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Visual Food Storytelling to Promote Healthy Eating

November 1, 2013 by Lindsay 36 Comments

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Hi Friends!

Time to recap another FNCE session. In case you missed it, you can read my FNCE 2013 recap, as well as check out my first session recap on Beyond Traditional Dietetics. Today I’m recapping one of my favorite sessions!

Ready?

The Power of Visual Food Storytelling to Promote Healthier Eating
Speakers: Regan Jones, RD & Holley Grainger, MS, RD 

regan

*Photo Credit- Regan Jones*

Photography

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what are your pictures saying about healthy eating? Over the years we’ve seen a rise of the visual web. We’ve gone from long-form blog posts with 1,000+ words, to Facebook statuses with 3 lines of text, to tweets with 140 characters, to Pinterest & Instagram where there are often no words- we’re communicating with the image.

A good image has:

  • Appeal- yum factor (even brussels sprouts can look sexy)
  • Staying power- blog posts get 94% more total views if they have relevant images
  • Key message
  • The potential for the viral effect (ie hundreds of thousands of repins on Pinterest)

Most common photography mistakes:

  • Out of focus
  • Low lighting/harsh lighting/artificial lighting 
  • Cropped too tightly
  • Unnatural angles
  • Distracting background

You can read more about this mistakes in this Top 5 Reasons Editors Decline An Image post.

Best angles to shoot:

  • Directly overhead (especially if using an iphone)
  • 45 degree angle (like you’re sitting at a table taking a pic of your food)
  • Eye level

Composition & Styling tips:

  • Use the rule of thirds. Points where the lines intersect are great visual points that are eyes like. 
  • Layering, texture and abundance are important for healthy foods. It’s easy to make dessert look good. You may have to work a little harder to make healthy food look good, but it can be done!
  • Get a color wheel. Understand how colors work together to make food pop!
  • Let the food shine through. Don’t overstyle. Layer, garnish, show a dipping sauce in the background, etc. 
  • Show food in it’s natural form. That’s often when it looks its best.

It’s not all about traffic. It’s about changing the perception of healthy eating. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be healthy. Beautiful food pics will make healthy food look tasty and inspire people to eat better!

Take the time to learn how your camera works. Read the manual. Then read it again. Your camera is not as smart as you. You must learn to tell it what to do. Turn off autofocus!

———————

Video 

How do you communicate your nutrition message?

Why video? 

  • It bridges a gap
  • Provides value
  • Entertains
  • Reaches a broader audience
  • Brings your message to life
  • Builds a personal brand

Why now?

  • Every day, 89 million people will watch 1.2 online videos in the US alone. 
  • Online video users are expected to double to 1.5 billion in 2016
  • Video is the next trend! Get ahead now!

Why you?

  • An extra way for your audience to get to know you.
  • It can help you sell something…like your message, a cookbook, etc.
  • They can see your passion and energy and connect with you on a more personal level.

Don’t let perfectionism hold you back! Start small. Use Instagram video and vine. Watch how people engage with you!

What makes an effective online video?

  • Style– Make it your own! Put your own personal spin on it and let your personality shine through.
  • Script– Intro, hook, short/concise sound bites. If your video is longer than 1-2 minutes, turn it into a series
  • Delivery– Bring positive energy to the set, have a one-on-one convo with the person watching your video, think about your body language, voice tone and pace. 
  • Details– Keep the camera close. Control background noise. Look into the eye piece so you can see what the viewer sees. 
  • Optimization– Upload, share, promote! Use key words. Create a video archive. Update regularly. 

Let’s chat: Are you using your camera to its fullest potential? Do you prefer videos or photos on blogs?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says

    November 1, 2013 at 1:27 AM

    Love this post! So much incredible and useful information 🙂

    Reply
  2. Helen says

    November 1, 2013 at 2:05 AM

    I love that you’re doing the FNCE recaps. This is very useful for when I take pictures with my phone. I normally don’t have my digital camera with me, so using a phone is the next best thing. I’ll make sure to use these tips next time I take food pics! =)

    Reply
  3. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    November 1, 2013 at 4:47 AM

    THANK YOU Lindsay!! Such an informative post- my number 1 thing to tackle after my exams is to work on my food photography and this has been so helpful- bookmarking it! I tend to prefer photos on blogs, but have never considered utilising videos- something to consider.

    Brussels sprouts are indeed sexy 😉

    Reply
  4. Christele @ health n horizons says

    November 1, 2013 at 5:14 AM

    Wow! Amazing recap, and very useful tips 🙂 thank you! don’t know if I’m gutsy enough for videos yet but will have to work more on my iPhone photography though. Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  5. Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says

    November 1, 2013 at 5:29 AM

    Great tips! I usually only have my phone with me so that is what the majority of my pics are from. BTW – that first pic is gorgeous!

    Reply
  6. MIZ says

    November 1, 2013 at 6:34 AM

    I totally cheeeered the notion of it is NOT about traffic–but about changing the perception of healthy eating.

