Food photography everywhere else is about desire. Here it is about evidence first and desire second.
The shot that sells
The product in daylight on a plain surface, whole, with the packaging readable. For something regional, one frame showing what it is and where it is from.
The shot that prevents the dispute
The label, readable — ingredients, allergens, weight — and the date, close enough to read which kind it is.
The list
- Whole product, daylight, plain background
- The label, readable in full
- The date, close
- Batch or lot code
- The seal, intact
- Weight or volume, on the pack
- Any dent or damage to the packaging
Light
Daylight, indirect. Food under a yellow bulb looks wrong in a way buyers notice immediately, and packaging under a flash is unreadable.
For shiny packets and jars, bounce the light off a wall rather than pointing it at the product.
Allergens in text, not only in a photograph
Photograph the label and also write the allergens out. A buyer searching for one needs words rather than an image. Describing food honestly.
What goes wrong
Styling the shot so the label is hidden, using a manufacturer's product image, and photographing something whose date is already close without showing it. Common mistakes.
Questions people ask
Should I photograph the food out of the pack?
For something regional or handmade, one frame helps. The label frames still matter more.
What if the date is printed faintly?
Raking light and a close frame. If it still cannot be read, say so.
Do homemade items need label photographs?
They need the same information written out, and a frame of how it is packed. The licence question comes first. Selling food.
More: pricing food, packing it.