Can you shoot 70 food photos in a day?
Before and after food photography: See the difference professional food styling, lighting, and editing makes. This styled burger shoot showcases the impact of working with a professional food photographer and stylist. Food photography cannot be rushed.
Illustrative images by Shaun Smith.
As a professional food photographer in Johannesburg, I recently received an enquiry that went like this:
“We need to shoot 70 dishes on day one, and 40 styled drinks on day two. Please send a quote.”
The short answer? No. And here’s why.
Food photography isn’t just about snapping quick pictures. A big part of my work is helping clients understand what goes into a successful food or restaurant photography shoot. Whether it's styled plates for a restaurant menu or product photography for a food brand, each image takes planning, creativity, and a lot of attention to detail.
There’s food styling – handled by a dedicated food stylist, as well as lighting, composition, test shots, and post-production. Every photo is carefully designed to make your dishes look absolutely irresistible. Because great food imagery doesn’t just look good – it helps sell your food!
You’ll see food photography everywhere – from printed menus and cookbooks to social media, websites, and marketing campaigns. It helps people visualise the dish and serves as a powerful tool for branding and promotion. Whether you're launching a new restaurant, revamping your menu, or growing your online presence, strong visuals are essential.
And the truth is, getting those mouth-watering shots takes time. Editing and retouching are just as important as the shoot itself. Without them, even the best food styling can fall flat.
On a typical day, we aim to shoot 8 to 10 fully styled dishes. That gives us time to finesse every detail – from how the garnish and chips are placed, to how the sauce reflects light. Trying to photograph 70 dishes in a single day isn’t just unrealistic. It’s impossible! Just setting up the photographic gear takes an hour, and breaking down the set takes another.
I’ve worked on rushed shoots before, where the food came straight from the kitchen and we flew through the shot list. The results? A disaster! I didn’t include a single photo in my portfolio, because they didn’t meet the standard I hold myself to.
If you’re investing in professional food photography, it’s important to treat it like any other investment in your business. Just as you invest in your space, your team, and your equipment, you should invest in high quality food imagery. Great restaurant photography helps build trust, tell your story, and make your food impossible to ignore.
Planning a shoot? Let’s talk about what’s realistic and how we can create scroll-stopping, appetite-inducing images that truly do your food justice.
