Mini hacks to make your food photos drool-worthy
If you’re preparing for a photoshoot and want your food to look picture perfect, we got you!
There’s a lot of ways to really amp up your photos - here’s our guide on where to start, tips and tricks, and advice on how to achieve a great next photoshoot.
Don’t Cook Your Food Completely
Believe or not, undercooked is better for a photoshoot. When capturing photos of food, it tends to sit out for a while. Hence, if it’s a little under, it’ll be able to keep cooking a little whilst it rests.
Cooked food sometimes loses it’s colour when it sits out, so lets keep your food vibrant and looking it’s best.
Keep your food looking fab
A little trick with food photography, is to gently brush your food with oil so it doesn’t look too dry. We don’t think your food is dry! But, it’s gives it a nice shine that makes your customers both new and old think ‘yum!’.
Determine your ‘Hero’
Is there a dish that’s your signature? A crowd favourite? One that really sells your brand and vibe? We love to help you show if off in its best light, and make it the ‘hero’ of the show.
A hero product is the star of the show, and can even display your venue in a single shot.
The Human Touch
Food photography doesn’t have to be lonely, it’s fun to incorporate your staff and customers in your photos. With permission, having people in your photos, whether it’s staff making a fancy cocktail or customers enjoying a spread of your cuisines, really livens up your photos.
If you want to feature your staff, make sure to let them know beforehand. If people are caught off guard sometimes the photos turn out a little awkward. Make sure your staff are comfortable with their photos being published.
Have your ‘tone’ decided
Selling your brand and understanding your tone is vital to a successful shoot - how do you want to display your products to customers?
There’s so many cool, creative ways to show off your cuisine in a way that reflects your brands values. Check out my work here to see what reflects your brand.
Location Location Location
A great photo of your venue will really tell customers the vibe, the atmosphere and will help them decide whether or not to check your place out.
Obviously, you’re not messy, but taking a little extra time to make sure your restaurant, cafe or bar is looking extra clean will make sure your products look even more amazing.
It’s best to take photos of the spot of your venue receives the most compliments, gets the best lighting, reflects your brand or even all of the above. It’s great way to not only show off your menu, but the atmosphere you’ve created.
Kitchen BTS
Action shots when you’re cooking make great content. Customers love a little behind the scenes action. Make sure everything looks clean, tidy and presentable.
It also gives customers your full trust seeing the inner workings of your kitchen.
The devils in the details
It’s all about the little things. Think about things like props, food placement, pairing drinks with meals.
Exploring what looks good together, or finding the best angle can sometimes be tedious - but the details in food styling really bring out the best shots.