Welcome to a world where food becomes a work of art and your models add another level of meaning. Food photography in the studio is a specific type of photography project that requires careful preparation and a bit of creativity. Learn how to combine beauty and taste in a visual harmony that will dazzle your viewers. Discover the secrets of this unique genre of photography.  

In traditional food photography, food takes center stage. In this project, food is part of a stylized scene with a model and together they form the main idea. I’ve encountered many challenges and learned many tricks when doing a project like this. Whether it’s food preparation, shooting, or scene maintenance, these are my tips for this unique photography project.  

Plan your food in advance

It’s important to have everything arranged in advance. Whether you order food to be delivered, cook it yourself, or have someone from your team prepare it, every detail is important. Plan how much of each dish you’ll need and allow for extra just in case.

Have extra food

Food photography usually requires several attempts to get the perfect shot. That’s why it’s important to have multiple shots of each type of food, especially when it comes to foods that easily change their appearance.  

Remember catering for the team

If you’re bringing delicious food to a shoot, be ready for the production team to get hungry. I recommend providing smaller snacks for the team so they’re not tempted to eat the food you need for the shoot. This avoids potential disappointment or grumpiness from a hungry production team.

Food everywhere

Be prepared for food to get everywhere—on the floor, the model’s clothes, in the dressing room, and in places you wouldn’t even expect. I recommend covering the floor in plastic, but warn your team because plastic can get slippery. 

Have your macro lens ready

If you’re planning close-ups of a juicy burger or fresh salad, a macro lens will come in handy. A macro lens helps you capture all the tiny details and food textures, which help to create appealing and realistic photos.

Discard used backgrounds 

If you shoot on colored paper backdrops, assume they are single-use only. Food can stain or cause the background to grow mold, even after thorough cleaning. 

Tricks for making the food look fresh

There are a number of tricks to keep the food fresh and looking good during the shoot. For example, to get a glossy effect, use cooking spray for vegetables and meat. A spray bottle with water can be used to keep salads looking fresh. Remember that most ice cream in photos is not real because real ice cream would quickly melt under studio lighting.

Don’t eat the food after the shoot

Remember that most food is not edible after the shoot. You can’t always avoid using products to help the appearance of the food. Unfortunately, this makes it unsafe for consumption. It’s better not to promise the team that they can eat the food after the shoot. 

Where to get food for food photography

You have several options:

Order takeout from a restaurant—For one particular shoot, we ordered different types of burgers. 

Personal pickup—Assistants picked up fresh sushi from a local restaurant. 

Exchange for photos—We received sweets and donuts in exchange for photos. 

Cook the food yourself—The Italian dishes were prepared directly by the chef, who served them on dishes and brought them while they were still warm. 

Combining these options ensured that everything on set was ready on time and of the best quality. Although food photography can be challenging, with thorough preparation and some creativity, you can get great results.