Show Off Your Ingredients!

What is the best way to photograph my food…

I was talking with a restaurant owner the other day about photographing her menu. She asked me what was the best way to photograph her Biscuits and Gravy plate. She said that every time she’s taken a photo of it, it looks like “vomit on a plate” (her words, not mine).  I went to her website and saw exactly what she was talking about. It wasn’t pretty.

More isn’t always better

I pointed out that because the entire plate was smothered in gravy, you can’t see the biscuits underneath.  At least for the photo, she needed to use a lot less gravy so you could see her amazing, homemade biscuits. I recommended having some larger pieces of sausage in the gravy for more texture and perhaps a side of sausage or bacon on a separate plate with coffee or OJ in the background to reinforce the warm breakfast atmosphere of her restaurant.

This also reminded me of another discussion I had with the manager of a popular local breakfast restaurant who was very unhappy with the photos they paid for. I don’t know if it was one of those friend-of-a-friend type of arrangements, but I could see why he was unhappy. Their omelets looked very unappetizing. Even though this photographer had used his cell phone and took the photos in direct sunlight, it was more about the kitchen’s presentation. The entire omelet was smothered in melted cheese that covered up everything underneath it.  The cheese also looked coagulated as if it had sat out too long.  I asked the manager which omelet this was, and he answered, “I don’t know”.  THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.  I pointed out that by completely covering the omelet with melted cheese, the viewer couldn’t see what kind of omelet it was either.

What Can I Do?

The cure for these issues is 3-Fold.

First, use sauces or cheese judiciously on your item so the viewer can see what’s underneath.
Second, dress your item right before the photo is taken.  For example, bring out your omelet cold, have your main ingredients peeking out (like the peppers, onions and ham) to let the viewer see what’s in the omelet.  And then, put the cheese on top of the omelet at the photo table.  We use a steamer to melt the cheese right before taking the photo so the cheese is melted and looks fresh.
Third, always use proper lighting, a professional camera is a plus (allows for post processing) and photograph your dish from the viewpoint of the person eating it.

By showing off your ingredients, new customers will be enticed to come and enjoy your delicious food.