Professional Food Photography in Dubai, UAE
Food photography is a very special type of photography, as it stimulates us much differently.
Though just an image, a picture of food can stimulate an appetite. You wouldn’t get this with another form of photography, such as industrial photography.
This is what makes food photography so important for those in the food industry. It can increase sales, reach, and much, much more through one of humankind’s natural instincts: hunger.
What is Food Photography
Food photography is the process of creating images of food.
The goal is to showcase the texture, colour, and freshness of the food in a way that stimulates the appetite of viewers.
This type of photography can be used widely. In advertising, on menus, on social media, and more.
The Power of Food Photography in Dubai’s Food Industry
Dubai’s food industry is competitive. As of June 2024, there are 26,000 food establishments in the city, with 1,500 new food establishments opening in just the first five months of 2024.
Without question, it’s a lot. As a restaurant owner, you need to stand out from the crowd. Not only in the quality of food you create but also in how you attract, retain, and create returning customers.
One way you can do this is through food photography. Deliveroo, one of the most popular food-ordering apps, suggested that professional photography of a restaurant’s food can boost overall orders by 25%. You see similar results in restaurants also.
The reason for this is due to the psychological impact of food photography. Unlike a lot of photography, food, in particular, triggers an emotional and sensory response. This makes us get hungry and have an appetite.
Simply put, the more appetite you have, the more likely you’re to order more or order at all.
That’s the magic of food photography. It can tap into the emotions of customers, creating a feeling of “must”. They “must” eat this because their psychological selves are pressuring them to want to hold, taste, and eat the food images.
Food Photography Examples
Like other types of photography, you can get creative with food photography. The number of angles and positions you can use is unlimited. For example:
1. Macro Shot
A macro shot is all about making something look bigger in a photo than it does in real life. It can also be called a close-up photo.
The following photo was for Snappfood, a fast food app in the Middle East. We did a series of photos, including this one, for their app.
The goal was to make their food appear mouth-watering so customers placed more orders. They also used these images for advertising campaigns.
In this shot, the burger is the centrepiece. There are other elements, such as the cola and the fries; however, we blurred these out to keep the focus on the main prize, the burger.
At the end of the day, it’s rare you order just a cola and fries. They’re “secondary” items. Therefore, the burger, the primary item, can be clearly seen here.
2. Overhead Shot
Overhead shots, also known as flat-lay shots, are shots that capture items from an above-head angle. This is superb for larger or single items.
An example of an overhead shot can be the following image we did for Boutique Burger. We took several photos of them. All, of which, were to be used on their menu.
A lot of the time, food photography is used for menus. The reason being is that it’s known to increase sales by up to 30%.
And it makes sense. Photos of food can stimulate an appetite. An appetite, especially when you’re hungry at a restaurant, can urge you to purchase more food.
That’s exactly why Boutique Burger wanted to add photos to their menus. With these photos, they hope to increase their per-customer value, which, according to research, they will.
3. Flat Lay
A flat lay is like an overhead shot; it’s just a different name. We did a series of images for CMF Cafe, some flat lay, some not. These images were then used for advertising campaigns, social media, and even on menu displays.
The shot for CMF Cafe takes more of an artistic approach, focusing on colours and placement.
We used the colours of the backdrop, plates, and ingredients in a way that neither looked too overpowering. We also isolated each ingredient to a dish to simplify the image.
4. Top-down Shot
You also have a top-down shot. This is when a photo is taken directly above the object.
In a 2024 project for Tokito Fast Food, we performed a top-down shot for their nacho boxes. This later went on to be used in various advertising campaigns.
The goal of this shot was to show several elements: packaging and, of course, the snack.
We did this by incorporating both of them into the image in an easy-to-understand manner. As seen by the image below, you can clearly see how the food and package are given to a customer.
Alongside this, we used the power of patterns and positioning. There are several shapes in this image, which we had to organise effectively to get a balanced photo.
