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It is extremely important for your food and beverage images to turn out incredible and stunning as it is often used to attract local guests looking to have a great dining experience. Therefore, a meticulous amount of preparation is required before every photoshoot as food and beverage photography can be appetizing, fun, attractive but it can at the same time be very messy and gnarly. Hence, we have taken some time to put up this basic guide for our clients on getting the best out of the photoshoot.
Getting ready
Photo session for food and beverage usually takes at least half a day to a few days of production. Everything from food preparation, lighting setup and set styling can take a very long time to make it perfect. Thankfully there are some things that you as a client can prepare in advance to make the process smoother and faster which translate to more images done on site and cost efficiency.
First of all, decide on the space which we will be using for the photoshoot. Ideally a space with power supply, 2 tables and a chair for constant shoot. (Requirements will be different for environmental theme shoot.) Make sure to communicate with staff members and if possible put up signs telling guest the space will be off limit for a set amount of time for the purpose of photoshoot.
Further Preparations
Be sure to brief your staffs and chefs that will be involved in the photoshoot and make sure they will be available throughout the length of the photoshoot so that he or she has the time to prepare the dishes. One thing to note is that dishes should be prepared following the photographer’s pace to prevent the dishes from “dying” before the shoot. By ensuring the staff member availability, they will also be able to spend more time on careful plating the dishes. Do also communicate with the team on the list of dishes that they will have to prepare on that day as well. One bonus tip here is to always prepare extra fresh garnish, they almost always come in handy to keep the food looking fresh.
On shotlist, decide which dishes to be photograph based on the theme and occasion they are meant to represent in the advertisement. For example, what are your intend to sell? Is it a fine dining meal? or a tea time dessert set? or a traditional meal? or even a beachside cocktail? This will ultimately help the photographer to decide what kind of lighting, surface, environment and backdrop to use for the shoot.
During the Photoshoot
Usually by this time, we will already have all the shotlist confirmed. Be sure to go through with the photographer on the shotlist again and get his opinion on the dish flow. Do not be afraid to also add your opinion in terms of backdrop and surface that he can use, after all you are in the restaurant longer than he does. The more information the photographer knows, the better it is for the vision of the photoshoot to develop. Do also provide the photographer with all the props and tools that may be needed for the shoot, such as cutleries, freshly iron table cloth, glasses, fruits and decoration that will help set a photo. Lastly, be sure to check the previews on the photographer’s tethered device to see if he manage to get the image you had in mind. Feel free to provide constructive feedback as you go along to ensure expectations are met.
Bonus tips
Lastly, to spice up the shots you get, you may want to consider adding human elements (staff members in action) into your photographs. This not only gives your image a context but also provide something that is relatable for the audience. However, be sure that the models have agreed to being photographed and they are wearing proper uniforms and well groomed for the images to appear professional and realistic.
If you are looking to get your food and beverage images done, feel free to write to us here.
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