Welcome to my world of food photography. With the rise of social media, there’s never been a more important time to capture what you’re producing and share it with the world. As a food photographer in Perth, I’m here to help tell your story through images. I’d love nothing more than to make your cuisine visually pop so that you can almost taste the flavours and breathe in the aromas from a single image shared amongst your patrons.

If you’ve never worked with a food photographer before, you might be a bit curious as to what goes on in preparation and behind the scenes. There might be a few questions you’d like to ask in the lead up, like what’s involved and how long it takes.

When you decide to work with a professional photographer, there’s a lot that goes on when it comes to preparing for your food photography shoot, and it can be a bit overwhelming. So to help you along, I’ve put together a rundown of how to prepare a shot list to make it as successful as possible.

What Will Your Images Be Used For?

As the client, you have the best idea of what you want photographed, and we can work on this together. Where will you be using the images and what story are you telling? Your answers will determine what look and feel you’re going for.

The end result will be a complete asset to you and your business. The truth is, a picture is worth a thousand words, so high quality photographs will contribute to your overall branding and success.

Why Is A Shot List Important?

A shot list is the line-up of images we intend to capture, and includes the backgrounds and surfaces we’ll be using, props and of course the food. In other words, it’s our photoshoot plan written down on paper.

Build a strong shot list. Keep an ongoing image wishlist so when you do invest in a shoot, you don’t miss any key images. Do you have a packaged product shot you can throw in with a larger menu shoot? Do you need updated headshots of your staff?

You can’t create the perfect photoshoot out of nothing, so working with me to create a shot list is what will get the ball rolling in the lead up to our time together.

With a carefully constructed shot list, we won’t have to worry about whether or not we’re forgetting anything. It will also help me maximise the shoot by identifying photo opportunities from start to finish.

Consider Hiring a Food Stylist

I work with an amazing and talented Perth food stylist who understands the ins and outs of food preparation and knows how a particular dish will look its absolute best so that it leaps off the page. Together we can make your audience drool with anticipation.

It's not what it used to be - Food stylists tend to employ less trickery than they did in the good old days. These days there is more skill in preparing great looking food than painting boot polish on chicken skin to make it look roasted or using engine oil for syrup. Don't worry, they do still have a few tricks up their sleeves when put to the test.

Keep the ball rolling - A food stylist can work with your kitchen staff to keep food rolling, picture perfect, in front of the camera and save wasting time and money on having nothing for the photographer to shoot.

Quality and presentation - When buying for your shoot, be thoughtful about the quality and presentation of your product. Beautiful food makes for beautiful images. Bruises, marks, wilting etc are time consuming issues to fix. If you would like the stylist to source food for photography, this is also an option.

Polishing - A food stylist does not have to change the way your food looks if it isn't required. They will simply make sure your product looks its best for the camera, which is different to delivering a dish to a customer.

Props - Food stylists usually have a great range of props to hand and are willing to work with you to create a style that suits your brand. They can also source props if you would like to have your own brand props to hold onto for future photography.

Surfaces, Backgrounds And Spaces

One of the best things you can include in the shot list is your decision on the surfaces and backgrounds that will appear in each image. I like to arrange a pre-shoot meeting at your venue to check out your space and surfaces.

Do you want an overhead/flat lay style of photography, or are you happy with ‘diner’s eye view’ images? What about your cutlery and tableware – are they in good condition? What shapes and colours do you have? Are they high gloss or matte?

Once all these preparations have been made, it’s time to get cracking on our photoshoot.

And there you have it – the best way to prepare for a photoshoot with a food photographer, who is just as passionate about food photography as you are with your menu and restaurant.

By working together, we’ll utilise a collaborative effort to bring your vision to life; a food photography shoot will see your investment provide an on-going return for years to come.

For more information about arranging a food photography shoot, call me on 0429 359 747 email me on hello@derrenhall.com.au or https://www.derrenhall.com.au/contact

Planning a Food Photo Shoot? Here’s How To Milk it

Derren Hall Photography