Three-quarters of middle-aged Brits are happy to snap a photo of their meal for social media, according to research.
-SWNS Digital
Despite being considered a habit of younger generations, a poll of 2,000 adults has found those aged 35-55 are often uploading images of their food to Instagram or Facebook.

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Overall, 48 per cent of adults are happy to post a picture of their dinner online, with Italian food considered the most photo-friendly cuisine.

It was followed by Chinese, Indian and American, with stylish Japanese sushi placing fifth.

Julie Daniels, head of Meerkat Meals at comparethemarket.com, which commissioned the research, said: “You don’t have to scroll far before you’re hit with the culinary delights of your friend’s latest restaurant visit.

“It appears that the picture-Perfect phenomenon is here to stay, with Brits going to new lengths to get the perfect shot.

“From checking out a restaurant’s interior to finding the perfect lighting and angle, it’s become a largely accepted part of dining out as Brits compete for bragging rights online.”

When it comes to creating the perfect food selfie, 70 per cent of diners said the most important factor is the restaurant’s lighting, with natural light trumping candlelight and brightly-lit settings for the ideal shareable snap.

Other key components for a selfie-sational food shot include the food’s placement, the crockery and the presentation, as well as the restaurant’s interior.

Food influencer Food Feels has created a guide to the ultimate grub shot, saying: “It comes as no surprise that Brits are looking to create the perfect food selfie as it has become the norm to reach for our phones as soon as our meal arrives at the table.

“Creating a perfect culinary picture can take a lot of skill and practice but there are some simple tips and tricks to follow so diners can tuck into their meal while it’s still hot.”

Food Feels top ten tips on how to take the perfect foodie shot are after the jump.

Top five photo-friendly cuisines:
1. Italian
2. Chinese
3. Indian
4. American
5. Japanese

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Food Feels’ tips for snapping the perfect foodie shot:

1. The right light
Natural light is key, I always try and shoot food during the day for the best lighting and to bring out the right colour and texture of my subject. Try and stay away from artificial lighting and never use flash with food. A cloudy day is also perfect as direct sunlight can create harsh shadows and lighting.

2. Use props to set the scene
Add some colour or additional elements to the table. This can be anything from a hand to add a human element, part of a menu to add some colour or even a vase and plant on the table.

3. Stand up for a bird’s-eye view
Not everyone likes to do this in a restaurant. See what options you have with different angles (just don’t stand on the chair).

4. Take a step back
Shooting food doesn’t necessarily need to be the one plate of food, have a look around and see if you can incorporate other dishes on the table, or even the background of the restaurant and the table and chair setting to create more of a setting.

5. Perfect a firm grip

If you’re shooting with a camera, you may like to test out some shots with a tripod, especially if you’re shooting from far away, and if you’re shooting with your phone, always take a few from the same angle just to make sure there is definitely one in focus.

6. Check your background
To create a mood, you may want a lot going on in the background, if you’d like to focus on just the one dish then a plain background will work best.

7. Work the angles
The food isn’t moving anywhere so make sure you’re the one moving around and shooting different angles and options. If there are shadows to play with it’s a great opportunity to work with the lighting.

8. Snap away
Take lots of photos, it’s always better to have options.

9.Don’t afraid to be messy
Some of the best food shots aren’t very neat, keeping it natural and messy can sometimes work best - running egg yolk, messy cheeseboards and sliced up pancakes will always look great.

10. Find your niche
There are thousands of ways to shoot food - find a style that works for you and own it.