DENVER — If you eat a delicious plate of food, but you didn't take a picture of it first, did the meal even happen?
Truly an existential question, which the masses will debate as long as social media sticks around. For some, it's a hobby, but for others, posting food photos worth drooling over is a job.
As Denver eats its way through another Restaurant Week, we wanted to know what it takes to make an Instagram post that you can practically taste through the screen.
For some advice, we turned to brains behind @milehighmunch, a 'grammer who hits all the best spots around town.
1. Use natural light!
But look out for shadows!
2. Use your friends!
If you're in a poorly-lit setting, avoid flash and use the flashlight from a friend’s phone, or small selfie light to supplement.
3. Mix up angles.
Go top down, straight on - whatever it takes.
4. Use background to create an interesting setting.
5. Touch up photos after taking them.
Use either Instagram or other apps, like Snap Seed. They let you add sharpness, enhance the saturation of color, or get rid of shadows. But don’t go overboard. Just slightly enhance the image, while keeping a natural look.
6. Experiment!
Get up, and move around. Try different lighting angles, and camera angles, or whatever comes into your head! Work on the photo composition and consider what you might think looks tasty - the gooeyness of the cheese pizza, the chocolate dripping off your ice cream cone, cutting open the jelly doughnut, etc.
Anyone else's mouth watering? No? Okay.
Got any other ideas? Post them to Instagram with #HeyNext.