A Dutch court has ruled a grandmother must delete photographs of her grandchildren she shared on social media without consent from the children’s parents or pay a daily fine.
The BBC reports the legal battle ended up in The Court of First Instance of Gelderland after the grandmother refused to remove the images from Facebook and Pinterest, despite requests from the children’s’ mother to do so. According to the judge’s ruling, the images violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and, more specifically, the Dutch GDPR Implementation Act (UAVG), which states that posting photos of minors under 16 years old requires their legal representative(s)’ consent.
The judge ruled that because the images were shared on social media, where a wider audience could view and potentially save the photographs, the photographs did not meet the ‘purely personal or household activity’ exemption found within Article 2(2)(c) of the GDPR. Lawyer Neil Brown chimed in with the following tweet to note that had the grandmother put restrictions in place in terms of who could see the images, she might’ve been clear under the ‘domestic purposes’ exemption, but because the courts could not determine how the images were protected, it ruled as it did.
The court did not have information about how the grandmother restricted viewing of her account (from other people, as well as search engines), or what controls there were on re-distribution.
If restrictions were in placing, it might have met the test for “domestic purposes”. pic.twitter.com/bakg26Tq0y
— Neil Brown (@neil_neilzone) May 21, 2020
If the grandmother doesn’t remove the image from social media, she will be required to pay a penalty of €50 for each day the images are still up, up to a maximum of €1,000. The ruling also prohibits the grandmother ‘from posting, displaying or otherwise distributing photographs of [the plaintiff’s] minor children on social media,’ with the same €50 penalty being applied up to €1,000 for each additional image shared.
Lawyer and self-professed ‘copyright geek’ Mike Dunford recently drew attention to the Associated Press’s controversial requests to use content posted on social media. He shares a copy of the social media release form the AP asks social media users to agree to, breaking down each part with an explanation and issues related to them. Though some of the AP’s presumed concerns are legitimate, according to Dunford, he ultimately claims that the release terms are ‘abusive across the board.’
The controversy started when lawyer Jay Mashall Wolman shared a tweet from Associated Press editor R.J. Rico, which has since been deleted, bringing attention to the AP’s social media release form. Wolman then shared several other similar content requests made by the Associated Press and its employees, each asking different social media users whether they took the content that caught the AP’s attention, as well as whether the AP could use it for free.
The requests are joined by an image of the AP’s social media release form, which asks the person who captured the content to read the message, then to respond to the message containing the form with an agreement to the terms. The AP’s social media release form claims for itself:
…world-wide, non-exclusive right to (and all consents to) use, reproduce, prepare derivative works of, edit, translate, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display the content throughout the world in perpetuity by any and all means now known or hereafter created in all media now known or hereafter created; an AP shall further have the right to license these right to others…
In addition, the social media release form includes a section that requires the user to agree to be responsible for any copyright matters that may result from the use of the content by AP or any entity it licenses the content to, stating:
[The social media user agrees that] you are the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s authorized agent and that you are fully entitled to grant these rights in favor of AP and that there is no agreement or other restriction preventing this grant of rights. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the AP and its licensees from and against any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses arising from any breach or alleged breach of these representations and warranties.
Wolman tagged multiple people in his tweets, including Dunford, who gave a long commentary on the release form in a tweet thread of his own.
It’s clear that this is corporate policy – Jay has examples going back to 2015.
This morning, I’d like to talk about 2 things: The extent of AP’s legitimate concerns, and why their approach to addressing those concerns is abusive and unethical.https://t.co/GNEQmEI8ie
— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) May 17, 2020
Dunford points out that though Twitter’s terms may allow the Associated Press to embed these tweets in its online articles without getting prior permission, he ‘wouldn’t want to rely entirely on that.’ There have been examples of controversy over publications embedding tweeted content without getting explicit permission to do so. Dunford also points out that embedding isn’t useful for the AP when it comes to video and printed content.
At the same time, the cameras we all carry around mean that videos and pictures people post to twitter are often the first, and sometimes only, images of newsworthy events. So AP wants to be able to use them. And, like any good business, the lower the cost, the better.
— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) May 17, 2020
Requesting that a social media user allow a major news company to use the content for free is problematic when it comes to paying content creators for their works. However, Dunford zeroes in on the social media release form terms, claiming that they are ‘MUCH more of an issue’ than simply asking to use content without paying for it.
Dunford points out that the AP and its lawyers are at ‘a substantial advantage’ over the unrepresented social media user when it comes to securing content rights. Digging into the actual terms, Dunford points out multiple concerns, including that the AP’s release form gives it the right to license the social media user’s content and it gets the non-exclusive right to forever use the image as if it owns it. ‘It’s abusive,’ Dunford says.
The biggest concerns start with the second paragraph, however, with Dunford stating in his tweets:
Seriously, just screw them. They’re getting something of value for nothing, and they want the person giving them that to assume risk on top of giving them a free license.
Hell with that, @AP should bear that risk. All of it.
— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) May 17, 2020
National Press Photographers Association (NPAA) General Counsel Mickey Osterreicher weighed in on the matter with a tweet of his own, encouraging content creators to refrain from agreeing to terms like this:
We appreciate folks posting these. Only solution to such rights grabs – if no one agrees to these terms, organizations will be forced to change the TOS. Problem is most people do not read or understand before agreeing to terms & others don’t seek/want payment for their work
— Mickey Osterreicher (@nppalawyer) May 17, 2020
Wolman found examples of AP employees tweeting the social media release form dating back to 2015.
For social media users who fail to see the potential harm in accepting terms like this, an anonymous legal Twitter account allegedly belonging to an Australian lawyer detailed some of the problems users may encounter, including the fact that owning the copyright to the content doesn’t protect the user against potentially being sued over it in the future.
First off I note: lawyers are cautious. We never see the handshake deals that work out. Nobody calls and says “I just want you to know I had a handshake contract and it went well.” For all we know, these only end in pain and six figure legal bills. Best to not be an example.
— Wolf Lawyer (@thewolflawyer) May 17, 2020
Wolf points out, among many other things:
You’ve heard of bots that do automated DMCA takedowns. Imagine that there’s an automated DMCA takedown of your video. Imagine that results in legal action over who has the rights to the video. You don’t have to imagine too hard, it happens all the time.
Now imagine that you’ve agreed to indemnify the AP for the costs of bringing/defending those proceedings.
Wolf concludes his commentary with a solid point, stating, ‘Can’t afford a lawyer? Then you definitely can’t afford to grant indemnity.’ The Associated Press has not commented on the criticism and concerns.
The post 5 Tips for Doing Photography While Social Distancing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Are you having a hard time doing photography while social distancing?
Do you need some help determining what and how to photograph during these difficult times?
90mm | f/2.8 | 1/320s | ISO 320
You’ve come to the right place.
Because as hard as it is to deal with the current situation, there are still photographic opportunities everywhere.
You just have to know how to see them!
So if you’re looking to capture some great images, even now…
…read on.
1. Go on walks and photograph the scenery
Plenty of countries are currently in full lockdown, which means that you can only leave your home for exercise.
But while you’re out walking, why not take some pictures?
Obviously, don’t approach people on the street or linger too long in one place.
But there are plenty of gorgeous parks out there where you can capture some stunning landscapes as you walk along.
An image taken on a recent walk. Canon EF 24-70mm f4L lens|70mm| f/8.0| 1/20s| ISO 200
And if you don’t live near a park, just go for a walk around your neighborhood! Take some photos of trees waving in the sunlight, of flowers starting to bloom in gardens, and more.
The opportunities are endless. The key is to be open to more unusual, spontaneous images.
By the way, I’d recommend using a telephoto lens for this, such as a 70-200mm zoom; that way, you can stay on paths and avoid approaching houses and other people.
I’d also recommend going out at sunrise or sunset, when the light is warm and golden. That way, you can capture gorgeous skies, gorgeous clouds, and just take in the beautiful world.
2. Capture gorgeous macro photos in the garden
It’s now officially spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
With spring comes flowers, and with flowers comes the potential for beautiful macro shots.
