How to Take Great Menu Photos

Sometimes people need to see it to believe it. Your food can taste phenomenal, but unless it looks phenomenal too, they might not even give it a try. You’re responsible for advertising your food in the best possible light. There are a few key factors to take into consideration to take a good food photo. Lighting, Decorating, Positioning, and Editing. With those four keys in place your menu photos will look out of this world.

Lighting

Good lighting is absolutely essential for a good photo. You want your pictures to be taken in a bright room or area so that all the details in your dish are shown. Whether you have access to studio lighting equipment, or simply just a window, you need to make sure you’re using your lighting effectively. Make sure to keep your shadows in mind. If your light source is coming from above and there are layers in the food, then the top layer may cast a shadow on the bottom layer making it harder to see. If that’s the case, move your light source to the side of the dish so you can see all the layer evenly, and vice versa. Keep in mind where your camera is as well. Make sure you aren’t casting a shadow on your food from standing or holding the camera in front of your light source.

Decorating

Decorating your dishes and photos can go a long way. Add some special garnishing for the photo. Put a glass beside the dish to feature in the background. Pay attention to the table your food is resting on since that will likely show in the picture too. Set the scene for what you want your guests to expect when they buy that dish. If you want them to feel like it’s an elegant meal, put tall wine glasses and fancy cutlery around it in the photo and add some unique garnishes to the dish. If you want people to feel cozy and at home when they get that dish, try pairing it with regular table décor like household napkins, a cup of water or juice, and your average fork and knife. Keep the photos consistent throughout your menu and you’ll be set.

Positioning

If you’re taking a picture of a burger, the positioning of the camera and the food will be very different compared to a salad. Taking a picture of a burger from the top down would only show the bun. That isn’t very helpful for showing the guests all the toppings that come with that burger. Just like showing a salad from the side. Unless the bowl is see through, your guests will likely just be looking at the side of the bowl with a few pieces of lettuce sticking out. You should think of the best possible position for your food to sit and for your camera to be in order for all of the food to be showcased in the photo. You want to show every layer of the burger, and every topping in the salad.

Editing

Editing is a skill that can come with time, although it’s a necessary skill to have when it comes to photography. Make small tweaks to the photos to begin like brightening areas that need to be brightened, add some more contrast to make your image pop, increase the saturation to fill it with colour, and crisp up the edges to show some sharper details. Try playing around with some options in third party photo editing applications/websites and see what works best for your menu.

If all four of these keys are taken into consideration your menu game will undoubtedly get so much better. Give it some practice and listen to constructive criticism and feedback. Try out new things and find what works best for you and your business. Once you see the results you want, you know you’re on the right track.