We're all guilty of it: sometimes the photos we post on social media don't exactly, ahem, reflect reality. Back in September, a story went viral that attempted to show what was really going on in the background of trendy looking Instagram photos. Unsurprisingly, a broader look at the surroundings of each photo were much more telling than the images themselves.
We know how hard it is to get a good photo of our food (we've all been that person who stops brunch to stand on a chair and get the perfect shot.) So, we set out to find what it takes to get those gorgeous food photos we're used to seeing on Pinterest. We questioned some of our favorite food bloggers about what's really going on behind the scenes of their stunning imagery. Despite the fact that their food always looks delicious, we found that there's more going on in the background of each photo than meets the eye.
Ahead, go behind the scenes and see for yourself what it takes to get the perfect food photo. Plus, each blogger shares their tips to achieve a flawless foodstagram.
We'd eat these buffalo chicken rolls ANY day. But as it turns out, they weren't captured on marble countertops, as you might have guessed from the money shot.
Photo: Courtesy of Joy The Baker.
Foodstagram Tip From Joy The Baker:
"Find the light, even if that means shooting on the floor in front of the patio door. Re: shooting on the floor… Try to keep the cat away from the blue cheese. It’s impossible, but we have to try." — Joy
Photo: Courtesy of Joy The Baker.
The kitchen is clean and the only thing on the counter is these gorgeous breakfast waffles with just the right amount of syrup. Right? Wrong!
Photo: Courtesy of Love & Lemons.
As we can see from behind-the-scenes of that yummy waffle shot, there's slightly more going on than we originally thought.
Photo: Courtesy of Love & Lemons.
Foodstagram Tip From Love & Lemons:
"Be quick! Most foods look fresh for a very short time. Ice cream melts and salads get sad really fast. A tip about waffle photography: pour more syrup than you think you need. It absorbs quickly and often doesn’t show up in the photo. (When you’re done shooting, let your significant other eat that overly sweet waffle!)" — Jeanine
Photo: Courtesy of Love & Lemons.
Two-Ingredient Pizza Dough With Winter Vegetables
We figured this was just a simple close-up of a delicious pizza.
Photo: Courtesy of Impatient Foodie.
But as it turns out, taking photos of pizza is more complicated than we anticipated. (We still want a slice, though!)
Foodstagram Tip From Impatient Foodie :
"Get in as close as possible to your food and play with framing. Sometimes having the subject of the photo be off center can make the photo all the more compelling to look at!" — Elettra
Photo: Courtesy of Impatient Foodie.
Slow Cooker Cocktail Meatballs
Ready-to-eat mini meatballs are probably about to make their debut as a party app.
Photo: Courtesy of Damn Delicious.
Well, sort of, if you meant a Corgi party. "Are they done yet?"
Foodstagram Tip FromDamn Delicious :
"Get to know your camera as best as possible. Try to go outside your comfort zone and use M mode — practice really makes perfect! And beautiful natural lighting is key to everything." — Chungah
Photo: Courtesy of Damn Delicious.
This calm, uncluttered photo looks way too professional to have a team of mini behind-the-scenes frosting eaters, making sure that mint buttercream doesn't go to waste.
Photo: Courtesy of The Vanilla Bean Blog.
Except, there they are in all their frosting-eating glory. (Can we have some?!)
Foodstagram Tip From The Vanilla Bean Blog:
"I have a minimalist approach when it comes to food photography, and like to keep it just about the cake or pastry I am photographing. I shoot in natural light and rarely use extra props and styling, relying on the food itself to be the main focus. I suggest when starting out to keep things simple, and add extras to the shot only when they help tell the story." — Sarah
Photo: Courtesy of The Vanilla Bean Blog.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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