Photo by: Isabelle Cheng / @allons.y
The secret to Instagram-worthy food pics? Practice, patience, and a great camera. I’m taking you behind the scenes to see food stylists’ secrets and learn how to get the perfect food pic.
Photo by Isabelle Cheng / @allons.y Captured with the Galaxy Note8
It’s all about the atmosphere
As a food stylist, the biggest lesson I've learned is that people respond to the atmosphere I create just as much as the food. Get inspired by what's around you. Grab the creamer and utensils or show off amazing floor tiles to draw different elements into the photo. It's the little details that will fill the frame and add mood to the picture.
Photo by @allons.y Captured with the Galaxy Note8
Bright ideas for dim light
While it looks like all my food photos are taken with great natural light, often times I end up in dimly lit or dark rooms trying to capture the perfect pic. If the lighting situation isn’t ideal, I always turn to the pro setting on my Galaxy Note8. The dual aperture will intuitively use the rear camera to capture clear photos regardless of the lighting. If it’s an incredibly dark room, I often bump up my ISO to a higher number and adjust the white balance.
Photo by @allons.y Captured with the Galaxy Note8
Add movement to the photo
Adding movement to the food photo is a great way to add realism to the picture and gives you that “in the moment” feeling. Easily add action by incorporating hands into the photo; ask someone to pour maple syrup on French Toast or stir cream and sugar into coffee. Clicking the shutter can be tricky in these moments so I like to use Burst shot. This way I get that exact moment when the syrup is dripping perfectly without any of the blur.
“The best way to create movement is to move. The food may be stationary, but you aren’t”
-Isabelle Cheng
Photo by @allons.y
Samsung Sessions: Do x The Moment (Creating a Mood)
Create a mood
Watch my Samsung Sessions video to see how I compose my photos using the rule of thirds and negative space.
Take photos like a food stylist
Whether you're snapping avocado toast for fun or shooting for Foodstagram stardom, Galaxy smartphones have all the tools you need to stay on top of your food photography game.
Galaxy Note10/Note10+
Galaxy S10e/S10/S10+
