CAPTURE INSTAGRAM-WORTHY COFFEE PICTURES

Capture Insta-Worthy Coffee Pictures | The World's Biggest Coffee Morning

On Friday 30th September, people from all around the world will be joining together to raise money for Macmillian cancer support, by taking part in the world’s biggest coffee morning.

If you’re planning to raise awareness for this worthy cause, want to share your fundraising achievements on social media, or your business wants to showcase its efforts in a newsletter or mail out, featuring a good photograph is essential.

Take a look at our handy guide, full of top tips from our expert team, so you can capture the perfect cup of coffee.

Michael, Newcastle Branch

Check the background

Always be aware of the background, look out for anything that may detract from the composition like spilt sugar and moisture rings.

Use a contrasting surface

It works really well to sit the cup on a contrasting surface, like natural wood, stone or wicker, as it counters the clean pottery.

Perfect positioning

Try not to place the cup in the centre of the image, always leave more room on the side with the handle, as it leads the viewer to believe they could reach in to a good shot and pick up the cup.

Remember to keep the horizon straight, or the cup will look like it could slide out of the image.

Send the right message

If your cup has a message on it, make sure it fits with the purpose and atmosphere you are trying to create.

Focus on the coffee

Never over fill the cup, always leave a 10% margin for the froth to sit in.

Watch out for unsightly dribbles on the cup, that are easy to miss and detract from the photo.

Becky, Norwich Branch

Shooting the perfect coffee shot for the gram can be easy, whilst still looking like it has a studio quality in just three simple steps.

Good lighting

Pick a location near a window to allow for a big, natural, good quality light source.

The right settings

Make sure your hot drink is freshly made, or steaming, as this will allow you to play around with arty, gram-worthy shots.

Set your camera settings to a fast shutter speed and wide aperture. With your background blurred, you are able to focus on the details, such as the glorious shapes the steam can form coming off the coffee.

Experiment with your shots

Once you've nailed the basic shot, you can start experimenting with creating a narrative through different backdrops and props.

Or, if you really want to impress people, try and get an action shot. Add 1 or 2 flashlights that allow high speed sync and with a fast shutter speed, try to drop a sugar cube into the hot drink and capture the splash!

For more photography tips and to find the right camera equipment for your needs, pop into your local branch for expert advice.