The images you see transitioning are simply a JPEG photos I was able to enhance from a social media feed to achieve that “light, airy” look. It always amazes me once you start comparing before and after photos! So satisfying, LOVE IT!

Let’s get right to the good stuff, here are 5 tips to use for social media iPhotos!

1. LIGHTING, LIGHTING, LIGHTING!

• Find as much natural, white light as possible

• Diffuse light with a white tablecloth or napkin if possible

• Be mindful of angles or shadows being cast on your food

2. DO NOT USE YOUR FLASH

This seems counter-intuitive based on the above tip, but your flash will ‘blow out’ the food and tends to create a yellow tint.

3. USE PORTRAIT MODE

If you have an iPhone 7Plus or newer you have Portrait Mode. This zeros in on your subject and ‘blurs’ the background. It does not work well for long stems like straws and wine glasses, so keep an eye on the details.

4. USE SMALL DISHES + COLOR BALANCE

Even if you typically plate your salmon and risotto on a large rimmed dish, scaling down plate sizes will make your food ‘pop’. Be mindful of colors, if you have white risotto, use colors that will contrast and won’t wash out your food.

5. ALWAYS EDIT BEFORE POSTING

Use filters if you have a specific look for branding, if not, make some tweaks:

• Lighting adjustments – Take out the highlights and lift some of the shadows as well as reducing the clarity, this will give you more of that “airy” look.

• Color adjustments – Reducing saturation can be important and reducing the “warmth” adds some of the blue’s back in and helps with white balance.

• Vibrance – Reducing a touch of the vibrance, especially if you have pastel colors in the shot can give you a more elegant look.