If you’re looking for Instagram tips related to food photography, Miranda Hammer, MS, RD, CDN, is more than qualified to dish them out.
Not only is she a highly credentialed registered dietitian nutritionist and graduate of The Nutrition School, Hammer is a natural foods chef and the founder of the Crunchy Radish, a blog that features her creative take on plant-based, seasonal cooking. Hammer also has a knack for making the food she whips up—from Black Quinoa Porridge to Dark Chocolate Bark with Ginger and Pistachios—look ridiculously gorgeous, enticing more than a few healthy followers to double-tap regularly.
Arranging your avocado slices “just so” may not seem important, but if you’re in the business of wellness these days, “likes” are important. They impact your ability to spread your green smoothie-based message and build a healthy business. (And if you’re sharing shots of sweet potato toasts just for the fun of it, getting three likes is still pretty infuriating.)
So we asked Hammer to share a few of her go-to Instagram tips. At the core, she said, is authenticity. We dig that. “Develop your own signature style and voice so your photos look true to who you are and your aesthetic. Is your look rustic, moody, clean and bright, or very styled? Play around and figure out what works best for you.”
Keep reading for five more tips that will have healthy eaters double-tapping your pics like every one is of a colorful smoothie bowl with a side of avocado toast.
5 Instagram Tips for Gorgeous Healthy Food Photos
1.Find the light.
“Using natural light as much as possible is ideal for capturing photo-worthy food. Try and set up your photo station near a window. If the light is too intense, consider a sheer curtain or cloth that you can tape up as needed or easily move.”
2. Style your food in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
“The goal is to entice your viewers to want to make your dish or be inspired. Add some microgreens or fresh herbs, fluff up your salad to give it height and dimension, add some nuts or seeds. Bring in color, vibrancy, and depth.”
3. Stock up on props.
“Check out some thrift stores or find a great ceramics maker and build a little collection of bowls, spoons, plates, and linens to add feeling and character to your photographs. But, avoid using garnishes and food props that are not actually in your recipe.”
4. Think about the textures of the photo.
“Have a glass of wine or water, some utensils, a linen napkin, or/and a small bowl of salt.”
5. Shoot from above.
“Use angles that you actually use to look at your food IRL.”
About Miranda:
Miranda Hammer is a New York City based Registered Dietitian and founder of the clean-eating, healthy-living blog Crunchy Radish. Her health and wellness philosophy focuses on health-supportive, plant-based, seasonal eating, and balanced living. Upon graduating from the clinical nutrition program at New York University, Miranda worked as a dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Most recently she completed the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. Miranda primarily focuses on content and recipe development for brands, websites, and magazines, as well as running her private counseling business. You can also take her plant-based nutrition course over at mindbodygreen.