Get your closest-focusing lens, or a dedicated macro lens if you have one, and go out into your garden.
You can easily photograph flowers like these in the garden! Nikon 60mm f2.8 lens | 60mm| f/5.0| 1/200| ISO 320
Look for flowers, and try to capture some beautiful colors, textures, and even more abstract flora shots.
I recommend doing macro photography on cloudy days, because the diffused light will help bring out flower colors.
I also recommend getting down low, on a level with your subject, so you can portray the world from a more intimate perspective.
By the way, if you don’t have any flowers, that’s okay!
You can still photograph plants, trees, buds, or even weeds. The beauty of macro photography is that there are subjects everywhere.
3. Spend time creating a studio in your home
If you’re like me, you’ve always wanted to create a photography studio in your home.
But you just haven’t had the time.
Imagine what you could do with a studio (after all the social distancing is over, that is!).
You could do portrait photoshoots.
You could do pet photoshoots.
You could create all sorts of still life setups.
You could do high-speed photos of balloons popping, or of colored water, or of products, or of food…
Really, you can do tons with a proper studio.
A home studio is great for capturing photos of pets! 55mm| f/6.3| 1/160s | ISO 250
So why not set it up now, while you’re stuck at home?
Here’s what you need:
First, some sort of backdrop. A black tablecloth will work just fine for many purposes, but you can also use a large, white slab of cardboard, a proper photography backdrop (these can be purchased online), or even an interesting wall.
Next, you’ll want at least one light source. You can use natural light, in which case you should simply position your studio near a window (ideally with the window light coming from slightly in front of your setup, so you have light falling on your subject from the front and side).
You can also use artificial light, which is what I’d recommend; this gives you more options and limits you less in terms of shooting on poorly-lit days and at night.
If you do go with artificial light, you’re going to want several speedlights at the very least. I recommend two for beginners, though three is also a good number, and one is adequate if you’d like to keep costs down. These speedlights will need to be held up with light stands, so you’ll want a couple of those.
You’ll also need light modifiers. Options here include umbrellas, softboxes, diffusers, snoots, and more. Though I’d recommend going with a couple of basic umbrellas because these are great for softening the light and easy for beginners to get the hang of.
Last, if you’re doing any sort of product or still life photography, you’re going to want a table. A simple wooden option works well, and it doesn’t have to look new. A bit of texture can make your product shots and still lifes even more interesting!
And speaking of still life photography:
4. Level up your still life photography skills
If you’ve ever considered pursuing still life photography, now is a great time.
You can do still lifes with a studio setup, as discussed above.
Or you can do still lifes without much of anything, except a few subjects, some window light, a table, and a wall.
The latter method is practically free, and it can result in stunning shots. So it’s a great way to get started with still life work over the next few months.
For basic still life subjects, fruit is a great choice (I’m partial to pears and apples, but you can use basically anything).
Flowers, including cut flowers you can grab when checking out at the grocery store, are an excellent option, as well.
In fact, you can do all sorts of cool photography with flowers or fruit. While it’s possible to do classic still lifes, you can also do more abstract shots, like this:
This type of black background, illuminated flower setup is something you can work on when doing still life photography. Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro | 100mm | f/2.8 | 1/100s | ISO 200
Given the current situation, I don’t recommend taking trips to the store just to buy still life subjects.
But if you’re already at the store, there’s not much harm in grabbing a couple of extra apples or a bouquet of flowers.
And, by the way:
You can also do still life photography using objects you find in your home.
Objects such as bowls, plates, silverware, vases, jugs, antiques, and much more.
So don’t feel like you have to go out into the world to get subjects. Some of the best subjects are right in the house with you!
5. Get to know your camera while stuck inside
Cameras are complicated.
Which means that there are probably things you don’t know about them, but should be familiar with if you want to capture the best possible photos.
So, whenever you get the chance, I recommend you turn on your camera and explore.
Start with all the external buttons. Do you know what they can all do?
Then dig into the menu items. Scan over every single option.
