Best Tips for Taking Tabletop Photos

Grab a glass of Snap, doll. It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time to get tipsy. For this Tipsy Tuesday soirèe, we’ve invited the supremely talented shutterbug Monica Buck into the salon to gab about how to make all those tabletop photos we’re posting on Instagram stand out from the crowd. With more than 20 years of experience shooting home, food, and tabletop tableaux for everyone from Elle Décor, Veranda, and Food & Wine to Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren Home, and Rizzoli, our gal knows a thing or two about how to take photos that gain exposure. So, algorithm schmalgorithm, Instagram. Follow Monica’s ten photo-editing tips, and your pix will pop to the top of everyone’s feed in a flash.

Get Familiar: We all have digital cameras or our smartphone camera with us.

We take several photos every day. Have we ever explore the edit function of both of our phone’s photo library or our Instagram app? Do it and get familiar with the options and what they do. Even professional photographer get surprised by what’s imminent.

Tap into your focal point:

After you have lined up your shot, tap the screen at the exact spot that you want to be the focal point of the photo. A yellow box with will appear. Slide your finger up or down to lighten or darken the photo. Your phone is set to an average exposure, so this can be very helpful in creating the perfect photo. If that doesn’t capture the light you’re looking for, use your flash.

Brighten Up: Open up your photo and choose the edit function in your iPhone’s

Photo library. Tap on light and then choose bright options to brighten the photo. The best tip to get the perfect tabletop photo is to bring your black back into the photo which was looking a bit washed out after increasing the brightness. You can tap black point to do this.

Backlight the Scene:

When shooting your tabletop, make sure that the light is coming from behind the table. This will highlight any glass or translucent objects on the table, and give the photo a beautiful, glowy effect. Also, shoot your tabletop in the morning or the late afternoon, since midday light is harsh and unflattering. When photographing a candlelit table, shoot it before it gets too dark.

Work the Angles:

To capture the scene best, take your photo from overhead or do a low skim across the table.

Add pops of color:

To take the best tabletop click, add the charismatic effect of hot pink color which is personally my obsession. Tie a brightly-hued ribbon on a white napkin. Use silver rings to add the perfect color.

Use White for Contrast:

White color contrasts so nicely just about any background. You can use black as both are especially striking.

Use white for contrast:

White is my go-to color for table settings because it contrasts so nicely against just about any background. Black and white is an especially striking, high-contrast combination that photographs well.

Rough it up:

Texture is a key component in a good photograph, so consider incorporating natural elements like linen, burlap, rustic wood, and canvas into your tabletop design.

Emulate what you love:

If I say personally I love using Instagram’ Nashville filter for a vintage feel which is great to get the 1970s feeling in your photos. You can check Instagram for feeds that motivate you.

Try and Try again: Take as many pictures as you can to get the perfect one. Look at

the picture, Make adjustments until you get the picture you love!