The way food tastes is one of the main reasons customers return to a restaurant after their first visit. However, good food photography has a huge impact on getting customers through the door in the first place. Crisp, vibrant and appetizing food photography of your best dishes and cocktails is a must. Hiring a professional service like SkyeLine Studio is one option, but if you’re on a budget, taking the ct restaurant photography yourself is very doable with even the latest model Android or iPhone cameras.
Natural Light is King for Food Photography
When you eat dinner, do you turn on a lamp and shine it on your plate? How about a strobe light installed in your kitchen for Taco Tuesday? Food looks best and photographs best in natural light. That means identifying the table or booth in your establishment where the ambient natural light is the strongest.
For a lot of CT restaurant owners, this practice goes against the grain. It’s hard to overcome the mindset that food should be displayed in the ‘best’ part of the restaurant, like near the bar or in view of a bank of TV screens.
You’re not looking for direct sunlight; so don’t wait until late afternoon when you’ve got a blazing ball of heat in your face. Pick a time of day where the ambient light is really making the interior of your place beautiful. I usually find the slow time between lunch and dinner is the best lighting as well as the most convenient for taking food photos.
CT Restaurant Photography: As Easy as 1-2-3
Here’s a quick wrap-up on using your restaurant’s natural light to make the photos of your food look their best.
1. Find the best possible spot inside for natural lighting.
2. Use the time of day and possibly a window shade to ensure that the incoming sunlight is ambient, not direct.
3. Click away!
Looking for a CT Food Photographer… view our work here.