One of the keys to photographing food for restaurants is preparation. In both cases some food was prepared specifically for photographing while other dishes were on their way to the customer/s. This meant time, preparation and test shots had to be made well beforehand to ensure that the dishes to be eaten were shot quickly. As most photographers know, preparation in all areas is everything!
The other essential is taming the light. All shots here were shot with speedlights – no studio flash. On its own, flash is a very blunt instrument, so light modification is essential.
The two shots above were shot using daylight and flash. Using a softbox, reflectors and added diffusion the light balance and quality of light was achieved, giving a naturalistic impression. The two below, where there was no natural daylight, took quite a long time to achieve. Ultimately, using reflectors, two strobe units, diffusers and softboxes, the intended light quality was reached – balanced but subtle – again giving an impression of natural diffused light.
Food photography for restaurants is a specialised discipline and one where experience at commercial still life photography comes in very useful. For more information on photographing food for your restaurant get in touch using the contact form. Shoots are undertaken in the Devon, the South west of England and throughout the UK and abroad. These images were shot for two restaurants in Italy.
