Introduction to Food Photography for Restaurants

Introduction to Food Photography for Restaurants

“Congratulations! You have now reached the end of my Domestika course. Thank you for taking part. I hope you've enjoyed getting your teeth into food photography and feel ready to put all that you've learned into practice! Before we say goodbye, I'd like to give some final advice on how to do your project. First, read the brief carefully to clarify your shot list and inform your general photographic approach. Then, research the restaurant and gather some strong references. Avoid collecting too many to ensure that you remain focused and efficient. Allow your background research to direct your thoughts as you brainstorm ideas about the angles, composition, and lighting of your photos. Develop a clear idea but don't be too rigid, as you may find that your plan isn't working on the day. Next, make a list of the equipment you’ll need. I recommend going a step further and testing your lighting setup at home. Prepare your own food, as I did with the Tortilla and Martini glass.

If possible, scout the location beforehand. Meet the owners and/or chefs to talk about their food. If that’s not possible, base your location on the background research you conducted beforehand (refer to their Instagram, Website, or Google Maps). Once you've acquainted yourself with the owners, prepare for the shoot. Test your setup before the dishes arrive and adjust your lighting as required. This may be a simple, handheld, off-camera flash; or a strobe on a stand. Keeping your strobe, either handheld or on a stand, away from the camera, will change the dynamic of the light and shadow. On-camera flash can be good but limiting because it stays fixed at the same angle as your lens. During the shoot, apply all that you've learned to capture professional photos of the beverages, appetizer, main dish, or full spread. Remember to be aware of how long the food will last and adapt your pace accordingly. Be flexible with your composition and don't be afraid to try a diverse range of angles. Be reflective and trust your gut. This will all help to get the perfect shot. Finally, select your favorite photos and move on to the editing stage. Adjust the HSL (hue, saturation, and lightness) of your images; crop and rotate; reduce the exposure; etc. Then, export! If needed, refer to the social network ad guides linked in Unit 4. Always be aware of your brief and try to replicate the aesthetic of the restaurant, whilst adding an element of your own style. And that's all! Thank you again for participating in this course. I can't wait to see your projects. I can already feel my appetite growing as I imagine the culinary wonders you're going to shoot! To this extent, be sure to share your final project in the forum! You can do this by clicking "Create your project". See you there.”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project It's the end of the course. I hope you've learned tips to develop your own food photography style. Before we're done, I'll go over some steps to remember when you create your final project. Read through the brief thoroughly to know the aspects the client wants you to photograph. If you don't have a client, create an assignment yourself or use the checklist I've left in additional resources. Research the restaurant first. Look at their website, Instagram, or listing on Google Maps, it will have many user-uploaded images for you to reference. Find images of the menu, decor, and ...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Introduction to Food Photography for Restaurants

• Level: Beginner
• 91% positive reviews (53)
• 4714 students
• 4 units
• 18 lessons (3h 6m)
• 8 downloads

• Category

  Photography & Video

• Software

  Adobe Lightroom

• Areas

  Commercial Photography, Food Photography