While getting to know my camera, I snap a lot of random pictures to test out functions. This is one of my most recent ones! Canon EOS R | Canon 24-70 f4 lens | 70mm| f/4.0 | 1/160s | ISO 3200
And as soon as you hit something you’re not sure about, or you’re not completely familiar with…
…look it up.
(You can use your camera manual, or you can just do a quick Google search.)
If it’s an especially useful feature, then make a note. And ensure that, the next time you get a chance to do some photography, you try it out.
Make sense?
And by the way, every camera is different. So if you have multiple cameras, I recommend you follow this tip for each and every one of them.
That way, when things are better, you’ll feel much more at home with your camera.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you continue to improve your photography while social distancing.
Because while things are tough, it really is possible to keep up your photography!
So good luck, and stay safe! And, as always, share your photos with us in the comments section!
The post 5 Tips for Doing Photography While Social Distancing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
A screenshot from Nikon Rumors showing the Facebook post and accompanying video.
Earlier today, Nikon Europe published a number of posts to social media teasing the development of its D6 camera, the not-yet-official next generation flagship DSLR from Nikon.
The posts, which were shared on Nikon Europe’s official Twitter and a Facebook account called ‘NikonLifeEU’, all teased the arrival of the D6 in text and included an attached video as well. As seen in the screenshots, shared with permission from Nikon Rumors, the two Twitter posts read:
‘The newly announced #D6 development will reinforce Nikon DSLR’s advantage in #sports#photojournalism.’
The Facebook post also shared a video, but read:
‘The newly announced #D6 development will reinforce Nikon’s DSLR’s advantage in sports photo journalism. Top Pro and #D5 user Joel Maryland talks about how Nikon’s cutting edge technology has helped him stay ahead of the game. Stay tuned for more from #Nikon!’
As noted by Nikon Rumors reader br0xibear, the video posted alongside the text wasn’t new footage, but a video of Nikon Europe ambassador Joel Marklund talking about shooting with the Nikon D5 at the Olympics. So, while there was no explicit mention of the D6 in the video, the text is very clear a Nikon D6 DSLR is on the way.
We have contacted Nikon to confirm whether or not the ‘NikonLifeEU’ Facebook page is its official account, but considering it too removed the development teasers and the rest of its post history mirrors the official Nikon Europe Twitter account, it seems likely to be the case.
The post Street Photographer Attacked on Social Media for Taking Photos in Public appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Joshua Rosenthal’s Instagram feed.
Are you a street photographer?
Have you considered what might go wrong in your line of work?
Most street photographers don’t.
But maybe they should.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Josh Rosenthal (@two_stops_ahead) on
Joshua Rosenthal is your average street photographer. He goes out with his camera, photographs people in public places, and posts the photos on his website and Instagram. He does no harm, and nobody is bothered.
Until this past week, when Rosenthal’s actions attracted a lot of attention – and not in a good way.
Rosenthal journeyed to the Ventura County Fair in California. He walked around, taking photos of fairgoers. People noticed, became suspicious, and the police questioned Rosenthal. But doing photography in a public place is not a crime, and so nothing came of it.
According to the police department:
“The subject was contacted by police officers at the Fair on that date and has been contacted again today for questioning. No crime occurred during this incident.”
Rosenthal probably thought that being questioned at the county fair was the end of things; after all, he hadn’t broken the law.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Josh Rosenthal (@two_stops_ahead) on
So it was most likely a huge surprise when he awoke the next morning to find his name plastered all over social media alongside accusations of pedophilia and of predatory behavior.
As it turned out, a number of fairgoers took videos and photos of Rosenthal at the fair, which depicted Rosenthal snapping images of a young girl. These videos and photos were promptly distributed on social media, capturing intense attention.
One poster writes “Hey moms and dads, beware of this P.O.S. at the fair. He’s going around taking pictures of…little girls, in dresses.”
Another poster compared Rosenthal’s actions to child traffickers, while a third wondered whether he is a “perv.”
Rosenthal was questioned once again by the police but was not arrested. We can be confident that no legal action will be taken against Rosenthal.
