When you look at the restaurant food menu or a restaurant opening flyer, the first thing you will notice is the picture of the dishes. If the picture is not appetizing, you might not try the dish. More than 80% of the orders depend directly on food images on the menu or flyers. The rest is also somehow related to these food photographs.
Food photography is an inseparable part of restaurant and service businesses. It makes your brand shine and converts your viewers into potential customers. Here are the tips that can make your food photography more interesting and attractive to your customers’ eyes.
Food photography plays a crucial role in the restaurant business to attract potential customers and make revenue. A perfect photograph can make your dish look 10 times more appetizing to your customers and influence them to order it. There is a huge demand for high-quality food photography in the food and beverage industry.
Different Food Photography Techniques
To make your food photography exciting and the result comes out like a professional, here are some tips that can help you.
Utilize Natural Light
Natural light can give your photograph a soft and warm look. If you are capturing your picture in the daytime or in an open space, try to utilize natural light as much as possible. Bring your food near the window to make the photo brighter or move the angle of your camera to fix the focus. Sometimes natural light alone is not enough to eliminate the photograph. But it can definitely help you to extract the essence of coziness.
Minimize The Color In The Background
Using too much color in your background can make your frame crowded and distract the viewer. For instance, if you are capturing a picture of a burger, you can add ketchup and cutlery to decorate the background. But if you add a full dinner menu as its background, then the burger will be almost invisible in the crowd of the food. Try to keep the background as simple as possible to highlight your dish. The less crowded the picture, the more your dish will stand out.
Focus On Your Hero Object
Focusing on the right object is crucial to having a clear and beautiful picture. If you cannot set your focus correctly, the picture will come hazy. Focus on the front of your main object so you can use the surroundings and light perfectly.
Use A Tripod For A Clearer Shot
To create a strong impression and make the details sharper, you need to capture a clear shot. You can use a tripod to steady your camera before capturing the picture. Set your tripod on a plane surface and focus on the food. Then click the shutter and capture the moment you want.
Use Layering
To make your image more dramatic, layering is the key. You can create layers in your image using objects around you and direct the focus of your viewers the way you want. You can arrange the elements of your pictures to create layering. Even using a crumpled towel can create a strong layering effect in your image. Covering half of your background with a particular object like a tray or lid can also create good layering. Experiment with different objects to understand which layering works best for your image.
Play With Angles
With the same setting, you can find totally different results for different angles. Taking pictures from different angles will highlight different features of your dish. You can take a headshot or a front shot and observe which one looks better. Different angles also affect the lighting of your photograph.
Use Lines Effectively
Lines give a sense of symmetry to your image. You can use utensils, cutleries, and even the table border to create lines and make your image look more organized. Sometimes, lines also affect the illusion of light. You can make a simple dish stand out and attract potential customers with proper lining.