5 restaurant photography tips from a food photographer

Many restaurants have websites and social media accounts to market their business to their ideal customer. Many people nowadays go online to choose where they want to eat or hang out - and the photos they see will likely influence their final decision.

I don't know about you, but I always check a restaurant or cafe's online presence before I go there to get a feel for the style and vibe of the place and of course to see how the food looks!

So, it's important that bars, restaurants and cafes have great photos to show off their interiors and delicious menu. And that's where food photographers like you and me come in!

I've shot at several establishments in the UK (see my restaurant portfolio here) and thought I'd share my top restaurant photography tips with you here in case you'd like to approach a great place near you, but aren't sure how to go about shooting outside your studio.

Five restaurant photography tips that will instantly improve your images

Let's take a look at five things I think are most important when doing restaurant photography for clients or simply to expand your portfolio.

Visit the venue before the shoot day

Once you have a photoshoot planned at a restaurant or cafe, make time to go and visit the place in person before the shoot day. Try to visit at the same time of day the photoshoot is planned for, so that you view it in similar light conditions.

This one action has multiple benefits for you:

• it's a great opportunity to meet the manager, owner and/or chef face-to-face and speak with them about their needs for the shoot
• you can check the space and choose where you are going to shoot, so the table(s) can be reserved for you if you're shooting during service
• you have the chance to take test shots and understand which settings you are likely to use and what kind of equipment you might need
• you could ask to see the type of cutlery and crockery is used to serve the food on, which gives you the chance to see if it's shiny or matte, colourful or neutral, etc. If you feel that their plates and cutlery will be difficult to work with, you could offer to bring some of your own props, but in my experience restaurants prefer to use the crockery their dishes will be served on!

Shoot next to a big window (or even outside)

At the time of writing this post, I shoot all my restaurant photography work with natural light. If you plan to do the same, then I suggest shooting next to a large window for the best light conditions.

Don't be afraid to ask the manager if you can move tables if you have to - you want to provide them with the best images you can, and you will capture those next to a large light source.

You can also consider shooting outside if they have a terrace or space on the street. I often do this for a couple of London based clients as their cafe is fairly small and there are usually awnings that block some light coming in, so I use their tables out on the street and can capture great images there. Plus it adds variety!

Create realistic looking scenes

Many restaurants and cafes are looking for images that show how delicious their dishes and drinks are, but they also want to entice their target customers to come and eat there.

One way of doing this is by creating "lifestyle" image. These are images that invite the viewer to imagine what it's like to eat at the venue and picture themselves in the photos.

You can easily create beautiful lifestyle photos by composing a scene that looks as if people are really having a meal together. Arrange two or three dishes with drinks on a table and use additional props from the venue to add character, such as flowers, salt and pepper shakers, menus and napkins.

You can also include people in the frame. If you have an assistant or friend who can join you on the shoot, they can be in the photos with their body or hands interacting with the food. Alternatively, you could ask the staff to get involved - as long as they aren't busy serving customers!

Try shooting staff portraits and interiors to add value

There is a lot more to restaurants and cafes than their menus. The staff, interiors and chefs all combine to make the establishment what it is, and you can offer to take photos of these additional aspects to add more value to your clients!

Staff portraits are a great way of showing the venue's personality and introduces the team to the customers. Interiors will highlight the design and atmosphere of the place and you can ask the manager if there are any areas of the venue or decorations that are special and capture those in detail.

If you want, you could even offer to shoot in the kitchen and capture the chefs in action, which is a very cool experience.

Of course, only offer these extra shots if you feel comfortable taking these kinds of images! Or offer them for free to practice your skills.

Ask for additional garnishes and drinks

The dishes and compositions for restaurant photography need to look appetising, beautiful and realistic. Don't be afraid to ask the staff for more garnishes if the dish looks unfinished or could use a bit of colour (as long as it makes sense for the dish).

Garnishes like herbs can wilt quickly, so check they are looking fresh and replace them if necessary. You can also ask for extra sprinklings of seeds or other garnishes to top up plates that need a bit of extra "wow" factor.

To create that authentic table scene, make sure you ask for drinks to accompany the dishes. You can ask for specific drinks you think will work well, such as coffee or juices for breakfast scenes. Alternatively, ask the manager if there is anything specific they would normally serve with particular dishes or if they would like to promote anything from their menu.

I hope you enjoyed these restaurant photography tips! I'd love to know which one was most helpful for you - do leave a comment and let me know 🙂