How To Make Your Brunch Look Great On Instagram

Taking photographs of our food has become second nature for a lot of people these days, with many of us trying to capture the perfect jealousy-inducing shot of our runny poached eggs or smashed avocado on toast.

More often than not though these images fall short and look far from appetitising, even after minutes of rearranging our plates and banning our friends from starting their meal.

We asked renowned food photographer Hugh Johnson to share his top tips on taking the best food photographs for Instagram. Here's what he had to say:

1. Make sure you keep things simple: the biggest mistake professionals and amateurs make is over complicating a shot with too much cutlery or accessories.

2. Speed is key. Make sure you take a picture of the food quickly to capture its freshness and natural glossy highlights.

3. Keep your elbows tucked into your body when taking a photo to keep the camera steady and to minimise distortion.

4. Don't be afraid to change the placement and the look of the food – for example meat may look better cut in half to show its pink interior and interesting textures.

Hugh Johnson uses a full-frame, palm-sized interchangeable lens Sony α7R II camera. ​Winning and shortlisted photographers of the Sony World Photography Awards will be exhibited at Somerset House from 22 April – 8 May.

From: Harper's BAZAAR UK