Why Business Use Food Photography
If you’re in the food and drink industry, the benefits you can get from professional photography are huge.
Some of the top benefits include the following:
1. Increased Sales and Customer Engagement
Photos of food uniquely trigger an emotional response in our bodies and minds. This makes us have an appetite, resulting in hunger.
Studies have even shown that 82% of people purchase a meal because of the pictures. If used correctly, this can help attract, engage, and increase the average order value of a customer.
Not only this, but images can also boost online food sales. If you’re on food apps such as Deliveroo, Uber Eat, etc., having images of your goods can increase sales by around 6.5%.
It just goes to show the ROI on professional images. You get them taken once or when you update your menu, and you can generate increased sales for a lifetime.
2. Brand Building and Differentiation
Images and branding go hand in hand. Just think about Starbucks. We all know what the logo looks like, how the coffee tastes, what the cafe looks like, etc. That’s from branding and imagery.
When you hire a professional food photographer, they can help build a brand via photography and your food. This helps differentiate you from the competitor, building a stronger emotional connection with customers.
3. Boosted Online Presence
Alongside the above, it can boost your online presence. This is also for both images and videos.
Typically speaking, both images and videos get more engagement than just text. This is in general also. Not just within the food industry.
We’d actually say that, in the food industry, it’s much more. To sell food, you need photos or videos. Without it, you cannot stimulate the minds of your target audience.
Without question, they’re perfect for social media. Even better, you can use images or videos of food across multiple platforms. You pay for one image or video that can be uploaded on all social platforms, from Twitter to Instagram and Facebook.
Plus, as an added extra, you can use image SEO. This is where you optimise images on your website to show up in related searches. If used correctly, this can increase website traffic to your own website.
How to Hire Professional Food Photographers in Dubai
If you want professional food photography, you need to find the right photographer(s). Here’s how:
1. Find Photographers
Before anything, you need to find food photographers. We recommend that you find a few to see which ones suit your needs and budget.
If you’re in Dubai or the UAE, you can contact us at Masoud Raoufi. We’re a team of photographers that have been serving the area for over 12 years.
If you’d like to look for more photographers, a quick local Google search is enough. You can also use several Dubai business directories, such as the Dubai Business Directory.
2. Check their Portfolios
Once you’ve found several different food photographers, the next thing you’ll want to do is review their portfolios.
Ideally, whoever you hire should have an in-depth portfolio of food photographs. This only changes when you’re hiring someone new in the industry. In this case, the price should also reflect their experience.
When reviewing their portfolio, compare their results to your demands. Note, however, that their results can also change based on your demands. The goal here is to just see whether they’re capable of completing the project to your standards.
If you’d like to review our portfolio, you can find this under our Projects page. You can also filter by Food Photography. This will bring up all our food photography projects in the last 12 years.
3. Have a Meeting
If you’re happy with the photographer’s portfolios, have a meeting with them. During this meeting, you can discuss requirements, pricing, and availability.
To book a meeting with us at Masoud Raoufi, check out our contact page for more information.
We recommend that you have a meeting with a few different photographers. This way, you’ll get a really good understanding of what’s possible and who’s available.
After meeting with several photographers, you’ll be ready to choose which one you’ll want to go ahead with. Notify them and get them to draw up a contract.
4. Sign the Contract
On the contract should be the details of your project. It’ll include the price, number of shots, hours, and any other additional charges.
Once the contract is signed, the work will them commence. When the work is completed, it’ll be delivered and if you have and revisions, they’ll be actioned.
Get Food Photography in Dubai, UAE
After reading the above, you should better understand food photography.
The benefits obtainable from this type of photography are huge, especially for those within the food and drink industry.
What makes this type of photography different from others is the connection it has with our bodies and minds. Such photos can make us feel hungry, giving us a craving to eat.
However, this only works with quality food photography. And you can find that right here at Masoud Raoufi.
Our team has undergone several food photography projects in Dubai and the UAE. To learn how we can help, contact us.
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