The days when sharing your food meant taking a nibble off your neighbor’s plate are long gone. Today, sharing food means sending shots of our favorite food delicacies out into the world.

For social media mavens who wouldn’t dare eat a bite of a deliciously grilled meal until after the photo op is over, you’ll be happy to know that according to a 2014 study by Socialbakers.com, photos shared on Facebook garner more interaction than any other form of shared content. So when dining mates complain that the food is getting cold while you find the perfect shot, remind them that your food photos are actually connecting you with others. (Heads up: your mom may not buy that argument.)

Whether you snap food photos for fun or for your personal blog or business website, you need some eye-catching photography. Fortunately, this doesn’t require blowing your budget on the latest camera. You really only need a smartphone and these 5 tips for taking great food photos on social media. 

1. Lighting. Lighting may be the single most important factor when taking a great photo. You can make it easy on yourself by leaving your camera or smartphone on “automatic,” but remember: natural light is best. If a photo doesn’t turn out quite right however, you can utilize the filters offered by any of the social media platforms. Just be sure that the source of light is always in front of your food—no amount of filters can fix backlighting!

1. Composition. The rule of thirds is a well-known photography guideline for a reason. Don’t put the main subject of your photo smack dab in the center—it’s just not that interesting to the viewer. Instead, position the subject either in the left or right third of the shot to add interest.

1. Angles. By simply shooting your subject from above, below or to the side at an angle versus head-on, you will instantly attract more attention.

1. Blurring. By using the blur tool – even just softly around the edges – you can instantly draw someone’s eye to a focal point that you want them to notice. 

1. Tell a story. Above all, social media photos are used to tell stories. Use your pictures to tell stories about you, your life and what’s important to you.

Pictures are still worth a thousand words. Done correctly, however, they’re also now worth an 87% engagement rate.

Share your favorite foodie photos with us by uploading them to our Facebook wall or tagging @SaberIRGrills on Twitter!