There’s no doubt that getting the perfect shot is crucial to any small business's success these days – particularly if you're in the business of food (we’d be telling porkies if we said we hadn’t visited a cafè based solely on its Instagram grid).

To help you lift your game online, we enlisted top-notch food photographer Luisa Brimble to get her tips and tricks for shooting a plate of nosh. The best part? You don’t need a professional camera or exxy editing software to get a good snap.

FIND LIGHT When shooting food, make sure you have good lighting and never put yourself in a situation where you have bad lighting – even if it means you have to take the food outside.

ADD A HUMAN ELEMENT The experience of eating isn’t just about the food, but the way people interact with the food, so find a way to incorporate lifestyle elements into your photographs. If you bought this product, how would you use it? Put the food in context, have people interact with it and add a human element.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Luisa Brimble (@luisabrimble)

KEEP IT SIMPLE Don't overcomplicate things and avoid going overboard with props. There are always going to be beautiful images of food in magazines and books, but creating those images is a process that involves a lot of people, so don't feel like you need to copy those exact images. 

MAKE DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT Your smartphone camera and the VSCO app are all you need to take and edit a food shot. You can also adjust exposure while using an iPhone camera by tapping on the subject you need to tweak until a little sun appears, and sliding your finger up and down.

SHARE BEHIND-THE-SCENES CONTENT People underestimate the power of sharing Instagram stories straight from your smartphone. It doesn’t have to be about pretty pictures all the time. Post a photo in your grid but then use the stories feature to show behind-the-scenes. People love watching that stuff and it’s a lot more personable because it's you.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Luisa Brimble (@luisabrimble)

EMBRACE THE UGLY FOOD If you’re shooting food that tastes delicious, but isn’t particularly pretty, all you can really do is find the best way to showcase it. You can use props to offset the food or garnishes and texture to make it look more appealing. You can also present the food alongside its ingredients or as if it’s being prepped. If all else fails, celebrate the food. Is there a really good story behind it?

EXPOSE YOURSELF TO GOOD CONTENT AND PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT Keep an eye on any food-related trends and popular cookbooks, and follow food photographers and stylists online. Take note of how food is being presented in lifestyle magazines and look to Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration. Finally, as the saying goes: practice makes perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Luisa Brimble (@luisabrimble)