instagram page and blog, you’ll find more tips than you can count, many of them free for the taking. Start with “50 Ways to Improve Your Photography”, a special e-guide to “how you can keep working on your photography when challenge strikes and resources are limited” (use the hashtag #50ways to show your work). She explores topics such as using diptychs, seeking texture and adding movement to your shots through pours, splashes or steam.
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Normally, Jade Sarkhel travels the world to shoot for restaurants and chefs. Now, having set up a studio in her Bali apartment, she shares photos of her (plant-based) dishes while self-isolating. She also posts tips on touching up your images (with Lightroom tutorials), tips on taking better photos with your smartphone, and other helpful advice. One hint is to look for a ‘specular highlight’ in your food – the sparkle that catches your eye. You can sometimes add it with a touch of oil (don’t overdo it), and then make sure to stand in the right position for your camera to capture it.
Food Capture Collective
It’s not so much a page to go to for concrete tips and tricks, but Food Capture Collective is great for discovering the work of different food photographers and comparing the vast range of styles. They do ‘monthly technique collabs’, posting different interpretations of a single technique, such as ‘gathering shots’, ‘moody captures’ (chiaroscuro) or ‘hard light’ (the theme for May). It’s stupefying how differently photographers apply the same technique – and a great way to discover what speaks to you, and what doesn’t.
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The Little Plantation – Kimberly Espinel
Kimberly Espinel, who runs vegan food blog and Instagram The Little Plantation, is a food photographer, food stylist, Instagram growth coach and creator of the podcast Eat Capture Share, where she talks with fellow food photographers and bloggers about photography, styling, social media, blogging and other topics. During these difficult times, she has launched the #eatcaptureshare challenge, “where fellow Instagrammers connect through food, photography and creativity, with a sprinkle of soul for good measure.”
Bea Lubas
Originally from Poland, UK-based Bea Lubas is a wildly popular blogger and food photographer, known for her bright, colourful imagery. Her descriptions of how she shoots photos are insightful and detailed, talking about technical aspects, colour palettes and styling. In other posts, she offers inspiration to start thinking about your own photos, such as how to achieve a ‘wow-factor’ in food – which for Bea is an element of surprise – or think outside the box by looking at ingredients with a fresh eye. You might just surprise yourself!
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