FAQs about Food Photography
1) What is a food photography?
A:- Food photography is basically shooting items that we eat or drink. There are two types of photography. One is for content generation and the other is editorial. Content generation photography is mainly used for marketing collaterals like social media, mailers, creatives, etc. This kind of photography mainly focusses in creating as many images as possible in the least possible time. Editorial photography requires a lot of attention to detail and usually is very time consuming. This kind is used for magazines, hoardings, packaging, advertising, etc. This kind of shoot is mainly used by food manufacturers.
2) How long will it take for a food shoot to be done?
A:- Depends entirely on the number of items to be shot. Content generating food shoot normally takes about 15 to 20 minutes per dish. Meanwhile an editorial shoot could take several hours for one shot.
3) Do we require a stylist?
A:- A stylist is some one who is trained to 'arrange' food in the most visually appealing way possible. Apart from that, usually they are responsible for arranging props as well. A food stylist is priceless asset for a smooth shoot. They are an absolute must for an editorial shoot. Content shoots, if budget is a concern, can be done without a stylist.
4) Where will we shoot?
A:- We normally prefer shooting at the restaurant because food is easily available and most food items have a very short half-life. Normally food looks the best when it is just cooked.
5) Do we need to keep the restaurant shut?
A:- No! All we need is a little space which is a little secluded from the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Best time to shoot is when no or very few guests are expected.
6) Is the food edible after the shoot?
A:- We try to maintain a very hygienic way while shooting food and feel very bad if the food goes waste. However, the food is handled by many people and many things to make it the most visually appealing. Hence, we can't assure if it edible at the end of the process.
7) When will I get the photos?
A:- We work in two ways. We have experienced that for content generation photography, editing is handled at the client side/marketing team. Hence, we have two packages one that includes editing and one that doesn't. For editorial food shoots, editing is a must. Under normal circumstances, we give the edited final photos within 14 days. If the client does not require editing, the photos shall be given on payment.
8) Will the venue be photographed?
A:- Certainly. We can do that as well. Let us know in advance and we can work something out.
9) What do you require from our side?
A:- Most important is that all personnel know there is a food shoot that will take place. Secondly, to save a lot of time, we need to decide a rough order in which we will shoot the food items and try our level best to stick to it. We need to apprise the chef about the order as well. There is nothing worse than wasting time for food to get ready. The quicker we shoot, the more items we get to shoot.