Food and Beverage Photography in Omaha
Food that looks the way you intended, from the first frame to the last.
Photography That Makes People Hungry
Commercial food photography exists to sell food. The image has to make someone hungry, and that takes more than a pretty plate. There is a fine line between juicy and greasy, and a dish that crosses it stops selling.
A dish from a restaurant kitchen is made to be eaten in the next few minutes. A dish made for a camera has to hold for the length of the shoot and look right from one angle. Getting there takes preparation, and it is a different job from plating a meal.
How I Run a Food Shoot
Food photography is teamwork. I shoot, and an experienced food stylist prepares, plates and maintains each dish on set. I work with several of the area’s top food stylists. When you see food on camera in ads, packaging or menus, a stylist was almost certainly on the team.
The final use of the images and your budget decide how much production a shoot needs. Some shots take hours and some move quickly once the setup is built. The food preparation sets the pace.
Every Food Needs a Plan
Every dish behaves differently under studio lights, so each one gets a plan before the shoot. A few examples:
- Frozen foods start melting immediately, and the surface changes and photographs differently as they do. A little melt is fine for some clients. Others want the frosty look, which takes specific techniques to hold.
- Leafy greens and mint sprigs wilt over the course of a shoot.
- Smoothies and frozen drinks separate as they melt.
It is a myth that everything on a food shoot is fake or inedible. Stylists sometimes use things you would not want to eat. More often they use food-safe products or ordinary pantry items in creative ways. Two common ice cream stand-ins are instant mashed potatoes with food coloring (Canon describes the technique) and a mix of Crisco, powdered sugar and food coloring. Other products are prepared in a specific way so they hold. I decide the approach for each item with the stylist before the shoot.
When You May Not Need a Stylist
For social media content, or a shoot where the food is not the focus, a stylist is often not necessary. Sometimes a restaurant’s own dish is good enough as it comes out of the kitchen and does not need to be perfect. When we scope your project, I will tell you which situation you are in.
Experience
For about ten years in Chicago, my digital imaging studio, e-Light Studios, worked in partnership with a food photographer. We retouched campaign work for McDonald’s, Little Caesars, Applebee’s and Disney, and the studio’s client list also included Burger King, Taco Bell and Dole. That time taught me how different foods behave on set and what it takes to finish an image that sells.
In Omaha, I photograph food and drinks for Scooter’s Coffee, a coffee chain with a food menu. See more in the food and drink portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on how the images will be used. For ads, packaging and campaigns, yes. For social posts, or shoots where food is secondary, often no. For menus where the kitchen’s own plating is strong, we may not need one.
In a rented photo studio, or on location at your facility if you have the room. Larger projects usually shoot in one studio.
It depends on the food. Some shots take hours to prepare and some move quickly once the setup is built.
Send me the dishes, how you plan to use the images and your timeline. I will scope the team and the day and send a custom quote.
Licensing is set out in the project agreement that comes with your quote.