Instagram makes me hungry. It’s like opening the app cues my stomach to start growling, even if I’m not hungry. That’s because the food photos on there look so dang good. And, there’s no shortage of them — restaurants showing off their menu items, chefs highlighting their creations, and diners showing off the incredible meal they are about to indulge in. As I scroll through the amazing shots of food and drink, it gets me wondering two things. 1, How can I eat that food, right this minute? And 2, how the heck do they get that perfect shot?
We currently manage the Instagram account for one of our clients, a local Pasadena restaurant. Preparing photos to post for them has made the second question even more relevant (though personally, I am still very intrigued by where I can get the food). I’m not a food photographer and the client doesn’t have the budget to hire one (which would have been the optimal solution). So, the question became how can we use the resources we have (i.e. an iPhone) to capture shots of their menu items that will be able to compete with other food pics on Instagram? The photos we were taking never looked as good as the food did in person. And, it was tough finding filters that enhanced the food rather than making it look worse. After some research and lots of trial and error, I found an app that has forever changed the way we capture food — the “Foodie” app.
Foodie is a dedicated camera app for taking pictures of food. Launched by LINE Corporation, Foodie is a free app for both iPhones and Androids. You can take photos directly in the app (which I recommend) or upload a previously taken photo and use the app to make it Instagram worthy. Either way, our food photos are looking much better and are making us hungrier than ever.
We have spent a lot of time trying out the Instagram filters as well as other photo apps, but Foodie really became the most streamlined process with the best result. Here’s how:
1. It has over 30 filters specific for food.
Not only are the filters made for food, they are actually made for specific types of food. There are filters for Ice Cream, BBQ, beverages, and more. Each filter is optimized for food photography helping you to photograph any food you want.
2. It helps you get the best angle.
Often times a “top shot” is the best way to capture food, but I never seemed to get right on top. But, when using the Foodie app camera, it changes colors to let you know when the camera is positioned flat, directly above the food on the table, helping you get the perfect angle for flat lay photography.
3. Adjust brightness for darker shots
First off, natural light is MUCH better for food photos, so hopefully, this feature isn’t needed as much. Also, adjusting for brightness is a pretty common feature in photo apps (Instagram included). But, the one in “Foodie” often serves as the perfect final tweak to your photo.
4. Easy Sharing
Similar to most photo apps, Foodie lets you easily share your finished photo to Social Media, text messages, emails, your camera roll, etc., making for a seamless edit and post process.
All in all, you could spend hours editing and tweaking to get the perfect food photo for your Instagram. And in the end, nothing will compare to an awesome camera with a skilled photographer behind it. But, if you don’t have that at your disposal, then the Foodie app is a great way to make sure your pictures make the food look appetizing, intriguing, and social media worthy.
Foodie is available for download on the Itunes store and through Google Play.