    Reply
  7. Linz @ Itz Linz says

    November 1, 2013 at 7:07 AM

    uhhh i use my iphone lol. i need a real camera! but great tips nonetheless! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Anne @ CandyCrazedrun.wordpress.com says

    November 1, 2013 at 7:21 AM

    That is an interesting question about videos. I actually get kind of annoyed when I have to watch a video to get the information I want, but I am interested in other’s perspectives!

    Reply
  9. Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says

    November 1, 2013 at 8:17 AM

    Definitely some useful information! I want to get better photography for the blog…I know how important it is!

    Reply
  10. Caroline says

    November 1, 2013 at 8:29 AM

    Good stuff, thanks for sharing! : )

    Reply
  11. Maureen says

    November 1, 2013 at 8:30 AM

    Great tips! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Christine @ Love, Life, Surf says

    November 1, 2013 at 8:41 AM

    Such great information Lindsay! I too love that you’re sharing all the good stuff you learned at FCNE. I too want to improve my photography skills. That always seems to be on my list to things to do!

    Reply
  13. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:04 AM

    Such a great post with such a great message Lindsay!!

    Reply
  14. Meredith @ DareYouTo says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:17 AM

    Love the message that it’s more than just the food, it’s the story and perception shift about healthy eating. Love it!

    Thanks for the tips, too – definitely using. I often prefer photos, because I can look and save and don’t need to commit too much time to watching. Vine/Insta-videos though are short and sweet 🙂

    Reply
  15. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:21 AM

    Great tips! Sometimes simple is best when it comes to food photography.

    Reply
  16. carlene: healthfully ever after says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:24 AM

    So proud of everything Regan has accomplished with healthy food photography. I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little scared…maybe even embarrassed! to try video, but it’s on my ‘list’.

    Reply
    • gretchen | kumquat says

      November 1, 2013 at 10:25 AM

      totally!! (on both accounts)

      Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 5, 2013 at 2:28 PM

      ahhh me too!

      Reply
  17. Lisa @ RunWiki says

    November 1, 2013 at 9:29 AM

    I learned so much! So much great information Lindsay. I am someone who really loves photography and incorporating photos into a blog post is kind of like doing a craft or a little piece of art for me. I love a good image.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 5, 2013 at 2:28 PM

      and you take some great ones 🙂 still drooling over that sweet potato dip!

      Reply
  18. Kellie @ keeprunninkellie says

    November 1, 2013 at 10:17 AM

    These tips are so useful, especially to a newbie to blogging, like me. Thanks for the advice!

    Reply
  19. Kierston @candyfit says

    November 1, 2013 at 10:28 AM

    Such great info! Always love learning new tips and things. Thanks Lindsay!

    Reply
  20. Debbie @ Live from La Quinta says

    November 1, 2013 at 11:12 AM

    Thanks Lindsay! So much great information in this post. I really need to learn and use my SLR camera to its full potential. I get lazy and take most pictures with my iphone. Shame!

    I love the video tips too. It gives me something to work toward.

    Reply
  21. Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog says

    November 1, 2013 at 12:35 PM

    Love this recap! Improving my photography skills is definitely on my list of things to do. These tips will make a good starting point. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  22. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

    November 1, 2013 at 3:43 PM

    The photographing tips in this post are super helpful! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 5, 2013 at 2:27 PM

      you’re so welcome!

      Reply
  23. Purelytwins says

    November 1, 2013 at 3:47 PM

    wonderful post with so many great tips!!

    Reply
  24. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    November 1, 2013 at 4:26 PM

    I have a question for your Lindsey… Why is your blog so amazing? 😉

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ‘0 which is not a hashcash value.

    Reply
  25. Kate @KateMovingForward says

    November 1, 2013 at 6:19 PM

    Great stuff! Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely bookmarking this to reference back to in the future!

    Reply
  26. Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says

    November 1, 2013 at 6:21 PM

    Thanks so much for sharing all these awesome tips from your FNCE session!

    Reply
  27. Jody - Fit at 55 says

    November 1, 2013 at 10:06 PM

    Great info – thank you so much! I tried & tried to tweet but it have been acting up again – sometimes yes & sometimes not on every blog in this format – crazy thing! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says

    November 2, 2013 at 8:03 PM

    These are awesome tips!! I can use all the help I can get with photography. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 5, 2013 at 2:26 PM

      me too Laura 🙂

      Reply
  29. Min says

    November 3, 2013 at 9:05 AM

    Hehe I shall always remember Regan’s comment about brussel sprouts looking sexy (love her accent ;)). I really try to work on my photography skills as it’s one way of showing people that healthy food looks and tastes delicious! I know when I look for recipes, pictures are what grabs me.
    As for video, I’m very nervous about that one..but I do like a good challenge hehe. We shall see..
    Hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Enjoy the extra hour! Woohoo!

    Reply
  30. Gabby (Quest for Delicious) says

    November 4, 2013 at 9:54 AM

    Great information! I was at FNCE, but didn’t attend this session. Thank you for posting!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 5, 2013 at 2:22 PM

      you’re welcome!!

      Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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