Rosenthal has plans, however. He will be reaching out to the ACLU, which deals with civil liberty cases. He explains, “This is more about the First Amendment and doxing than it is about me.” He also apologized to the parents of the girl he was seen photographing.
For all the street photographers out there:
How would you handle this scenario? And how do you handle taking photos of children?
One way to prevent this kind of thing is to ask permission before photographing children. The parents might refuse, and that’s okay; there are plenty of people to photograph in the world!
Another way to protect yourself is to avoid photographing children entirely. As Rosenthal found out, parents are often extremely uncomfortable with their children being photographed, and for good reason. While there are plenty of harmless photographers out there, dedicated street photographers aren’t the only people taking photos of children.
What do you think? Do you have any tips for avoiding these difficult situations? Do you feel comfortable photographing children?
Leave a comment below!
The post Street Photographer Attacked on Social Media for Taking Photos in Public appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
DJI released a 21-second teaser video ahead of their latest product release titled ‘Learn to Win.’ An official announcement will be made this Tuesday, June 11th. The world’s top drone manufacturer released the Osmo Action camera less than a month ago.
Naturally, the Internet has offered up numerous theories on the next move for DJI, who hasn’t released a consumer-grade drone since the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom at the end of August last year. One possibility is their official entry into the lucrative and growing FPV racing market with a compact, agile drone. Another potential release could be a Software Development Kit (SDK) aimed at developers and tinkerers for custom applications.
The caption on the video, first posted to YouTube, hints at the latter SDK possibility as it reads ‘DJI was built by tiredless engineers who never stopped looking for answers and pushing boundaries. Now, get ready to push yours. If you’re ready to win, be prepared to learn.’
‘DJI was built by tiredless engineers who never stopped looking for answers and pushing boundaries. Now, get ready to push yours. If you’re ready to win, be prepared to learn.’
Rumors of a Spark 2 drone, slated for summer, have also circulated and are covered in detail by DroneDJ. The Phantom 4 series is still out of stock at DJI’s official online store, though representatives for the company have gone on record stating that a logical Phantom 5 follow-up is either on hold or, alternately, there was nothing to cancel in the first place.
The majority of U.S. visa applicants are now required to submit social media handles/usernames as part of their applications. This requirement, which was billed as a necessity for national security by the State Department, includes Instagram and Flickr among the 20 social platforms listed on its online application form.
The new requirement applies to both tourism and immigration visas, according to the Associated Press, which reports that in addition to select social media accounts from the past five years, applicants are also required to submit previous email addresses and phone numbers. The requirement was proposed in early 2018.
The State Department includes a number of popular social media services on its application form, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Flickr and even the mostly defunct Google Plus and Myspace. A few social networks popular outside of the U.S. are also included, such as China’s Sina Weibo and Russia’s Vkontakte.
According to a report from The Hill, ‘Applicants will have the option to say that they do not use social media if that is the case. The official noted that if a visa applicant lies about social media use that they could face “serious immigration consequences” as a result.’
Leica is facing backlash in China following the publication of a video called ‘The Hunt’ set in 1989 during, among other things, the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. In response to the video, Chinese social media website Weibo has banned the use of the word ‘Leica’ — attempts to search for content in English and Chinese using that keyword returns zero results.
‘The Hunt’ is a fictionalized video that primarily follows a Western photojournalist who attempts to capture the Tiananmen Square protests using a Leica camera1. Though the video never explicitly mentions the protests, it features the text ‘Beijing, 1989,’ and concludes with the iconic ‘Tank Man’ image as a reflection in a Leica camera’s lens.
The video went viral on social media in China, where a number of users have lambasted the dramatic reenactment. Soon after, Weibo banned posts containing the word ‘Leica’ due to the video’s ‘violation of relevant laws and regulations or the Weibo Community Convention,’ according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
SCMP claims Leica didn’t commission and does not sanction the video, which was reportedly produced by Brazillian marketing company F/Nazca Saatchi Saatchi. The news source published a statement from Leica, which expressed regret over ‘any misunderstandings or false conclusions that may have been drawn’ regarding the video.
