Who doesn't love photographing their incredibly looking plate of food before tucking in and enjoying it, if not just to make others a tiny bit jealous? Well, we probably all do, but not everyone's shot is Instagram-worthy, but fear not as Zizzi's new Instagrammer in Residence is here to help. James Thompson, better known to his 150,000 Instagram followers as Food Feels, has shared his top and invaluable tips on how to get THAT shot (you know, the one that makes your phone buzz satisfyingly as the 'likes' pour in).
James, whose new job with Zizzi involves eating and taking hundreds of pictures of food (the dream), says getting the perfect shot comes down to four simple things: lighting, background, editing and experimenting. Here, he details each step:
1. Lighting – natural light is key when taking pictures of food. Avoid flash when you can as it takes away the detail and colour. If you're eating out – ask for a window seat!
2. Background – think about where you are and what you want your backdrop to be. Keep it fun and keep it exciting (because something has to stop people from scrolling in between memes...)
3. Editing – it's easy to lose the quality of food if you use too many filters, try and focus on the brightness, contrast and sharpen options on Instagram. Get that pizza poppin'!
4. Experiment – I don't like to stick to one particular angle. Move around and take a range of shots from different angles and see what works for you. Some plates look great at a birds eye, such as pizza while others you might want to get up close to make your followers' mouths' water for a reason that doesn't involve Ryan Gosling's abs.
So, good luck! #foodporn #flatlay #yum
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The images and stories that James captures will be told through an online photography portfolio on Zizzi's website and Instagram. The online gallery will form part of Zizzi's 'Discover More Zizzi' campaign and feature images from Zizzi restaurants all across the country.