Have you ever been on holiday and stumbled across a super touristy area? Taken a look at that particular restaurant menu that is covered in the most unappetising photos of a burger and chips or fry-up? If you have, I am sure it made you turn the other way and look for something more authentic, right? Cue food photography and the importance of it in the new digital era.
With the whole world becoming more digital than ever before, so many careers have started to become more popular, from becoming a DIY pro, to sharing cleaning hacks and organisational pantry of dreams. It has become easier than ever to connect with people you have never met through a screen, by sharing your thoughts, beautiful photography, memories and resonating with people’s emotions.
One of the main ways to do this is through food. Connecting to people and resonating with their childhood, bringing up memories, special thoughts and emotions is the idea behind successful food photography. To get someone’s mouth-watering and to take them back to a memory, place or last time spent with a family member or friend.
The Importance of Food Photography in Industry
Food photography over the past few years has boomed on social media platforms, magazines and more as the food blogging community is rising and taking a stance in the world as a career path. Recipe developing, creating and capturing the perfect static moment is a challenge and once you find that moment, you will have a stunning picture frozen in time and enough for someone to take a deep breath in and revel at the beauty of all the details, colours, ingredients and textures.
Industries and businesses such as restaurants, cafes, blogs, catering, Hotels, cookbook authors, can improve their product with the use of a food photographers’ talent in order to increase their social engagement and appeal to their audiences.
However, there is still not enough appreciation out there for the impact food photography styling and composition can have on a business or brand. Making sure the food matches the colours you have paired it with, the correct angling and the location of the food in the shot is just right to appeal enough to the eye and essentially make you stop, look and feel a connection to the photograph, and in turn, a connection with the brand.
Food Photography and Blogging
Food photography has become a passion of mine over the past year. I decided to start a food blog in March 2020 called Top Left Kitchen, just when lockdown happened. Essentially, I wanted a project and wanted to see how difficult it would be to start a brand and website from scratch. After one year of consistent posting and growth, I can report back that it is very tough. However, I found that there is where my true passion lies.
Being able to share easy and exciting recipes with friends, family and amateur cooks is something I truly enjoy. Connecting to people through food by sharing exciting recipes, tips and tricks and with that, comes food photography.
My initial photos were pretty shocking but over time and with a lot of practice I started improving, so much so, I actually decided to invest in a food photography course to try and learn as much as possible about the subject (yes, I am extremely passionate!), to try and become one of the best in the field.
I still have a lot of work ahead but I want to make people smile even when I can’t be there to presence it just by looking at a photograph.
Food photography is an art and one that should be treated as such. Being able to recreate a memory, emotion and special moment is a talent and skill. The impact it can have on your business or brand is huge, especially during the digital era where we spend more and more time behind our screens to get inspiration and find new products, hobbies and recipes.
How many times have you scrolled past a picture, stopped and thought ‘I could eat that right now’? Welcome to the impact of food photography.