Tips, stories, and inspiration from the world of food photography.
We once tested a restaurant menu on a phone after finishing what looked like a very successful shoot. On the laptop, one photograph was beautiful:
A dine-in restaurant has a few chances to make you trust it before the food even arrives. You see the entrance, the tables, the kitchen
Some dishes arrive at the table looking delicate and full of detail, then almost disappear when we lift the camera. White rice merges into a
A buffet can look generous in person and strangely chaotic in a photograph. There are chafing dishes in a row, stacks of plates, serving spoons
A plate can become too neat. We notice it most when photographing food people already know by sight. Chicken rice arrives with the slices aligned
The first frame looked correct until we reduced it to phone size. The noodles were glossy, the fried chicken still held its crust, and the
Brown food is often blamed for looking dull on camera. We hear it most when the menu includes curry, braised meat, fried chicken, soy-darkened noodles
A restaurant photo shoot is often booked at one of two inconvenient moments: while the dining room is still covered in dust sheets, or three
The request sounds simple. “Can we use this photo to generate a wider background?” Or: “Can we make five festive versions from the same dish?”
The photograph leaves the studio looking balanced. The plate sits in the right part of the frame. The sauce still has depth. The garnish looks
