Ever since #foodporn took over Instagram, great food photography has become more important than ever in the restaurant industry. Guests love to take photos of their meals and post them on social media. Do you also want to attract guests to your restaurant with delicious photos? Here are some tips on how to effortlessly present your dishes in the best possible light. Photos are often a matter of taste and are judged very personally. There is no single image style that would appeal to everyone. But if you follow these tips, your photos will immediately look more professional.
Photos with natural daylight often turn out the best. For us, the most natural is the light coming from the upper left corner. Therefore, it is best to photograph food near the window. If there is still a lamp nearby, turn it off - then the pictures will not have a yellow tint. Also avoid strong sunlight directly on the object. Such light creates very sharp shadows and contrasts.
Ideally, you should take photos with a camera as they often have better image resolution and light intensity. If you want it to be quick and uncomplicated, you can also use a smartphone. In this case, however, you must make sure that you have good lighting conditions, as smartphones quickly exhaust their resource in low light conditions. The darker it is, the faster the images blur or noise appears because the camera has to hold the exposure longer. Therefore, it is always useful to use a tripod. Tip: if you do not have a tripod at hand, you can also lean your mobile phone against a wall or a stack of books and take pictures using the self-timer.
To create the perfect scene for your subject, the first thing you need to do is find the right background. Look around your restaurant and see what's available - is there a great old wooden table somewhere you could use? Are there newspapers lying around? Rustic wooden chopping boards from the kitchen, stone slabs or tablecloths and towels can also be used as a backdrop. It is best to try different backgrounds and see what you like best. Make sure that the food, dishes and background complement each other in some way. If you use an uneven background, for example, a floral tablecloth, then a plain plate will go better with it than a multi-colored one. It makes sense not to use too many different colors. A few accent colors often work better. To make the shot more lively, you can place a few props with your subject. You are sure to find suitable items in your guest room. From a bouquet of flowers to a pepper mill, napkins, cutlery or a baking tray - many everyday items are suitable props. Tip: crumpled cloth napkins look bad in photos. To quickly get rid of wrinkles, sprinkle the cloth with water.
The same angle is not suitable for every dish. A beautifully designed salad in a plate looks best when photographed from above. On the other hand, a multi-layered cake is better shown from the side. Experiment with different angles for each motif. Tip: when photographing from the side, do not forget about what is in the background. Too many things in the background can steal the show from the food.
Food should look as fresh and appetizing as possible. However, some foods, such as ice cream or salad, melt or wilt quickly. So stylize and arrange everything from the beginning from an empty plate. This way you will be ready and able to quickly photograph fresh food. When arranging, the principle also applies: less is more! Make sure that you arrange small portions. This will allow you to showcase the food better. It's all in the details: Before the photo shoot, polish cutlery and plates so that they do not get stained. Tip: A few drops of olive oil give certain dishes a nice shine, and fleur de sel or fresh herbs add a little more texture. Food photography: editing images Every smartphone offers the possibility of further photo editing. Try different options so that you know and can use the effects. A lot of attention is often paid to adjusting the white balance (often called "warmth" in the editing options on the phone). The yellow tint can be slightly reduced by dragging the slider towards blue. You can also increase the brightness a bit after that, if necessary. But be careful: even when editing photos, less is often more! More about professional food photography service: