16 11 April 2020 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Appreciate light
In my workshops, I make no
apology for repeated emphasis on
the importance of appreciating
light. If it can’t be daylight, then
whatever is available will do, but
bear in mind that phone sensors
are far less capable than DSLRs in
low light. You should always be
fascinated by the way light falls
and gives everything its form and
colour. Compare the difference
between setting up in front of a
north- and a south-facing window.
Technique BE AN INSTAGRAM EXPERT
Matt Inwood
Food photographer
Matt Inwood is an art director, designer and phone
photographer. He has been hosting nationwide phone
photography workshops for almost three years, along with
two decades spent in food publishing. Matt shares his work
on Instagram as @matt_inwood and workshop information
can be found at http://www.mattinwood.com.Light is the first and final thing you
should think about – it’s almost
impossible to create a good
photograph for Instagram without
giving light thorough consideration.Choose your
backgrounds well
When you’re photographing food,
choose your background tables,
boards and papers with care. The
right colour or texture can add
interest, narrative, and impact to
your subject. Do away withbackground ‘noise’ and clutter to
ensure focus falls squarely on your
subject. On newer phone models,
portrait mode can help to create a
shallow depth of field, which allows
a subject to stand out from the
background. Where the colours or
tones of a subject contrast harshly
with the background, it cansometimes be difficult for the
sensor in your phone to handle
sensitively. If this is the case, try a
neutral background.Use grid lines
Too many people try to squeeze
too much into the frame; give your
subject room to breathe, and the
eye space to wander (and wonder).
Ensure that you have the grid lines
on your phone’s camera turned
on: they will help you to compose
better images, with greater
sophistication, to set things square
(or not), and to judge proportion.
You can also use the vertical and
horizontal lines to separate
elements into thirds (obeying the
rule of thirds). Composing in this
way will also encourage you to give
negative space proper thought.Avoid preset filters
Understanding how to edit your
images well can transform
something good into something©MATT INWOOD
Familiarise yourself with Instagram’s manual editing tools, rather than the Preset filters
Become fascinated by the way light falls and gives everything its form and