6 Things You Need In Your Restaurant Photography Portfolio
When I first moved to New York City, I found it incredibly difficult to start booking restaurant work. It seemed that all of the popular restaurants already had photographers they were loyal to, and small restaurants didn’t have the budget to hire me. It took me 4 months to book my first gig at an Israeli restaurant in Brooklyn.
I had a great food photography portfolio, but only handful photos shot at restaurants. While studio photography is an important skill, a photo of a cupcake recipe is not going to help you get hired at a bistro.
After that initial shoot in Brooklyn, I noticed that more inquiries started rolling in. Why? Because I now had wayyy more content that I could use to create a comprehensive restaurant portfolio. Restaurants could look at the page on my website and see how I could help THEM. They could visualize themselves in my work.
Building your restaurant portfolio from scratch can be intimidating. If you need a starting point, I’m here to help! Here are the 6 types of shots you should include in your portfolio and why…
Detail shots
Oftentimes at a restaurant shoot, the chef is the person working directly with the photographer. They are going to want to see detailed shots that capture texture and give the viewer a good idea of what the dishes taste like. After all, you are capturing their hard work on camera, and they want it to shine!
Take this photo as an example. Notice the highlights on the sausage, the vibrance of the greens, and the toastiness of the bread.
Tablescapes
Tablescapes help the restaurant show the range of dishes they offer. They can also give viewers a feel for the ambience of the restaurant. I recommend having a few tablescapes in your portfolio - some overhead shots and some from a 45 degree angle.
The photo on the left features a mix of appetizer, entrees, sides, and drinks, and it shows the viewer what their table may actually look like when they come to dine.
Movement & Lifestyle
When you shoot at a restaurant, you’re not just capturing the food. You’re capturing the whole dining experience. Photos that feature people - even just their hands - can help viewers visualize themselves dining in the restaurants. I love to take lifestyle shots that play around with movement. Think sprinkling parmesan on pasta, drizzling butter sauce on steak, dipping a french fry in ketchup, etc…
Drinks
Drinks are a high-margin item for restaurants, so they want to have some gorgeous images to drive sales. I recommend having at least 2 photos in your portfolio that only feature beverages. Play around with garnishes, highlights, shadows, and movement to create images that are truly eye-catching.
Interior Shots & Portraits*
Oftentimes, restaurants will ask you to shoot more than just food. If you have them, include some chef portraits in your portfolio. It is also good to have photos of the interior of the restaurant. These shots will show potential clients that you have range and are able to cover all of their needs.
If you’ve never taken these kinds of images, don’t sweat it! Just start with food. You can always add more content later.
How to start building your portfolio
If you’ve never shot at a restaurant before, reach out to a few in your area and offer them free photos. This will give you content for your portfolio, and the restaurant will benefit as well. I recommend starting with small local businesses that probably don’t have the budget to pay for a photographer. When you are offering a free shoot, you don’t have to give the restaurant a large gallery of photos. Just shoot for 1-2 hours and aim to get 10 final images.
Once you have 2-3 of these test shoots under your belt, start going after paid gigs!
