How to Prep Your Restaurant for a Food Photography Shoot
Booking a restaurant photographer is the easy part. Getting your restaurant ready for the shoot is where most owners have questions: do we need to close, who cooks, how should the food be plated, and how do we know we'll like the photos? After 20 years of restaurant and food photography across Southern California, here's what I tell every client before shoot day.
You don't have to close for a restaurant photo shoot
Most owners assume they need to shut down for the day. You don't. The majority of the restaurant photo shoots I do happen while the restaurant stays open. We usually set up at a back corner table, out of the way of guests and staff, and work quietly through the shot list while service carries on.
Guests usually love it. People come over to ask questions and get a first look at new menu items that are coming soon. I've even had guests take pictures of me taking pictures and post that a photo shoot was happening at the restaurant. That's free promotion you can't buy.
If your restaurant has a day when it's closed, that works well too. You get the whole dining room and the full attention of your kitchen. But closing isn't a requirement.
Turn the shoot into social media content
Shoot day is a great story to share. Have someone on your team grab a few behind-the-scenes photos and short clips on their phone, then tell your followers you're shooting new photos and that new dishes or menu items are on the way. It builds anticipation before the professional images are even delivered. If you want polished social content from the same day, ask about adding restaurant reels and video.
Dedicate one chef to the photo shoot
If at all possible, have one chef dedicated to the photo shoot. When the same cooks are feeding guests and the camera, the shoot stalls every time the lunch or dinner rush hits. A dedicated chef can take their time, plate each dish carefully, keep the rim of the plate clean, and have the next dish ready when we are.
It isn't always possible, and we can work around a busy kitchen. But a dedicated chef is the single biggest thing you can do to get more dishes shot, with better results, in less time.
Planning a food or restaurant photo shoot? Get a quote from Plate to Pixel →
Plate for the camera, not the rush
How a dish is plated for the camera is very different from how it's plated during service, when the goal is getting a lot of food to the dining room fast. For photos, every detail shows. On shoots where we don't have a dedicated food stylist, I talk with the chef ahead of time and share food styling tips on how to prepare and plate each dish so it looks its best on camera.
Burgers and sandwiches are the perfect example. You have to build them carefully:
Ingredients shouldn't be sliding off or falling over.
The protein should be visible, not hidden under toppings.
Use the right amount of sauce: not so much that it's messy, not so little that it looks dry.
Keep the lettuce from spilling over and covering the tomatoes.
Match your colors. You don't want a red tomato and a pale pink tomato on the same burger.
Those small details are the difference between a burger that looks good and one that makes people hungry. I walk through all of this with the client or chef before shoot day so the kitchen is ready.
A quick restaurant photo shoot prep checklist
Finalize the dish list. Share the dishes, drinks and any interior or team shots you want, and which are the priorities.
Order a little extra. Have extra of the key ingredients and garnishes so the kitchen can make a fresh plate if needed.
Pick the chef. Choose who will cook and plate for the shoot, and let them know ahead of time.
Clean the space. Make sure the corner we're using, plus any area of the dining room or bar we'll photograph, is clean and clear.
Decide who approves. Have the owner or marketing person on hand, or reachable, to give feedback during the shoot.
Plan your posts. Have someone ready to capture behind-the-scenes content for social media.
Approve your photos during the shoot, with no surprises
While I'm shooting, I have a laptop set up so the owner or marketing person can see every photo as it's taken. You can QC and approve the images, make sure we're going in the right direction, and give feedback or new ideas while we can still act on them: a different angle, more sauce, a new prop, a different plate.
That way there are no surprises. By the time the final edited images are delivered, you already know exactly what you're getting, because you watched it happen.
Book a restaurant photo shoot in Southern California
Plate to Pixel has been photographing restaurants and food brands since 2006, from neighborhood favorites to national brands. We shoot during service or on your closed day, coach your kitchen on plating, and deliver images for your menu, website, social media and delivery apps. We work across Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside. Get in touch to plan your shoot, or see our food photography pricing.
Related: How to hire a food photographer: 8 things to look for.