I have photographed menus for over 1,000 restaurants and have enjoyed every moment. I love helping brands and chefs pave an avenue to success with authentic, delicious images that present their food to clients and inspire people to come in for dinner, learn about a new menu, or promote takeout. My food career, which spans decades, really gives me a huge advantage to create delicious food images with keen attention to detail.

Here are 5 steps needed to make a restaurant photo shoot a total success. Be sure to download a useful checklist at the end of this article.

1. Research the look and use

Research the brand guides or style of food to determine the look you need before the shoot. This enables us to bring all needed props and to create images that are perfect for their intended use.

  • How will the images be used? A graphic designer might want the whole plate top down while the social media or marketing person will want the food to be in a lifestyle setting. We can do both but it is always best to start with the end use in mind.
  • Should the images be dark and moody or light and bright? Or reveal brand colors?
  • Will the surface be cloth, stone, or wood? I never recommend using a real restaurant table unless it is brand new and not shiny! I have tons of surfaces and can pick the best one out in our planning process.
  • Do we want an entire place setting or just the plate?
  • Do we want ingredients or props to help tell a story?
  • Do we want the angle to be top-down or at 45 degrees or even head on as for a burger or drink?
  • Do we need on location photos or lifestyle images with models? If so this requires planning to stage the location and people.

We need to plan the shoot for the brand and the use of the images not just personal tastes at the last minute for the best results. A shot list is a great idea so we don’t forget something.

Here are a few recent examples shot for ethnic menus, fast-casual menu boards, and product lifestyle libraries.

2. Choose the time and the space

The time of the shoot is key. Ideally, it should be between lunch and dinner not during a busy service or on a super busy day for the best imaging results. Key staff should be present and the person who has the authority to approve should be there at the shooting station or standing by for a text message proof. The food should be prepared for the camera. A good image takes time and there are a few things we need to do to show the food in an attractive manner. While it is tempting to use customer food not to waste food, that is never a good idea because it results in a rushed sloppy image and an irritated customer.

The photographer needs to have a table in a location that is not too busy and has plenty of space for equipment. Natural light is fun but not necessary since my portable studio lighting looks very natural and stays consistent. It is designed just for the food!

If we are shooting a whole table or section of the restaurant it should be staged so it is clean. Models should be acquired in advance. Hint: employees and friends can always step in!

3. Style for the camera

The kitchen staff is very adept at making the food look great for customers. A pre-meeting with the kitchen staff and photographer can ensure that sandwiches are not smashed and the sauce is not added until we are on set. If you can bring out the elements separately and we garnish and finish for the camera you will have authentic images that look fantastic! It is a team effort.

Here is a before and after for a sandwich coming from the kitchen and then being styled by me on set. It is authentic and yet more appealing.

This image was shot for a menu board that only needed to show the food at certain angles on new cutting boards.

4. Props are everything and should be organized and ready to go

Once we have the look and use planned out, we want to choose our dishes and props and have them ready to go. Do you have enough dishes and are they clean and not chipped? Gather them in advance so the kitchen is clear on what to use and we optimize the time that we have while making the cleanest image. Photoshoots need mis en place, too!

Do we need a holiday setting? Or take-out setup? By planning our shot list and the look of the images we can be sure to have everything we need for the best shoot including all of the surfaces and props.

5. Make a hero shot

After you have done all the work to make all of your items it is always great to put everything together and make a hero image. Or include hands to capture fun social media images with a sense of human touch and place! Hand models and models can help tell more of the story with the same menu items.

Download our checklist:

Latest news:

Get in touch: