How to Make Sure Your Food Photographer Gets the Shot You Want

Introduction

Hiring a food photographer is a huge investment. What most people don’t think about or see is the behind the scenes. There’s a whole team involved in the production: food stylists, assistants, and depending on budget, a prop stylist. There’s so many layers in planning a shoot and making your vision come to life. Here’s some helpful tips you can follow to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want.

Share your vision.

Be as detailed as possible or as you want to be. As your Food Photographer, our goal is to fully execute your vision. Find inspiration photos and share them. Think about what you want your brand to look like in the future while remaining realistic with what’s possible. For example: if you own a restaurant, what do you want your customer to feel when they see the photos? The photos should match your brand. Is your restaurant bright and colorful, or dark and moody?

One of my best pieces of advice, be open to suggestions. Odds are your Photographer has shot for many different brands, restaurant, or social media pages – they know what shots to take and what might not look best or represent you. Throughout the whole process, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If your Photographer suggests a shot that you would’ve never thought of, ask them about their vision or thought process behind the shot. I love questions because it allows me to connect with my customer creatively.

Tell the photographer what your brand is about. Do you have a brand guideline?

I can’t stress this enough – brand guides are so important for consistency not only in your photos but your website, social media, and marketing communications.  A brand guide helps you and your Photographer know what your brand and brand photos should look like. Brand guides not only create consistency, but helps your photographer incorporate your color and aesthetic.

Click here for 15 examples of what a brand guide looks like. 

Don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts.

These photos are a representation of your brand. Don’t be afraid to tell your Photographer what you don’t like, or that you’d like to make some changes. After all, you’re paying for the Photographers expertise. Transparency with your Photographer will build a long lasting relationship and allows them to adjust their photography style to fit your vision.

Takeaway

A good food photographer should always listen to your needs and work with you to get the best possible results.

Let’s chat about how I can make your brands vision come to life.