The controversy hits Leica amid its partnership with Chinese company Huawei and its plan to launch 20 to 30 new stores in China. Likewise, the video arrives during a particularly tense time for the Chinese government — June 4 is the 30th anniversary of the government’s deadly suppression of the pro-democracy protests.
For its part, Leica has been criticized for distancing itself from the video, which has been praised by some as a poignant reminder of the pro-democracy movement and the Chinese government’s bloody response. The Communist Party of China censors the Tiananmen Square Massacre and related protests and as such is not expected to make a public statement on the video.
@duckrabbitblog Whoa, this Leica ad is atrocious in its stereotypical, aggrandizing depiction of the white saviour vs the dangerous, dark, unintellegible “other”- They could’ve just called it The Predator: https://t.co/TTuh9e7eOX
— David Jazay (@DavidJazay) April 18, 2019
The video has also drawn criticism across social media for its ‘stereotypical, aggrandizing depiction of the white saviour vs the dangerous, dark, unintellegible “other,”‘ as seen in the above tweet from photographer and filmmaker David Jazay.
1It’s worth noting the iconic ‘Tank Man’ image was captured on a Nikon FE2 camera through a Nikkor 400mm 5.6 ED-IF lens and TC-301 teleconverter with a roll of Fuji 100 ASA color negative film, not any Leica camera.
Photography project ‘Selfie Harm’ tasked teens with editing their portraits for social media
Photographs by Rankin used with permission.
A new photography project called ‘Selfie Harm‘ from British photographer Rankin tasked 15 teenagers with editing portraits of themselves until they believed the images were ‘social media ready,’ highlighting their internal ideas of ‘perfection.’ The image editing and filtering was performed with a readily available photo app, one of thousands of similar products offered through popular app stores.
‘Today, more so than ever, people are mimicking their idols, making their eyes bigger, their nose smaller and their skin brighter,’Rankin explained, ‘and all for social media likes.’
Rankin points toward the media and advertising industries’ heavy use of image editing tools, something Rankin has both been involved with as part of his job and has criticized with projects like ‘Flawless Girls’ and ‘Ageless Beauty.’
Though these industries have shifted their editing practices in light of public discussions and backlash, the average person has more access than ever to tools for transforming their own digital appearance. The technology is, among other things, ‘encouraging a disturbing culture of homogeneity,’ the photographer notes.
Speaking about these apps, Rankin said:
They are free, accessible, easy to use, game-like and (I think) much more dangerous. When doing research for this project, I played with these apps a lot to understand the appeal. They’re addictive, very impressive and you can have a lot of fun warping, changing and reimagining your appearance. But it’s when people are making an alternative or ‘better’ social media identity that this becomes a mental health problem.
Rankin has called for public discussion over the growing trend of using the apps to alter one’s appearance for social media:
Instead of simply telling people to stop, we need to accept that this is a complex issue; the technology is here and it’s here to stay. But we need to challenge the way image manipulation is being used and abused in the wider world. Selfie Harm is my attempt to get people to talk about the issues threatening mental health today.
Photographs by Rankin used with permission. You can find more of Rankin’s work on the social media platforms below:
The post Smartphone Food Photography For Social Media appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Search Instagram for #foodphotography today and you’ll find almost 30 million posts.
Blogs and social media have turned what was once a weird little niche in photography into a worldwide phenomenon. From Baltimore to Beijing, there is no doubt that people love to take pictures of food.
However, as appetizing as your filet mignon may look to your eye, it may not to the camera. Throw in some bad restaurant lighting and a wide angle smartphone lens into the mix, and the potential for ugly food photography is high.
Here are my top five tips for great smartphone food photography for social media that will make your Instagram and other social channel images stand out.
Use Natural Lighting Whenever Possible
When it comes to food photography lighting is everything. The knowledge of how to use light is what separates the amateurs from the pros.
Although flat lighting has been a trend in food photography lately, food looks best when the light is natural and directional.
The reason a lot of food images taken in restaurants looks so bad is the fluorescent lighting, which is hard and unflattering. It is also often tinged with a green or yellow color cast.
