To say we live in the golden era of so-called food porn is an understatement: most Hong Kong diners will be familiar with the sight of fellow patrons taking photos of the dishes they have ordered. Perhaps you are one of them. The hobby has taken off with the arrival of social media networks such as Facebook, Flickr and Weibo, as the online giants tempt diners to chronicle their latest wining-and-dining conquests.
'Food is such a big thing in Hong Kong, where people dine out four or five times a week. In Britain or the US, they cook at home more often, which is why you see more food photographs taken of home-cooking images,' says dining critic and blogger Jason Tse, who has posted more than 8,000 photos for his blog, JasonBonvivant.com.
It is also the case that photography is a very popular hobby and that there has been a tremendous advancement in camera technology, including the arrival of mobile phones with built-in cameras, encouraging us all to take more and better pictures.
Whatever the motive for posting food photos online, the common goal for uploaders is to seduce the viewer's appetite with tantalising images. However, judging by the mediocre quality of many of the shots on some social networking pages, even with a point-and-shoot camera, food photography is more complicated than pointing and shooting. We have persuaded a few food porn experts to share their tips.
Firstly, assess the level of light shining on your dish. Is it artificial or natural, harsh or dim? What is the source? 'Lighting is one the most important elements in photography,' says Nicolas Lemal, who left his corporate finance job two years ago to pursue his passion for photography full time. Along with fashion and art, he's photographed food for restaurants and artisanal grocers such as Brat, La Maison du Chocolat and Premiere Pression Provence.
Besides positioning your plate to get the best illumination, Lemal stresses the importance of adjusting the colour balancing settings on your camera to prevent the source of light skewing your device's ability to accurately portray the dish's colours. You don't want the burger looking eerily orange because of your device.