SAN JOSÉ · SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Restaurant Food Photography
Fresh from your kitchen. Ready for your menu, delivery apps, website, and social media.
I’ve photographed more than 1,000 restaurants, including work for DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. My years in the restaurant business help me communicate comfortably with both the dining room and the kitchen, understand the demands of service, and adapt when plans change.
I bring a mobile photography setup and use natural or additional lighting to suit the space. My approach is friendly and collaborative, with attention to presentation, clear composition, and keeping your food recognizable as the dish you serve.
Food photography gallery
Food Photography Packages
All packages include two angles of each menu item and high-quality JPEG files suitable for print and web, including delivery apps, websites, and social media.
Menu Essentials — $250
- Up to 10 menu items, photographed from two angles
- One hour on-site
- Two hero/group photographs
- Four additional social-media photographs
A full 10-item session includes 26 finished photographs. We’ll plan the dishes and preparation beforehand to make the most of the session.
Expanded Menu — $450
- Up to 20 menu items, photographed from two angles
- Three hero/group photographs
- Six additional social-media photographs
At 20 menu items, this package includes 49 finished photographs. Restaurant Spaces & Team can be added separately.
Full Menu Collection — $650
- Up to 30 menu items, photographed from two angles
- Four hero/group photographs
- Eight additional social-media photographs
- Restaurant Spaces & Team included: five interior/exterior photographs, one team group photograph, and two photographs of one owner or manager
At 30 menu items, this package includes 80 finished photographs—a complete collection of your food, space, and team. The eight-image Spaces & Team collection is normally a $150 add-on.
Optional: Restaurant Spaces & Team — $150
Available with Menu Essentials or Expanded Menu. Includes five interior/exterior photographs, one team group photograph, and two photographs of one owner or manager—eight finished images. We’ll agree on priority spaces and arrange the team photographs before the shoot.
Returning clients: Menu Refresh
Introducing new dishes or updating a seasonal menu? Menu-refresh sessions have a 10-dish minimum and start at $250, with two angles per dish, two hero/group shots, and four social-media photographs. Additional dishes are $20 each; larger packages are also available. Space and team photographs are optional when you already have the coverage you need.
Custom packages
If you need a different mix, tell me the number of dishes, where the photographs will be used, and any additional coverage you have in mind. Smaller additions to the starter package and other custom combinations can be quoted to suit your needs.
À la carte additions
Build on your food session with the coverage you need. These prices apply when booked with a food photography session; standalone assignments are quoted separately.
| Additional coverage | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Additional menu item | $20 each | Two angles of one dish |
| Additional hero/group photograph | $25 each | Several dishes arranged together |
| Additional social-media photograph | $15 each | A close-up, creative angle, or vertical composition |
| Interior & exterior collection | $100 | Five photographs of your restaurant’s space |
| Team group photograph | $35 | One finished group photograph |
| Owner or manager headshot | $50 per person | Two finished photographs |
| Custom package | Quoted individually | Coverage tailored to your needs |
Preparing for your food photography session
I photograph your food fresh from the kitchen, when it looks its best. Preparing ingredients ahead of time and bringing dishes out as we photograph them helps keep the session moving. A little extra care with plating and presentation makes a difference, while keeping each dish true to what your customers receive.
Even when the photographs are intended for delivery apps, I usually recommend presenting food on a plate—including food-truck menus. Plating helps customers see the ingredients and portions clearly and creates an appealing presentation. Meal-prep boxes and specialty boxed lunches are exceptions when the packaging is part of the product. If you have branded packaging, we can include it behind a plated dish or in a group hero photograph.
Many customers will view your menu on a smartphone, so I aim for clean, easy-to-read images with uncluttered backgrounds. Before the session, we’ll discuss the dishes, the order in which they’ll be prepared, and a clear tabletop or space where I can set up.
Your food. A consistent look across your menu.
Over time, a restaurant’s menu photographs may come from several photographers, different delivery platforms, and quick phone snapshots. Lighting, backgrounds, and presentation can vary from dish to dish. A coordinated photography session brings those images together, creating a consistent collection for your delivery listings, website, social media, and printed materials.
Original photographs show customers what your kitchen actually prepares. If you’ve been relying on stock images or photographs of another restaurant’s dishes, this is an opportunity to feature your own ingredients, portions, and presentation.
Photographs of the dishes you actually serve
Several business owners I’ve worked with have tried AI-generated food images and found that the results weren’t a good fit for their dishes. For menu photography, I believe the images should reflect the food customers will receive. Pictures that feel artificial—or look different from what is served—may put customers off.
I photograph the dishes your kitchen prepares, fresh and carefully plated, so customers can see your food and know what to expect.
Let’s plan your restaurant photography
Send your restaurant’s location, approximate number of menu items, preferred date, and where you plan to use the photographs. We’ll discuss preparation, the package or custom coverage that fits, and delivery details before confirming the session.