What's your cooking like?

That's a loaded question.  

perhaps thats the problem, your concertrating on taking food pics and missing inspiration.  could you try to take other photos and read books on picture taking in general and find that artistic flaire to help take picture of your food?

some point and shoot (my olympus) has a food setting in the options to help bring out the best colours, maybe that could be a quick fix.

also google has all the answers.  ask.  "food" or "food pictures" see what google images has to offer and use some ideas

good luck

Katy, turn the flash off.  I'm taking a wild guess that the shots are all indoor and the lighting in the photo is harsh and unnatural...

Better shoot in daylight, in naturally, but bright lit room, flash off. Getting the focus on the main object and blurring out the background or front sometimes makes good feature. Food probably best against a white color, to stand out

Maybe some inspiration?

http://vermischtes.brumar.de/#69.7

I think I may just have to be satisfied with the fact that I will not achieve top quality pics with a point and shoot.  I'm shooting in daylight without flash but unfortunately I don't quite get the light I'd need for a really great shot.  But all useful information from above.  Thanks everyone.

Katy, what model is the camera?  I've seen some amazing stuff come from pocket cameras...

Katy, I seen some pictures in an Italian restaurant in Budapest a few weeks ago that were quiet interesting.

One setting was for example a bowl of pasta with tomatoe sauce etc. The usual bog standard uninspiring image, however the artist had protrayed it in a standard panormama picture. The pasta hanging from the pasta maker on the left, then in the centre an eye level picture of the steam rising off the finished dish with only the very top of the pasta and a sprig of basil visible, and the the picture on the right was an empty dish with half eaten garlic bread tossed in there. This image i found very inspiring, a story in itself.

A slight possibility this may help you, I know i would also be daunted by taking photos of food, so I would look for another angle, to place the food in a ever so slightly distracting setting but not taking focus away from the item at hand. It may help disguise any issues.

Just a thought....

Best of luck

Kev

Ok it is a Canon powershot SD 630 Elph.  Does that tell you anything?  I have lots of manual settings on there that I play with but don't really have a clue what they do...  

The pictures are just for fun, nothing serious.  I'll leave the artistic stuff up to the pros.