5 Food Photography Tips Using a Smartphone

5 food photography tips using a smartphone. These tips have helped me become a better photographer in general. But regardless, having a great smart phone camera is KEY!

Oh instagram, how we love thee! It’s definitely the most popular social media platform these days. And I would agree, it’s my favorite, probably because you don’t have to think much. You don’t need 140 characters or less, you don’t have to state your “status.” You don’t even have to say a thing. All you need is a picture. And for many, that picture is their creative outlet. It’s a glimpse of their passion. It’s a way to express their style. It’s a way to see the world’s most amazing places without even leaving your house.

Well, that’s my reasoning for liking instagram, or any other form of photography. I love to edit pictures or create a story. And I love to use my camera and/or smart phone to capture moments that are worth “savoring.”

I know I know, I’m corny. But it’s the truth.

And you know what? Using a smartphone for food photography has made me a better photographer in general. It’s almost like you get to practice before the real deal, ya know?

So with that being said, let’s talk ways to improve your food photography with a smart phone. I may not be an expert, but practicing these tips sure have helped me find new creative ways to photograph food –>  simple and engaging.

FIRST –> Find good light!

Natural light. Try getting next to your kitchen window, or the window of a restaurant. Soft light (diffused light) works best. That means early to mid morning or just before sun set. These “golden hours” create a look that’s inviting, warm, and soft. Not harsh or grainy. Oh and be sure to turn off the flash! If you are shooting indoors, look for softer light or candle light and edit with a cool filter instead.

SECOND – Have fun with props!

I’m sure you have some spare kitchen towels, herbs, fruit, or something that brings color to your picture. Play with different styles. Have fun mixing and matching with your food. Ya, I so love doing that. Really!

THIRD — Don’t be afraid of the stand up shot (in public).

Yep, stand up over your food. This works best for natural light settings. I love capturing white plates from above because it really makes the color of your food ‘POP.” And yes, I did stand on chair, on a restaurant patio, in front of people, to get that picture. Totally worth it. Makes me happy every time I see that lovely set up! Haha.

FOUR — Use the rule of three’s.

Usually an odd number of items work best in photography. 3 muffins, 3 plates, etc. Here I used the new LG4 phone and took a picture of 3 muffins at a side angle. Then played with it snapping 6. Which do you think better? Well, I kind of think both are equal but that’s because that camera is that amazing. But in general, odd numbers of items always photograph better, especially in a square instagram space.

And FIVE — Lock your focus or make sure your hands don’t shake.

This will allow for spectacular close ups! On the LG G4 you can lock your focus and adjust the shutter speed, which will help with blur and allow more or less light in, similar to that of a DSLR. Pretty impressive, right? Another way to reduce shake trick is to place your hands on a water glass when taking a picture of your food, this will help reduce the shake when you snap the photo. Oh and be sure not to hit the camera button full force. You must be gentle.

All this said and done truly comes down to the type of camera phone you have and camera editing apps you use. Having a phone with great clarity and function can be key to improving your smart phone food photography.

Favorite Camera Apps – VSCOCAM, SNAPSEED, and VIBRANTLY are some of my favorites for editing food photos on your smart phone. I’ve used all these apps on almost all my pictures in my instagram feed.

Favorite SmartPhone Camera – The LG G4 (see phone above and camera screen shot below)! It’s definitely one of the best cameras on the market not only for any smartphone, but for digital cameras as well. It’s features include: f/1.8 Lowlight Lens, Manual Mode, Optical Image Stabilization, Laser Autofocus, High-res Image Sensors (16mp rear camera, 8mp front camera), and Color Spectrum. Pretty impressive, right?

So good news!  LG and T-Mobile are partnering up and sending out two trucks on a preview tour. These trucks are driving from city to city across the country for 3.5 weeks in order to give locals the ability to try out this new phone and camera themselves. Yep, even before they hit stores. They were isn Austin just yesterday and will be heading east to Atlanta next! For the latest schedule and location information, follow the tour on Twitter @G4preview. You can also pre-register for the phone HERE and be entered in a sweepstakes to actually WIN the phone. Now that’s cool!

Well, those are my favorite photography tips using a smartphone.

Feel free t leave yours. And let me know if you get the chance to try out the new LG4 camera.

What are you favorite smartphone photography tips?

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of LG.  The opinions and text are all mine.