Let This Food Stylist School You On Instagram

Once upon a time, plated dishes were eaten and not ogled. But times have changed, and this video featuring a food stylist's secrets to snapping the perfect foodstagram is biblical. And much needed — because have you cruised #foodie lately? The Instagram community is on-point. Have we become more sentimental about our meals or have restaurants become more skilled in presentation? And which came first, the (farm-raised) chicken or the (dripping) egg (yolk)?

Nowadays, when we're faced with an attractive dish at a restaurant or impressed with our own preparations at home, we reach for our phones before we reach for our forks. A year ago, at any given brunch spot, you would surely notice the raised elbows and hovering phones of young'uns documenting their meals. Now, at any given brunch spot, you would surly notice elbows of all ages, jutting out to the sides like wings, as the phone photographer that they belong to attempts to capture an image worthy of #foodporn.

Instagram food photography has spread like a delicious epidemic. Crappy pictures are for the doldrums that are Facebook photo albums. It's become the norm to snap before you snack. It's all a part of the curated lifestyle circular that is Instagram. By showing people what we eat, we let them know about our health, our culture, our style and our status. It might sound surprising, but food pictures are definitely identity markers. So let's be real, you can't beat them, just join them! Join the #foodies! But first, take some tips from an expert.

One at a time

Lightly dress the salad to moisturize the leaves and then sprinkle on the remaining ingredients. Do not heavily mix, you want the toppings to be visible and evenly distributed.

Hungry eyes

Pick an angle and arrange the food in its favor. The best looking pieces should always be center.

Wetness is the essence of beauty

If you're a serious foodie, you might invest in a spray bottle. You'll fill this puppy with fresh water and give your produce a few spritzes to liven it up.

Grease lightning

When working with meats, brushing on a coating of oil will help their sexiness properly translate in a photo. It also helps highlight their textures.

Sprinkles

Working with bread or pastries? Got crumbs? Great, use them as decorative, imperfect sprinkles.

Get your 'gram on

Stay up on Instagram. Browse the #foodie tags and follow food stylists.

Watch the whole video here:

Images: YouTube (7)