We’ve all done it, don’t act like you haven’t. Whether you’re at a restaurant, a barbeque, or even your mom’s for Sunday dinner, we’ve all snapped a quick pic of our deliciously looking, perfectly arranged, visually tantalising meal.
However a new study suggests that such behaviour, also known as foodgramming or foodporn, could be having a long term detrimental effect on our appetite. It goes beyond merely letting your food cool for ten seconds while you choose the perfect filter though. An investigation by BYU Marriott School of Management suggests that capturing and blogging your food will already leave you a little bit tired of it.
Co-author Professor Joseph Redden told The Independent:
“When we Instagram, we inherently must focus our attention on the item in the picture, even for that very brief moment. This can have a range of effects on later enjoyment.
“For example, we can savour an upcoming indulgent treat if the Instagram post triggers quick thoughts about eating that food, or a dish can seem more special by the mere fact that we’ve decided it qualifies as an Instagram moment.
“However, if we spend too much time repeatedly viewing such foods, our paper suggests this can lead to pre-satiation. That is, you’re already a bit tired of the food before you even start eating it.”
But let’s say you do want to Gram that Grub…
You’ll need a few tips before posting right?
- Lighting
Foodgramming is just like taking a selfie. Natural light works best! It’s best to shoot on an overcast day to avoid shadows ruining the shot, and avoid harsh and unnatural filters which can mess with the colours of the food and spoil presentation
- Presentation
No one wants to see a fork sticking out of the chips or a layer of chilli sauce masking half the food. Ensure everything is neatly presented and visible without any stray crumbs or pieces flying about the plate.
- Neutral Background
Ensure the background of your coffee art cup or Nacho Mountain is as plain and neutral or possible to avoid distracting visual attention away from the food piece. Wooden or brown backgrounds look great with the majority of white whilst white backgrounds will highlight dark foods and black backgrounds will highlight fair foods.
Neatly arrange your dish or dishes together and shoot from overhead, or a bird’s eyes view. This will capture all areas of the food and minimise harsh shadows or unflattering angles. It also ensures just the food is in shot- no waiters, people etc.
If you’re subject is a drink, shoot from the side against a neutral background with as little, preferably zero, distractions in shot.
