Asylum’s Post

IT'S BRITISH SANDWICH WEEK! Do you ever get disappointed when you open a sandwich from a shop and it doesn’t look as full and fresh as it does in the advert that tempted you into purchasing it…? Food photography is a specialist area, lot of amazing tips and tricks to make the food look as mouth watering as possible to tempt you to tuck in. For example, a sandwich, they make sure the bread is excellent quality and the best of the cut, very fresh. The salad leaves are the cleanest, freshest, colourful and most beautiful. Everything is freshly cut, so little or no time for the air to start dulling the surfaces. There is usually the “fresh washed” vibe about it too, so drops of water, which is sometimes sprayed on and has a 50/50 water/glycerine mixture to stop it drying out. To help give a fuller effect they layer between the layering effect with bits of card so things don’t look crushed. It’s a real art to this genre. I do love food photography, although I’m more documentary in style than food stylist. I’ve worked various businesses in the past, pubs, private chefs, restaurants, creating a style for their food so they can showcase to their menus. It’s great fun, and definitely fast paced. Talking of sandwiches, my favourite is a humble “fish-finger sandwich” great for midnight munchies as well as a tasty treat at a gastro pub. A decent amount of butter, must have a sprinkle of ground salt, and a good dollop of tartar sauce! Tell me what makes a good sandwich for you? #photography #photographyforbusiness #foodphotography

Leading the way. What catches your eye when you look at this photo. Is it the brighter white and pink orchids over blue and grey stones or the warm bowl of soup? Despite both components of the photo occupying a similar area in view, having a hand holding the bowl acts as a leading line; an important compositional technique. This causes your gaze to follow down towards the fingertips, resting on the hero of the shot. Have you ever tried savoury crepes finely cut in a clear broth soup? Follow my Hashtag #apFoodCreations for more #soup #foodphotography #foodstyling #restaurantindustry #foodie #foodandbeverageindustry

You need a hero!!! Every food photograph requires a hero - a clear feature in the frame that is the priority dish. The point in the photograph which your eye goes to & stays. How is a hero created? •Careful lighting - the hero should be the lightest position of the frame, whilst maintaining perfect exposure. •Focusing - the hero should be in focus whilst those around it may purposely blurred. •Colours - whether contrasting or harmonising, the colours within your photograph should complement the hero not distract from it. •View point - whilst some food works well with any focusing angle, others have a particular direction or angle that works perfectly for them. All this was used when I took the photograph below: The stack of spaghetti with bolognese sauce & basil on top is clearly the hero. It is the most central item in the frame, the clearest, most focused part of the photograph, and the point at which your eye goes straight to & instantly makes you hungry! ✉️ Calling all restaurant owners, cafe owners, bar owners, chefs, food and drink creatives, would your business benefit from scroll stopping, mouth watering professional photographs of your food? DM me for a chat about how we could work together. #️⃣ For more photography tips and photographs please follow my hashtag #wendysartofthelens. #foodphotography #hospitalityindustry #restaurants #chefs #foodanddrink 29/05

Action shots are definitely fun, especially when it involves pouring chocolate sauce on ice cream! Just make sure to practice your pouring skills beforehand so you don't end up wasting a bunch of ice cream if it doesn't go smoothly at first. And make sure the light is behind the ice cream and a little off to the side to really make it pop. . Thoughts? . . . . . . . . #restaurantphotography #atmosphere #hospitality #horeca #dish #cheers #foodphotography101 #photographycomposition #newyorkfood #newyorkfoodie #beautifulfood #foodstylingandphotography #gorgeousfood #foodphotography #culinarycreations #foodie #foodlover #foodgasm #foodstagram #balancematters #blurredbackground #restaurantbranding #culinaryimagery #professionalphotographer #visualstorytelling #brandnarrative #elevateyourvision #vibrantcolor #ilovefood #foodinspo

Action shots are definitely fun, especially when it involves pouring chocolate sauce on ice cream! Just make sure to practice your pouring skills beforehand so you don't end up wasting a bunch of ice cream if it doesn't go smoothly at first. And make sure the light is behind the ice cream and a little off to the side to really make it pop. . Thoughts? . . . . . . . . #restaurantphotography #atmosphere #hospitality #horeca #dish #cheers #foodphotography101 #photographycomposition #newyorkfood #newyorkfoodie #beautifulfood #foodstylingandphotography #gorgeousfood #foodphotography #culinarycreations #foodie #foodlover #foodgasm #foodstagram #balancematters #blurredbackground #restaurantbranding #culinaryimagery #professionalphotographer #visualstorytelling #brandnarrative #elevateyourvision #vibrantcolor #ilovefood #foodinspo

