The Camera Eats First

A Snapshot of Foodie Photographers

By Nell Jones - daughter, writer, student, contributor

You are out to dinner with your friends at the restaurant you found by looking through one of many famous food Instagram accounts.  (Life hack: if you are trying to decide which restaurant you want to visit, look up the restaurant on Instagram and scroll through the pictures taken at that location).

The food looked delicious in the pictures, so why not try it out?  You want to see it and photograph it for yourself, not simply trust a good Yelp review.

After some chatter and patiently waiting, the food comes out.  What is the first thing that happens?  Everyone takes out their phone to capture the pattern the food seems to follow, the colors of different food groups intertwining, and the steam still rolling off.

It has become the norm that only people dare to touch the food if the clicking of an iPhone camera has first captured it.  In a sense, the camera always eats first.

In this technological age, it has become so easy to take pictures with an iPhone that can be shared with friends, family, and the public on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.  Not only is this form of photography and social media big for people who want to show their followers what they are up to, but it is also enormous from a marketing standpoint.

Most acclaimed restaurants and eateries have Instagram, where they advertise their newest specials and customer favorites.  So, what are the tricks to making your friends jealous about your meal or attracting new customers?

Quick Photography Tips

The number one tip that most people will tell you is lighting.  It is best to shoot in natural lighting; it will allow the natural colors in the food to stand out and appeal to the viewer.

With this in mind, the food you photograph should be interesting and contrasting, not dull. In the same sense, you want to ensure that the shadows with the lighting enhance the image instead of damaging it. The shadowing allows some depth and frames the subject of the image.

One way this can be done is with the angle of the photo. A lot of food photography is taken from above. By creating a neutral background, there are no distractions, and the viewer's attention is on the cuisine, especially when it is plated or in a bowl. Following guidelines like these can entice your followers with delicious food. The food must be given how great it looks, even when they are entirely removed.

Dining In Our House

This is true not only for meals ordered at a restaurant but also for home creations.  As the daughter of the Reluctant Gourmet, I can assure you that the camera ALWAYS eats first at our house.  No family dinner can begin without the flashing of a camera. The liberty you get from photography at home is that you may have more available than just your iPhone camera.

Who wouldn’t want to brag to all their friends, family, and coworkers after preparing and cooking a meal for two hours? Or, like me, brag to all my friends when I come home to an amazing home-cooked meal. And even if your friends won’t appreciate the lemon that was so carefully zested on top, the followers on the Reluctant Gourmet’s “What I Cooked for Dinner Last Night” Facebook page probably will.

Eating has always been entangled with social interaction, and now this social bubble is being expanded even more with the use of social media, where one person’s meal can be shared with an audience of millions.  If you want more inspiration for food, photography and social media, check out @reluctantgourmet on Instagram.