Ever flicked through a food blog and found your mouth watering?

The images are so lush and detailed that you can almost taste the food. But as anyone who has tried to take that perfect snap of their Sunday brunch will know, capturing food is not as easy as it looks.

Of course, the pro bloggers get the pro shot because they have pro equipment and the time to get things just right, after all, often it is their full time job. But there are a few hints and tricks that can elevate your home photography to the next level. Whether you want to start you own blog or simply up your Instagram game, here is how to take a photo like a food blogger.

Composition

When you are setting up your photo, consider what aspects of your dish you want to focus on to truly bring out the colour and texture of the food. A helpful tool for this is the ‘rule of thirds’. Imagine your frame is divided into a nine-part grid and then position your main subject along one of the gridlines, or at an intersection.

Once you have the main subject sorted, get creative with props and styling to take your image to the next level. Consider decorative garnishes, beautiful plates and personal touches such as flowers or napkins.

Minimize clutter

Keep your image fresh and modern by avoiding background clutter that will distract from the main attraction, your delicious dish! Try using a shallow depth of field so that the background is a little blurry and the focus is on the food.

Lighting

Lighting can make or break a photograph so it is important to take the time to get it right. The very best light is indirect natural lighting; think a shaded spot in a sunny room. To find this you might need venture out of the kitchen to another room or even outdoors. Often pro photographers have lots of equipment to control lighting, but there are a few budget hacks you can use to achieve similar results. If lighting is too bright, use a white sheet to diffuse it. To create highlights, use some white craft board to reflect light onto the food, or to create shadow, use a black board.

Angles

Work the angles! Some dishes look better flat lay from above, from the side or at a 45-degree angle, so don’t be afraid to move around. Once you have a few options you can pick your favourite, or use them all! Close ups can be great to bring out the detail in the food and a macro lens is the perfect tool for this, but don’t get too close or you might not be able to tell what the dish is anymore.

Get inspired

Now that you have the basics of photography down its time to play with your food! Experiment with different way to present your dishes, different colour schemes, textures, or adding unusual objects into your images. Look for inspiration at cafes, dinner parties, and follow foodie blogs