I love the smell of food cooking, and I love capturing how good a dish looks. October was a busy month for both, with shoots across a smokehouse, a seafood restaurant, a Turkish grill and a café.
Every kitchen is different, but the same few things make the biggest difference to how food looks in a photo. Let's talk about them, with no jargon, so you can use them on your next shoot or your next phone snap.
Light first: window light versus lamps
If you remember one tip, make it this one: shoot near a window. Natural light is soft and flattering, and it brings out the colour and texture of food in a way that restaurant lamps can't.
Window light gives a fresh, inviting look. Place the dish near a window, with the light coming from the side.
Restaurant lamps are often warm and dim, so food can look yellow and flat. If you must use them, adjust the white balance so colours stay true.
Avoid harsh overhead lights, which cast shadows across the plate, and mixing window light with strong lamps, which can create odd colour casts.
If the room is dark, a small LED panel or a reflector can fill in shadows. Natural light is still your first choice.
Plating and props: simple changes that make dishes look better
Keep it simple. The food should be the hero.
Clean everything. Use a napkin or tissue to wipe the rim of the plate and clean any glasses. Small marks show up in photos far more than they do in real life.
Keep props minimal. A napkin, a glass or a bit of cutlery is plenty. Too many props distract from the dish.
Work within a colour scheme. Let the restaurant's decor guide your choice of props, so each photo feels like it belongs to the place.
Think in triangles. Placing the food and props in a triangle gives a balanced, natural-looking composition.
Add a hand. A hand reaching for a dish adds a sense of sharing, which suits communal eating.
Some of the best dishes I photographed this month were plated simply. A bit of colour, a clean plate and good light often beat anything fancy.
Choosing the dishes: hero items, colour and variety
You don't need to photograph the whole menu. Pick a few dishes that do different jobs:
Your hero dishes: the signature items people ask for.
Colour: a bright dish stands out on a menu or social feed.
Variety: a mix of starters, mains, sides, desserts and drinks, so your images cover the whole menu.
Then think about angles:
Top-down suits bowls, boards and spreads.
45 degrees suits burgers, pasta and wraps, as it shows height and depth.
Side-on suits layered items such as cakes and stacked sandwiches.
Beyond the food: show the atmosphere
After the food, photograph the restaurant when it's busy. A full room tells people it's popular, and many customers choose a restaurant by the crowd as much as by the menu.
Add a few wide shots of the space, plus candid moments of chefs at work or staff serving. Together, they tell the story of the whole experience, not just the plate.
Consistency: keeping menus, website and social looking the same
Good photos work harder when they look like they belong together. Aim for:
The same style of light and colour across all your images.
A consistent edit, so that the brightness and colour feel the same on your menu, website, delivery apps and social media.
A set of images for each use: square for social, wide for the website, tall for Stories.
It makes your brand look professional, and it makes your marketing easier, as you always have something that fits.
Timing: why to book Christmas menu shoots early
Christmas menus tend to launch in November, and photographers get busy. If you want your festive dishes on your website, menu and social before the rush, book early. That gives you time to finalise the dishes and edit the images, and to use them before the bookings start.
If your menu changes with the seasons, add a seasonal touch, such as winter colours, greenery or festive props, but keep it light.
Book a menu shoot
If your restaurant, café or takeaway needs new photos, I'd love to help. I offer food shoots from a short one-hour session to a full-day campaign, all planned around what you need. See more of what I do on my hospitality photography page.
Not sure which dishes to photograph, or how long you'll need? I'm always happy to hop on a quick call to plan the dishes with you. No pressure, just a friendly chat about what would work best for your menu.
