Category: Product Photography

Taste the Difference

When it comes to food and drink, we understand that presentation is half of the
enjoyment you get when your meal arrives at the table. From searing the perfect
grill marks on a steak, to adding that last sprinkling of sugar onto a donut, we
ensure that your product looks as delicious as it tastes. At Gotham Studios, we
always have a food stylist on set to ensure that our food and beverage
photography will present your product in its best light.

We work directly with food processors and suppliers, cheesemakers, breweries,
wineries, distilleries, agri-businesses, QSRs, and traditional restaurants in SW
Ontario and Toronto to help capture the flavour of your meals and beverages.

Some examples of the type of projects we do:

– Food styling, photography and videography
– Bottle photography
– Ice cream photography
– Macro food photography
– Menu board images for QSR
– Cookbook photography
– Lifestyle food photography

The Science of Yummy

Believe it or not, we taste first with our eyes. That’s before our taste buds, and even
our sense of smell. Don’t believe me? Just try putting some green food colouring in
your next glass of milk. Since we’ve been tasting with our eyes since birth, our
brains are wired to associate certain colours with certain flavours. Would you be
surprised if you dug into a bowl of dark brown ice cream only to find a mint
flavour?

Making mouths water is our specialty. Expertly styled by our on-set chefs, set off
with the perfect props, and accented with professional studio lighting – our images
beg viewers to dig in.

Our Bread and Butter

Cookbooks
Whether they live in the kitchen or on a coffee table, cookbooks can be found in
almost every home. And more often than not, the first thing that gets someone to
pick up a cookbook is the images.

Digital Menus
Quick service restaurants have a unique opportunity to influence purchasing
behaviour based on time of day, location, and even weather. Catch your customers’
attention with a visually impactful digital menu.

Print and Digital Ads
Put your brand’s best foot forward wherever you are communicating with your
customers. Stop thumbs, start conversations, make a connection, and above all else
– make them hungry!

Websites
For many, a website is the number-one indicator of brand trustworthiness. Using
stock images will raise suspicion in today’s savvy customers, and cellphone pictures
– well, they definitely won’t bring home the bacon.

Whether you’re showing off your daily specials or selling the experience that comes
with your brand, we want to collaborate with you to capture your product in ways
that will make customers’ mouths water and stomachs growl.

Food photography is a unique and captivating field, blending creativity with technical precision. For brand marketers in the food and beverage industry, understanding the process behind those mouthwatering images can help to make sure that your brand’s images stand out. Let’s take a deep dive into a typical day in the life of a food photographer, from sourcing props to the final retouching touches that make the images shine.

Sourcing Props: The Hunt for the Perfect Details

Every shoot should be unique, and that starts with the props and surfaces we use. This sourcing requires more than just a quick trip to the prop closet; it’s a thoughtful process of selecting the right details that will enhance the food without overpowering it. Whether it’s a visit to local markets, vintage shops, or prop rental houses, our team hunts for items that match the theme and aesthetic of the shoot. Plates, cutlery, napkins, and even small decorative elements are chosen with care, ensuring they complement the food and contribute to the overall narrative of the image. These props play a crucial role in creating an inviting and cohesive scene that draws viewers into the photograph.

Client and Creative Team Meetings:
Aligning the Vision

Before any shoot can begin, we spend time ensuring that the creative vision is aligned between our team, our client, and their agency, when an agency is part of the project. During these collaborative sessions, everyone involved in the project comes together to discuss the vision for the shoot. Mood boards, sample images, and detailed briefs are reviewed to ensure that the photographer fully understands the client’s goals and the brand’s message. This alignment is essential to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that the final images meet or exceed the client’s expectations. Clear communication at this stage helps to streamline the shoot, minimizing the need for revisions later.

Prepping the Food: Collaboration with Food Stylists

Once the vision is aligned, the focus shifts to the food itself. Our photographer works closely with the food stylist—a specialist whose job is to prepare the food to look as appealing as possible on camera. Food styling is an art that involves far more than just cooking; it’s about making the food look fresh, vibrant, and camera-ready. The stylist might use various techniques, such as brushing a light coat of oil on vegetables to make them shine, arranging elements of a dish with tweezers for perfect placement, or even using inedible stand-ins to maintain the appearance of the dish during a lengthy shoot. This collaboration between the photographer and the stylist is crucial, as the stylist’s work lays the groundwork for the photographer to capture the dish at its best.

The Shoot: Capturing the Perfect Moment

With everything in place, it’s time for the shoot itself. This is where the photographer’s skill and creativity truly come into play. Lighting is adjusted, angles are explored, and camera settings are fine-tuned to ensure that each dish is captured in the most flattering way possible. See our article on lighting to learn more about that part of the process. This requires patience and precision, as even the slightest change in lighting or angle can dramatically alter the look of the dish. The goal is to capture an image that not only looks delicious but also conveys the brand’s story and appeals to the target audience.

Post-Shoot: The Art of Retouching

After the shoot wraps up, the work is far from over. The selected images are sent to our retoucher, where they are carefully edited to enhance their appeal. This might involve adjusting the exposure and contrast, fine-tuning the colors to ensure they look natural and appetizing, and removing any imperfections that might distract from the food. Retouching is a delicate balance—while the goal is to make the food look its best, it’s also important to keep the images looking realistic and true to life. Over-editing can lead to images that feel artificial, so the photographer must be meticulous in their approach, making subtle adjustments that elevate the image without losing its authenticity.