Autumn on a Plate! How does this dish make you feel? For me, it’s the perfect embodiment of Autumn —rich, earthy tones, hearty ingredients, and textures that just scream comfort, albeit fine comfort!! The crispy bits paired with the vibrant, roasted vegetables make for an inviting dish that reflects the season. With a drizzle of sauce to bring it all together, it tells the story of autumn in every bite! I loved photographing this autumn-inspired dish for one of my client’s new menus. Capturing the details—like the contrast between the golden crust and rich beetroot —truly brings out the season’s vibe. What seasonal dishes are you showcasing this Autumn? So in other news….drum roll …exciting news: My LinkedIn newsletter, Spice, Style, Shoot, is launching imminently! In it, I’ll be diving into everything from styling tips to photography techniques, perfect for restaurants and brands that want to elevate their food presentation for the season. The first issue is coming soon, so keep an eye out for plenty of tips and insights to help you stand out during the busy holiday season! If you’re looking to upgrade your food photography or get ahead with holiday shots, let’s connect! #FoodPhotography #Newsletter #RestaurantMarketing #SpiceStyleShoot #spiceandlight

"It tastes better than it looks" The picture on the left was taken from the Instagram page of one of my favorite local pizza spots. The pizza is phenomenal. The service is fantastic. Their photos are terrible... This photo has a few issues. The perspective is weird and confusing. I get the idea of taking "creative" photos from a unique perspective, but not when it comes to food. You want customers to be able to imagine that pizza sitting right in front of them ready to eat. The close up shot is also not flattering for this pizza. Really close up shots tend to have a very shallow depth of field which leaves most of the pizza out of focus. I have some issues with the lighting as well. I can see that the person who took the picture was standing in between the pizza and whatever light source was in the kitchen. You can see the pizza gets brighter from left to right which means the light was likely behind them. The tungsten (yellow) light also makes the pizza look unappetizing. Some quick fixes would be: - Take the photo from the perspective of someone who is about the grab a slice - Place the pizza next to a window to get even natural lighting - Zoom out and tell the full story - Add some engagement with the pizza, a little cheese pull goes a long way #FoodPhotography #FoodStyling #FoodArt #FoodiePhotography #FoodPorn #FoodPic #CookbookAuthor

Food and Drinks Photography More from the Booker shoot, Bookers pizza pucks being shown cooked fresh and rizing in the pizzz oven, I love the bubbling hot pizza. #pizza #pizzaoven #food #takeaway #foodanddrink #foodmarketing #foodadvertising

One of my goals in food photography is to evoke emotions in the viewer, raising that desire so the target audience takes action immediately ie booking a seat, buying a dish or online pressing the "buy it now" button! Creating commercially focused images that convert visitors into paying customers in any genre is not Simply about pressing a shutter, there is so much more that goes into it. On a recent food photoshoot for my client Notcutts Ltd. we were all rather salivating over this Mothering Sunday Roast promotion as it was being prepared by Chef. Those potatos are as crunchy as they look! Did this image do it's desired purpose ie whet your appetite or raise your awareness that Notcutts Garden offers in it's restaurants seriously fantastic dishes at a great price point across it's many UK sites? If you are a restaurant or in the hospitality business and want to showcase your brand and menu then I'd love to hear from you. I Simply love cooking up and serving dishes that satisfies appetites. What is your favourite roast? I'll go first - beef with lashings of gravy everytime!!! #FoodPhotographer #FoodAndBeverageIndustry #FoodPhotography #CommercialBrandingPhotographer

It's soup season! 🥄 Here's my top tips for making your soup look extra tasty... 1️⃣ Include some of the ingredients in your shot. Some soups can look a bit unappetising on their own, especially if it's smooth — including ingredients helps people quickly understand what it might taste like. 2️⃣ Set the scene. Include bread, butter and seasoning to bring the experience of enjoying your soup to life for potential customers. 3️⃣ Set up, then make the soup. Soup looks so much better when it's hot so make sure you've got your shot ready then place the hot soup in right at the end. ________ ➕ Follow me for tips on hospitality photography ✉ Drop me a message if you'd like to discuss working together #FoodPhotographer #RestaurantMarketing #FoodPhotography