Storytelling Through Food Photography

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There is a reason that humans are so passionate about food. Food is nourishment, pleasure, history, love, family, culture and identity. It speaks to each of the five senses, sharing its stories through the sound of bubbling sauces, the smell of fresh basil and the mouthfeel of melting chocolate.

Food photography – at its best – can convey these sensations in a two-dimensional format. Food photographers, using elements like light, perspective, color, focus and framing, can help a viewer hear, smell, taste and feel the elements of a dish. 

Storytelling: The First Step in Photographing Food

While the final product is the sum of both technical and creative decisions, the first step in the process in food photography is identifying the story.

Visual imagery, like food, is a powerful storyteller. Identifying the story is considering a dish and then asking yourself:

• How do you want the viewer to feel?
• Where do you want to take them?
• What reaction do you want them to have?  

Photographing Food: Expand Your Vocabulary

Creativity on call can be tricky, so it’s helpful to have some tools to ignite your imagination. One of my favorite storytelling tools is a vocabulary list. And not just any vocabulary list, but a deep dive into wordsmithing.

Seriously, my vocabulary list is over 150 words and includes gems like mouthfeel, effervescent, complex and luminescent. It has words that describe flavors, sure. But it also has words to describe moods, temperatures, scents, scenes, and textures.

Not only does my list help me when I am styling a shoot of my own, it helps my clients identify the message that they are trying to convey. Flavorful becomes tangy, zesty, acidic, peppery, or fiery. Eating becomes indulgent, thoughtful, complex, intentional, or spirited. A mood isn’t just light or dark, it’s refined, untroubled, extravagant, buoyant, sophisticated, or bucolic.

Once you start getting specific about the words, you can visualize the story. Through photography then, you can do more than show a collection of ingredients or a completed dish. You can say:

• Come friend, sit at my table.
• Indulge.
• Laugh with friends.
• Connect with family.
• Experience culture.

Creating Your Food Photography Shot List

The story of a dish can be told through different images, with each image serving as a chapter.

Not telling the whole story – from start to finish — is to miss out on some captivating imagery. Farm-to-table is only identifiable if you show the origins of the ingredients. Cocktails become more artful by showing the bartender working his or her magic.

When you’re creating your shot list, consider questions that will help you tell the whole story. Questions like:

• Is that slice of cake worth savoring?
• Does the wine have legs?
• Is the dish made from scratch?
• Is it blustering and cold outside?
• Is the dining room elegant or rustic?

As you ask yourself these questions, you can begin to imagine what each photograph can add to the tale. Perhaps you demonstrate that the cake is worth savoring with an overhead shot of a single bite from a single slice. Or that the dish is made from scratch with a close-up of a lemon being juiced.

This list – the unfolding of the story – can then be worked into your shot list.

Food Photography Storytelling in Action

Let me give you an example. Several years ago, some of my oldest & dearest friends left city life for a simpler life in the mountains. They were tired of long-hours, traffic lights, office politics and wait lists.

My husband and I were dumbfounded by what appeared to us to be a sudden and ill-conceived move. Then they announced that they were going to turn the commercial baked goods industry on its head by producing artisanal, preservative-free, gluten-free bread and make it available for widespread distribution.

It can’t be done, we thought. They’ll be back in a year, we said.

Last August their company, Alkeme Foods started distribution through Whole Foods Markets.

A Picture is Truly Worth 1,000 Words

That’s the summary.

What I haven’t said in words is that they made this happen with love, intention, community, perseverance and dedication to their craft.  I don’t need to say that. I don’t need to tell you that they built their own factory, personally slung thousands of pounds of flour, scoured the planet for packaging that eliminated the need for preservatives.

And that they love their outdoor-oriented, family-friendly, mountain-town life.

You can see it for yourselves:

(c) 2023 Alkeme Foods. Used with permission.

Capture Inspiration with Mood Boards

In addition to developing a vocabulary list, creating mood boards is a great way to explore storytelling through photography. Find a food photographer that you admire. Why does their work resonate with you? What story are they telling? How are they evoking emotion through imagery?

When I plan a photo shoot, I often spend a couple of minutes hours scrolling through social media. Not to copy the work of others, but to notice how their composition, perspective, lighting, props and backdrops tell a story. What specific elements capture my attention. What do I like? Why? What would I do differently?

The Power of Pinterest

Naturally, Pinterest is a wealth of inspiration. I have an entire board dedicated to captivating food photography. Every so often, I’ll hop on Pinterest and pin any images that catch my attention. Then I’ll ask myself – what about this image captured my attention?

Just yesterday, I was stopped in my tracks by a monochromatic picture of white macaroons on a white plate. As a dark & moody kind-of-girl, an all-white capture hadn’t occurred to me. But this photo changed my perspective. It demonstrated the power of lighting and texture to make an image stand out. So, now, as a result of mood-boarding, I have a new type of imagery to consider for my shot list.

Setting Yourself Apart Through Storytelling

With radically capable smartphone cameras and AI-influenced editing capabilities, taking a good photo is easier than ever. The only way to set yourself apart is through visual storytelling.

While it’s tempting to pick up your camera and jump right in, it’s worth spending the time to think about the reaction you want from your viewers. Start by developing a robust vocabulary list to help you grease your creative wheels. Then explore the work of others and consider what makes their photography great.