Sponsored by MGH - Modern Marketing for Restaurants.
First impressions matter, and for many diners today, that impression is made by how good (or bad) your food looks through your website or creative.
While hiring food stylists and photographers can almost guarantee a strong first impression, outsourcing might not always be feasible from a cost standpoint.
So if budget is preventing you from you taking your food photography to the next level, here are nine sneaky tips to make your menu look as delicious as it tastes:
Minimize clutter. Props have the potential to add some flavor to your picture and help you to represent your restaurant’s aesthetic beyond just the food, however they can also distract the consumer. If it takes the focus off the food, remove it from the frame.
Keep it natural. When you have the opportunity, use natural light. If there is too much light, try using a white bed sheet to diffuse the harsh light and help create a softer look. Never use a flash when photographing food.
Keep it raw. If your camera has the ability to shoot Raw Format Images- do it! This allows for more flexibility when you’re retouching or color correcting the photographs later on.
Don’t overedit. People know what real food looks like, so there’s no need to make your creations look like they are too good to be true. Food should look natural, as consumers can see right through a dramatic filter. Never use High Dynamic Range (HDR) on food.
Add a human element. Adding hands into the shot helps the consumer place themselves in your space. It’s also a great way to show the scale of the food.
Use clean plates. This might sound obvious, but double check everything. Imperfections are easy for customers to spot when they’re hungry and looking to narrow down their choices for dinner. Don’t take yourself out of the running by using a smudged plate or a dirty glass.
Be messy. Contradictory to the previous point, understand the difference between looking like you threw something together on a plate without thinking and displaying an authentic dining-out experience. Crumbs falling off the flakey crust, or the gooey sauce dripping down the side of a sandwich helps add a layer of authenticity to the meal.
Vary your angle. Capturing overhead and 45-degree angle shots are always a safe bet, but don’t be afraid to mix it up and capture all angles. Flat foods, like pizza, shoot well using overhead shots. Tall foods or foods that have a lot of layers look great from a lower angled shot.
Spritz! Use a spray bottle filled with either olive to add an extra glisten to your food. This can also add a mouthwatering element to your menu items.
A picture might be worth a thousand words, but the only words you need to capture are “Wow, this food looks good. Let’s go here.”
If you’re in search of a trusted agency partner with experience in food photography, design, animation, and a full suite of marketing services ranging from social media to PR, reach out to MGH and its CEO Andy Malis at 410-902-5012 or [email protected].
