If you didn’t take a photo at dinner, did it even happen? We all love sharing photos and stories of our meals, especially if it’s one we enjoyed. But sometimes the photos just don’t do the meal justice.
Here are five tips you can use to immediately improve your restaurant food photography:
- Frame your Shot — Context is key in any photo or video, and can change the way the food is perceived greatly! While it might be tempting to clear space and keep a single dish in frame, consider what props you have to further bring context to the main dish. Does it pair well with wine? Does it taste better after a certain appetizer? The key here is to bring your audience closer to the experience that you had when you enjoyed your meal!
2. Lighting is your friend (and sometimes your foe) when it comes to restaurant food photography. In general most restaurants opt for indirect lighting, often to create a mood. This means the lighting is often a hodgepodge of recess lighting, occasionally a mood candle, small pockets of direct lighting, and some natural light from windows. All in all, a nightmarish scenario that’s bound to cast shadows. A spot by a window, or outdoor seating is the best way to go. With an evenly overcast sky (to evenly diffuse the sunlight) being the ideal weather.
3. Know your tools and use what you like—A lot of times when discussing food photography, the general discourse is that a camera is better than a phone with a camera, but ultimately it comes down to the destination of your photo. Phone cameras have come a long way since the 90s, and are one of the most convenient ways to take food photos mostly because 1. They’re insanely good at capturing light and 2. It’s so, so much more convenient to share them with family or socials from a phone. Especially since today’s phone cameras come built with features such as cinematic and portrait mode that can mimic the depth of field on a camera; overall it’s about knowing how your tools can best work for you.
4. Action!— Don’t be afraid to play with your food! A human element such as hands holding a burger in a shot, or pouring a drink can really bring a photo to life. While static photos of food are great, there’s just something about a good cheese or noodle pull, or a cheers shot with your favorite drinks that can really captivate your audience!
5. My final tip might be redundant but cannot be understated: practice, practice, practice! The quickest way to learn what works for you vs. what doesn’t is to snap away! Challenge yourself to take photos of different foods in different lighting environments, foods at home, and even your friends or the restaurant itself! Photography is ultimately about the storytelling, and the story that our food tells is never just limited to the food itself.
I’m a scientist by trade, but a foodie at heart—based out of the DC Metropolitan area. I love to travel and am always looking to make connections over local food.
