How ongoing photography and video for Azabu and Uptown Azabu in Whittier kept a Japanese restaurant's menu, delivery apps and Instagram fresh from 2022 to 2024.
Who they are
Azabu and Uptown Azabu are Chef Chalom's Japanese restaurants in Whittier, in southeast Los Angeles County. From 2022 to 2024 I photographed and filmed for them on a recurring basis, which made Azabu one of my most frequently posted clients on Instagram during that stretch. It is a good example of what a monthly or seasonal content relationship with a restaurant looks like in practice.
What we shot
Sushi and Japanese food live or die on freshness and sheen, so the photography is about controlled, directional light that keeps the gloss on fish and the texture on rice without blowing out the whites. Across the two years we covered new menu items as they launched, specials and seasonal rolls, cocktails and sake, chef and staff portraits, and a steady run of vertical reels for Instagram showing plating, torching and pours. Delivery-app images for DoorDash and Uber Eats were shot in the same sessions to each platform's crop and background requirements.
How an ongoing relationship runs
Rather than one large shoot every few years, Azabu booked shorter, regular sessions. Each visit refreshed a handful of dishes and produced several reels, so the restaurant always had something new to post and its menu photos never fell behind the actual menu. For the restaurant that means a predictable monthly cost, and for me it means knowing the kitchen, the room and the light well enough to work fast around service.
For restaurants in Whittier and southeast LA County
Whittier, La Mirada, Downey, Norwalk, Cerritos and La Habra are all a short drive from my Orange County studio with no travel fee. If your restaurant wants a recurring photo and video plan instead of a one-off shoot, the restaurant video and reels page explains how I package it, and the Los Angeles food photographer page lists other LA County restaurants I have worked with.
Questions about this kind of shoot
Do you offer monthly content packages for restaurants?
Yes. Recurring sessions can be booked monthly or seasonally, each producing refreshed menu photos and a set of vertical reels. The number of dishes and reels per visit sets the price; send me what you post in a typical month and I will quote a flat monthly rate.
How do you photograph sushi so it looks fresh?
Directional soft light at a low angle keeps the sheen on fish and the texture on rice, and I shoot each piece within minutes of it being made. Nothing is sprayed or faked; speed and light do the work.
Can you shoot photos and reels on the same visit?
Yes. Photo and video are shot in the same session, and photo plus video is quoted as a single flat rate.
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