When shooting food indoors on your smartphone, try to get beside a window.
Natural window light is what every professional photographer tries to mimic with complicated and expensive flash systems.
It is very flattering for food.
Just be sure that the sun is not too bright, as it can also cast harsh shadows that are unflattering to your dish.
When shooting food with a smartphone, notice where the light is coming from. It should be from the side or the back of your plate or set-up.
While front light is beautiful in portraiture, it will make food look flat and also can cast unwanted shadows.
Choose the Right Angle
Does your plate ever look like it’s sliding off the table whenever you shoot with your smartphone?
This is because the camera has a wide angle lens, so certain angles make your food look distorted.
To achieve the best results, shoot your scene at 90-degrees or straight-on. A 3/4 angle rarely works.
An overhead angle gives a graphic pop to an image because it flattens depth. You can also get a lot more into the frame than you would if you were shooting at 45-degrees.
It’s a perfect angle for tablescapes, but also more minimalistic compositions.
90-degrees is not a good angle for tall foods, like burgers or stacks of pancakes. You want to see those layers, so shoot these kinds of subjects straight-on.
Take a Minimalist Approach
Tablescapes are fun and look appealing, but they are oftentimes difficult to do.
It can take a lot of moving the various elements around to make a pleasing composition and by the time you get it right, the food will no longer look appetizing.
A minimalist approach usually works best, especially if you’re a beginner. After all, the focus should be on the food!
Look at it this way: if your food is nicely plated and styled, then you’re already more than halfway there!
All you need is an additional prop or two, like a utensil or a piece of linen tucked under the plate.
How you approach your propping will really depend on the food. In the image of the poke bowls below, the food is already bright, colorful, and full of texture. Adding more than a set of chopsticks would have distracted the viewer’s attention from the dish.
Heed the Rules of Good Composition
One problem you often see in food pictures on Instagram is that they look messy. Sometimes the food looks messy but also the environment in which the food is captured in.
The background is cluttered, or there are too many props that are distracting and don’t add anything to the shot.
Some of this can be solved with tighter shots and by taking some unnecessary elements away.
But you should also be aware of some of the basic principles of composition.
Try to have some negative space in the image. That is a clean area where the eye can rest for a brief moment as it moves through the image.
Resist the urge to fill every part of your image.
If every area of your surface is covered with ingredients or a prop, it confuses the viewer and gives a claustrophobic feeling. Negative space provides a bit of breathing room and helps us focus on the main subject.
You should also be familiar with the rule-of-thirds. This is a compositional guideline that divides an image into nine equal parts, using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, like a tic-tac-toe board.
Rule of Thirds
The important elements in your scene should fall along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.
Smartphones already have a grid like this as an overlay when you turn on your camera. Use it to help you place your focal point. That is the area where you want to create emphasis and draw the viewer’s eye.
A focal point can be created with color, an area of contrast, or isolation. A garnish can serve as a focal point.
Tell a Story
I have stated that a minimalist approach is often best, however, be mindful that adding a narrative quality to your images can also be very powerful.
Everyone loves a good story. Give your viewer an idea of a wider story taking place beyond the confines of the frame.
For example, you can do this by partially cropping out some of the elements in an overhead table shot, or show someone’s hand serving food or holding a cup of steaming coffee.
This human touch has become wildly popular in food photography, and this lifestyle element has spilled over from Instagram into the world of commercial food photography because it creates a sense of atmosphere and relatability.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you some tips to improve your smartphone food photography for social media.
Whichever approach you choose, be conscious of consistency and developing your style.
If you look at the most successful accounts on Instagram and other social media, you will find that they have a specific look in terms of color treatment or palette.
Take a good look at your images for the consistencies in your style and work on developing them. This may mean you take a lot of bright and airy images, or maybe you do mostly close-ups of your food.
The more you hone your style, the tighter your feed will look and draw an audience that loves what you do.
I’d love to see some of your smartphone food photography, so please share in the comments below.
The post Smartphone Food Photography For Social Media appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
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