The digital world we live in now has shaped the path of many things, food photography is no exception.
We spoke to food photographer Sam Wilkinson and Kyle Does, founder of The Mussels Monger and The Oyster Box for insights and trends that could shape the future of food photography
Wilkinson says food photography has evolved: “In the past, the focus was merely on the plated dish whereas today the focus has shifted to the source of the food. It is now important to showcase the ingredients and where the products come from: essentially the story behind the dish. Then to capture the final dish highlighting those ingredients to make the food look delicious and enticing”
The rise of food photography and how much it has had an effect on restaurants. Picture by Sam Wilkinson.
Asked about the pressure of social media she says its presence is definitely there but as professional food photographers,' they can either choose to take on the challenge or get buried in it.
“Creativity is key to great photos. All this is not an easy task but one that I have accepted that comes with the times and can only push myself to learn more, experiment more and improve. At the end of the day, social media photographers follow trends and it is up to us as professionals to take that on and set those trends,” says Wilkinson.
Collins says food snaps by patrons do boost the status of their brand, however, there is a downside:
“From personal experience, I have been turned off by a restaurant from the odd interpretation of a dish and unusual photography style I have seen on social media. I have also been misled by social media posts that boast about a restaurant and the experiencing is nothing like their images. We pay experienced photographers and food stylists to capture the dishes the way we want to present it, which is of more value and a true reflection for our restaurants,” says Does.