Budget-Friendly Secrets to Snapping Instagram-worthy Food Photos on Your Phone

While professional food photography is always the gold standard, it might not be practical or economical for your marketing budget. That being said, a good food photo is imperative to connecting with your target audience. In our humble opinion, an out-of-focus or poorly lit picture of food is worse than no photo at all. It’s a bold opinion. Here’s why:

• Breaking bread together – whether in person or virtually – is an inherently human thing. We eat with our eyes and we connect over food; make sure it’s a connection that your audience will fondly remember.
• “Food and drink” is a top 3 interest for Instagram users.
• #food, #foodporn, #instafood and #yummy are in the 100 most popular Instagram hashtags, accumulating 438 million photos on Instagram.

This may come as a shock, but plenty of the best foodie accounts don’t have fancy camera technology, either. In fact, most pictures of food on social media are taken with a smartphone. We’re going to show you how to take professional-looking photos of food using your phone camera.

If you’re looking to capture food photos on a budget but don’t have the latest iPhone or Android, don’t panic. The quality of pictures taken on your phone is not about having the latest Apple camera software or a triple-lens. Anyone with a smartphone can follow these few simple steps to capture your brand’s tasty treats in the best light (literally), resulting in professional, mouthwatering photos that make your social media followers hungry for more of your food content.

Secret #1: Make sure your phone camera lens is clean and smudge-free.

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s always worth it to give your lens a quick clean before snapping that photo. Our phones go everywhere with us, so it’s super easy for residue to build up. Spend those two seconds wiping off your lens. You won’t regret it!

Secret #2: Good lighting is everything.

Shooting with natural light is always preferable when possible. Florescent light can distort the colors of your food, which is not exactly appetizing! Pick a spot near a window, but make sure the lighting isn’t too harsh or it’ll wash out your picture. Creating diffused (or filtered) light is simple – pull a sheer curtain over the window or put a thin sheet or towel up to block direct light.

Secret #3: Use portrait mode to create depth.

That handy portrait mode feature is one of the easiest ways to take your photos to the next level. Use it with caution, though; it’s not hard to accidentally blur out a part of the photo that should actually be in focus. Think twice before adding a bunch of other filters, too. Sometimes, it’s best to let the food speak for itself. Filters can wash out colors in your dish. Good food photography captures that yummy treat in its natural element!

The secret to social media photography success is not in the filter. These tricks are sure to up your food picture-taking game – but the best way to get better is to keep practicing.

Hungry for more social media and branding inspiration and tips? Follow @morganmyersagency on Instagram to get a taste of what we’ve been cooking up in the food and agricultural marketing and PR industries.