The art of food photography

Take a look through food magazines, cookbooks and recipe websites and you are sure to see plenty of wonderful images of various culinary delights. Food photography is often seen as the still life version of photography, with the food being the actual subject. The resulting imagery is used in cookbooks, advertising, packaging, food websites and menus.

However, achieving those tasty shots of thick juicy steaks or creamy mash potato drizzled in gravy can take a lot of time, preparation and styling. Food photographers usually work with art directors, stylists and prop assistants spending hours, even days to create that perfect shot.

It is the job of the food photographer and their team to create those images that visually represent the taste, the smells and the textures to encapsulate a person’s main sensory functions. This is why so much care is involved in arranging these shots using the perfect combination of lighting, composition and setting.

Over the years, food photography has evolved from being rather neatly styled food arranged on a plate, to a more authentic food display using natural light in a simple setting and minimal props. This evolution can, in part, be down to western society’s literal hunger for organic or real food, and the move away from heavily processed food. Food photographers need to ensure they reflect society’s ever-changing tastes in their photography.

In a commercial context, food photography must be able to sell to customers so the image should represent the meal at its very best. A poorly shot food photograph can be detrimental to future sales, no matter how delicious the dish may be.

Whether you are a chef, restaurant owner or a food writer, professional food photographers, such as we here at Powerhouse, will work with you to create stunning imagery that keeps customers wanting more.