How to Take Great iPhone Photos of Food

Friday, January 9, 2015

Whether you're creating a masterpiece at home or photographing a beautifully plated dish at your favorite restaurant, these tips will get you the best shot of your meal! Because who doesn't love to reminisce on delicious past meals? If you're snapping a shot of your Garnish & Gather meal, don't forget to tag us... you might just find a sweet treat to say 'thanks for sharing' in your next meal!

1. Wipe your lens

With your phone in your hands, pockets, purses, or wherever, it’s really easy to get junk on your phone’s camera lens. Use your shirt, a tissue, or a soft cloth to gently wipe off your lens before taking a photo.

2. Think about composition & context

If your object isn’t going to be in the dead center of the photo, one of my favorite guidelines is the rule of thirds. Imagine a grid made from two vertical and two horizontal lines (as shown). Some phones and cameras have the grid already on the screen. The rule suggests that the composition is better if the object is in line with any of the lines or the corners of the central square.

You also want to show the viewer the context of your photo. Be careful not to zoom in too closely, or it can be difficult to tell what you’re showing. Add utensils for scale, or zoom out to show the table scape (cups, napkins, multiple plates, centerpieces, etc.).

3. Tap to focus & set exposure

On most touchscreen phones, changing the focus of a photo is as easy as a tap of your finger where you want the camera to focus. For iPhones, the exposure is also set this way. Tap lighter areas to make the photo darker and vice versa.

4. Use natural light

The best light is natural light. Indirect light near a window is my go-to spot for photographing food. Try to avoid backlit photos (where the light source is behind the object) unless you’re specifically going for a silhouette shot. If you are taking a photo in artificial light, try to only use one light source to avoid lots of hot spots and crazy shadows.

5. Get creative with your plating

Instead of just plopping the food down on the plate in separate piles, get creative with the way you layer the food. The best way to get ideas is to imitate plating you see at restaurants or from photos on social media and food blogs. A garnish of fresh herbs or cheese often adds a nice touch. Try to choose a plate or serving dish that won’t compete with the food in color or pattern. Plain white plates are often a good choice.

6. Look for an interesting background

Maybe you have a cool side table, beautiful marble countertops, a neat tray, or pretty table linens. Look for interesting surfaces that might enhance your photo. One of my favorite places to take my food photos is on an antique ironing board that is a side table in my living room. If the perfect spot for lighting isn’t an appealing background, use a tablecloth, placemat, or tray to cover it up.

7. Don’t get crazy with the angles

I’ve found that the best shots are almost always directly overhead or straight on in front of the object. It’s ok to be creative, but odd angles can make your photos difficult to read.

8. Use apps to edit

There’s not shame in a little bit of editing. My favorite app is VSCOcam. You can straighten crooked photos, crop, edit lighting, and add (tasteful) filters. This app (and many others) allows you to upload directly to social media.

BONUS: Warm your plates

While you’re busy snapping photos, your food can get cold quickly. So warm your plates in a cool oven (150-200°F), microwave, or warming drawer. This helps keep your food warm longer whether or not you’re sharing on social media.