Top 10 Restaurant Food Photography Tips And Tricks
Our eyes are usually bigger than our stomachs, especially when delicious food photography is involved. Restaurant food photography can make ordinary dishes look mouth-watering, but there’s more to making it stand out than simply snapping a photo of the dish on your smartphone and uploading it to Instagram or Facebook. Here are 10 restaurant food photography tips and tricks that you can use to get that wow effect every time you put your food in front of the camera.
Use Indirect Natural Lighting
Firstly, indirect natural lighting will create a soft and warm feeling on your food images. It’s ideal for capturing dessert food photography. In particular, as it is extremely effective at producing beautifully even highlights on soft pastries and cakes. Most importantly, when you’re shooting desserts for restaurant menus, try to position your subject in front of a window or skylight so that it is being illuminated indirectly. If no nearby windows or skylights are available, you can use a large light reflector to capture indirect light from another direction.
Avoid bad lighting situations if possible
Secondly, As professional food photographers, we have seen it all and learned a lot along our photographic journey. Most importantly, you should always be aware of your lighting when doing restaurant photography! You will typically be in close quarters with other patrons, so you can’t get away with using your pop-up flash to illuminate your dish. However, natural light is always best, but artificial light will do in a pinch.
Mix up the Angle of the Photo
When it comes to food photography, getting the perfect shot is half the battle. The more interesting you can make your photos, the more likely you are to engage a prospective customer’s taste buds and drive them to come in for a meal. That said, if you’re shooting in-house restaurant photos, don’t use only one angle—shoot from different vantage points around the restaurant and kitchen.
Play with your platting
Plating is a large component of restaurant food photography. You’re trying to make food look as delicious as possible, after all. With that in mind, it can be helpful to think about how you want your food to be displayed before you even start photographing it. Mix up your patterns and textures to break up large expanses of one color (think plates with stripes). The more interesting a plate looks, the more enticing it’ll appear on camera.
Use props to add interest to your dish shots
A good prop can not only make your food look more interesting, but it also helps bring together your overall concept of branding message and ultimately helps tell a story about your dish. However, sometimes it’s as simple as propping up a lemon wedge or strategically placing an extra napkin on your plate to add interest to your food photos.
As with nearly every element of your restaurant, you can plan ahead for creative shots—and that means food-styling too. Be sure to stay on-brand and pay attention to colors, shapes, and material types that complement your dishes well. Keep in mind: As with any good design project, sometimes less is more here! Think about what makes sense for your cuisine and shoot away!
Make sure all your light sources are above eye level
For restaurant food photography, make sure all your light sources are above eye level to give your images a more professional look. Also, try to keep color consistent throughout your images. In most restaurants, colors like reds and greens often come out dull or discolored. Most importantly, You should also avoid shooting directly into overhead lighting as it will show up on camera.
If you’re using natural light as your main source of light in your restaurant photos, work with a food stylist who can help highlight visual elements without being distracting and making your image over-processed or cloying.
They can also help with more complex backdrops like flowers or dishes with many moving parts that require careful positioning to tell a story visually.
Focus on what makes you stand out from the crowd
As you can see, food photography is a broad topic. A little creativity goes a long way in the restaurant photography business. When it comes to capturing that perfect shot of your dish, I’ve learned that focusing on what makes you stand out from the crowd is essential when capturing food in restaurant and still life shots at home.
For example, many restaurants overlook the use of props in photographs of food—but few things make an image pop more than an added piece of interest. Add in some strategically placed flowers or colorful serving ware for something different. Alternatively, take your food photos inside on your home set-up and place them against a dark background for a dramatic effect.
Capture every little detail of your menu items
The best restaurant food photography will capture every little detail of your menu items. You can include all sorts of things in your photos, from simple garnishes to elaborate design work on your plates. These details will add character and personality to your images and make your customers feel like they’re looking at a gourmet dish that they can’t wait to try.
Don’t forget about mouthwatering deserts
When it comes to photography, most people think of things like capturing a perfect sunset or placing a subject in a frame that complements their features. However, it’s important not to forget about mouthwatering deserts. A dish shot is a food photo that highlights your restaurant’s most delicious desserts. Getting dessert food photography right will take time, but in no time you’ll have readers drooling over your plates!
Post-Production Editing
Keep in mind that your photos are going to need a few tweaks in post-production editing. Take food shots and you’ll notice how much color, contrast, exposure etc. can affect your photo. Especially if you’re not using a camera that is specifically for food photography.
Why Food Photography Is Important for Your Restaurant Website and Menu
The first thing that catches your eye on any restaurant website or menu is the food photography. You’ll be looking at it from all angles, studying every detail and imagining how the dishes taste and feel in your mouth as you eat them. In addition, here are some reason why food photography is so important for your restaurant.
It increases sales
Research has shown that adding food photography to your restaurant website can increase sales by up to 20%. A large part of that is due to ease of use—consumers are able to see exactly what they’re buying. Moreover, this also helps your consumers make decisions based on accurate visual representations instead of relying on their imagination. Along with sales, a high-quality food photography style can build trust between your business and customers.
It builds a brand and tells a story
Good food photography is all about brand storytelling. A great shot can capture your audience’s attention, leaving them hungry to learn more about your restaurant. A photo shows a story and tells a narrative, building intrigue and grabbing attention. If you want people to become invested in what you’re selling, utilize high-quality images on your website or menu. You can even take advantage of skilled professional food photographers. You can show off and boost customer interest in your menu items!
It appeals to customer emotions
The heart wants what it wants, as they say. Emotions are a powerful force in selling, and food photography that creates certain feelings. Whether it’s a picture of an authentic dish or one to make you drool—can do a lot to increase your chances for sales. If your food looks good enough to eat, it may very well help to bring in customers, too.
It increases conversions
When it comes to food photography, most restaurants can only dream of attaining that gorgeous plating to go along with their mouthwatering meal descriptions. While we all love a good description and know how important it is for us to see what we’re paying money for. There’s nothing quite like seeing that photo that makes you salivate before you even put your taste buds in action.
It makes the customer’s choice easier
Today’s consumer is surrounded by visual stimuli that make decisions easier. If you don’t have attractive food photography on your website, you’re making the customer’s choice more difficult. Use appetizing photographs to showcase the dishes available at your restaurant. Take the guessing game out of ordering and appeal to customers who value convenience. The added bonus? Excellent food photography will encourage return customers who want to try more items on the menu.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, in today’s age of social media and online food reviewing, restaurant food photography is a top priority for marketers. Consumers are browsing through dozens of options to find their next meal. Delicious photos of a delectable dessert may be just what they need to decide where to go. You can follow these tips for restaurant photography or hire a professional restaurant photographers for your restaurant’s success.
Read another article: Indoor Photography Tips