Wrapping Up: Delivering the Final Product

Once the images have been retouched to perfection, they are ready for delivery to the client. The photographer prepares the final files, ensuring they are in the correct format and resolution for the intended use—whether that’s for print, digital marketing, or social media. A final review is often conducted with the client to ensure that the images meet their expectations and align with the project’s objectives. The satisfaction of seeing the finished images—stunning, mouthwatering, and perfectly aligned with the brand’s vision—marks the end of a successful day in the life of a food photographer.

Conclusion

A day in the life of a food photographer is a blend of creativity, collaboration, and technical expertise. From the early morning setup to the final touches in post-production, every step of the process is designed to create images that not only look beautiful but also tell a story that resonates with the brand’s audience. For food and beverage marketers, understanding this process can help you appreciate the value of professional food photography and the impact it can have on your brand’s success.

If you’re looking to elevate your brand’s food photography, consider partnering with Gotham Studios. Our team of skilled photographers and stylists work together to create images that not only capture the beauty of your food but also convey your brand’s unique story. Let us bring your culinary vision to life with stunning visuals that resonate with your audience.

In the world of food and beverage marketing, the quality of your food photography can make or break a campaign. Stunning images not only catch the eye but also convey the quality and taste of your products, compelling customers to take action. One of the most critical aspects of food photography is lighting. Proper lighting can transform an ordinary dish into a mouthwatering masterpiece. In this guide, we’ll walk you through simple yet effective lighting techniques to elevate your food photography.

1. Choose a Single Light Source

Begin by selecting a single light source, which can be either natural or artificial. Using just one light source helps create a more natural and appealing look, with shadows that add depth and dimension to the food.

Why It Works: A single light source mimics natural light and is easier to control, helping you avoid unwanted reflections or multiple shadows that can distract from the food’s texture and color.

2. Position Your Light Source: Side Lighting

Place your light source to the side of the food, at a 90-degree angle. Side lighting highlights the texture and shape of the food, making it look more three-dimensional and visually interesting. 

Why It Works: This lighting technique emphasizes the natural contours of the food, creating a more dynamic and engaging image that draws viewers in.

3. Experiment with Backlighting

Description: For a more dramatic effect, position the light source behind the food. Backlighting can create a halo effect around the edges of the dish, enhancing the translucency of ingredients like herbs. Experiment and find out what look you like best!

Why It Works: Backlighting adds a sense of depth and can make certain elements of the food appear to glow, adding an appetizing appeal to the image.

4. Diffuse Your Light

Description: Whether you’re using natural or artificial light, diffusing it helps soften harsh shadows and reduce glare. If you’re using a photography light, try adding a softbox, or even just use a roll of frost paper. If you’re using natural light from a window, you may not need diffusion, unless the sun is hitting your subject directly, in which case the frost paper, or even a thin bed sheet can be used to soften the light.

Why It Works: Diffused light wraps gently around the food, highlighting its natural beauty without overwhelming the image with harsh contrasts or blown-out highlights.

5. Consider Reflectors to Fill Shadows

Description: To control the amount of shadow in your photo, use a reflector on the opposite side of the light source. A simple white card (you can find it at the dollar store) or a professional reflector can bounce light back onto the food, filling in shadows without eliminating them completely.

Why It Works: Reflectors help maintain the depth and dimension that shadows provide while ensuring that no part of the food is lost in darkness.

6. Balance Color Temperature

Description: Make sure the light you use has a consistent color temperature. Daylight has a relatively cool colour temperature of 5600K, while artificial light can range from warm to cool. Avoid mixing colour temperatures. Balancing these temperatures in your camera settings or editing software ensures that the food’s colors remain true to life.

7. Mind Your Background and Props

Description: While lighting is crucial, it is just one piece of the puzzle in capturing a great food image. The background and props that you choose should complement the food, not overshadow it. Neutral tones and simple textures can be a safe bet to keep the focus on the dish.

Why It Works: A well-chosen background that matches the lighting style enhances the overall composition, making the food the star of the show.

8. Take Test Shots and Adjust

Description: Before starting your shoot, take a few test shots to see how the light interacts with the food. Adjust the position of your light, reflector, and diffuser as needed until you achieve the desired effect. Experimentation is part of the process. Even our top food photographers rarely get the lighting exactly how they want it on the first shot.

Why It Works: Test shots help you fine-tune your lighting setup, ensuring that the final images are exactly how you envisioned them.

9. Edit Thoughtfully

Description: After capturing your photos, use editing software to fine-tune the exposure, contrast, and color balance. Avoid heavy-handed edits; the goal is to enhance the natural beauty of the food, not alter it.

Why It Works: Subtle editing can elevate your images, making the food look its best without making it appear unnatural or overly processed.

Conclusion

Lighting is a critical component of food photography that can significantly impact the success of your brand’s marketing efforts. By following these simple techniques, you can create stunning, mouthwatering images that capture the essence of your food products. Remember, the goal is to make the food look as delicious and appealing as possible, so keep experimenting with your lighting setup until you find what works best for your brand.

This step-by-step guide is designed to help brand marketers in the food and beverage industry achieve professional-quality food photography without the need for expensive equipment or extensive experience. 

However, mastering food photography takes time, and your focus might be better spent on other aspects of your marketing strategy. If you’re looking for professional-quality images that truly stand out, consider partnering with Gotham Studios. Our team specializes in food photography that not only captures the beauty of your dishes but also tells the story of your brand. Let us handle the details so you can enjoy the results—deliciously captivating images that resonate with your audience.

Happy shooting!