Insta Hacks 101: The Cafe Flatlay

via @meowjoce 

Ahh, the art of perfecting the cafe flatlay. An elaborate mixture of precisely placed plates and flattering angles. It's the epitome of Instagram success; that one perfect shot we strive towards. Here are some golden insider #hacks on how to take the flawless Insta you have always dreamt of. 

via @taramilktea

1. LIGHTING, LIGHTING, LIGHTING

As all Instagram photographers (because if you take photos, you must be a photographer right??) know, natural lighting is a must. Be seated next to a window to keep up that clean, light Insta feed. I for one have never moved seats because of this... *sweats nervously* 

via @boyform_

2. B IS FOR BACKGROUND  

To maintain that minimalist and totally goals feed, it's vital to have a bright, preferably white, table. Because if it doesn't match your feed, might as well just give up then and there and shamefully snapchat the unworthy meal. Extra 10 points for a marble table top. 

via @thatsotee

3. WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GRAM IS GOOD FOR YOU

Now we've got all the #aesthetic interior sorted out, let's talk about food. Don't even think about ordering what you feel like eating - that would just be ridiculous. You gotta order what will look most visual appealing. 10 points for a smoothie bowl. An extra 5 if it has flax and chia seeds, quinoa, goji berries and kale sprinkled artfully on top in perfectly orchestrated lines. 

via @theiconicau

4. CHANNEL YOUR INNER STYLIST 

Alright, so you've ordered your food and now you wait patiently for it to arrive, right? WRONG. You are wasting crucial planning time in which you can gather objects to fill your frame.
Salt and pepper shakers? Check.
Floral centrepieces? Check.
Wallets? Check. 10 points for an Acne or Mimco purse
Calculatedly opened magazines or newspapers? Check.
Carefully sipped coffees which still have their coffee art? Check.
iPhone that you should be taking the photo with? Check.
Your watch which for some reason you take off when you eat? Check.

via @crimixaled

5. THIS IS IT

Young grasshopper, your moment is here, this is what your training has led up to. Your food has arrived and so has your time to shine. Place the prettiest plate of food in the foreground - your friend doesn't have to eat the food they ordered, it's fine - and take about 624 photos from all angles. You gotta get that perfect birds eye view shot! Stand up! Stand on a chair! Bring a stepladder! And my personal fave tip: getting your friends to freeze mid cutlery-hold to pretend that they're about to eat. But we all know they're gonna have to wait another painstaking 10 minutes to eat.

via @katnt

6. OH YEAH...

Satisfied with a photo that's totally going to make you Insta famous? I guess you could like, eat your food or something. But don't forget to gram it at #primetime... because if you didn't post it, it never happened right?

via myself sadly (@yemagz) (nothing like a bit of good ol' self promotion) 

I for one am guilty of indulging in this addictive behaviour - well, maybe not to the extent I mentioned but you catch my drift. SO it's totally okay to snap a pic of your food but y'know like it's a good idea to eat it before it gets cold/your chia seeds get soggy or whatever. 

OK lots of love as always,

Mags xx