Tips on How to Photograph Fast Food?

Fast food is an industry that is growing every single day. People love to relish fast food, stuff like burgers, fries, wraps, tacos, fish n’ chips et al. Did you know the reason it is called fast food, is because it is made really fast? The aim is to prepare the food quickly and serve it.

Ever wondered how they make fast food look so yummy in photos when in reality, they look a lot different? It all boils down to tricks of food photography. Stylists and photographers work together to make a particular fast food item look scrumptious. And here are some ways in which they do it:

1. The burgers are not necessarily cooked because they lose mass when they're cooked. For the purpose of taking a mouth-water photo, stylist cook the burger for only a few seconds on each side just a bit so that it doesn't look raw. So in reality, the burger in the photograph is undercooked.

2. Ever wondered how the fries look so neat and upright in their pockets? Stylists usually pin them to a Styrofoam bar, hidden at the bottom inside the fries’ packet, so that they remain standing in the photo.

3. It is important to show a hint of all ingredients in a fast food which would normally be hidden while being served to the customer. The reason it needs to be shown in the photo is so that people will know what’s in it. Advertisers use this trick to display the layers they have in the food.

4. Fast food is usually never served in fancy plates or bowls. The food itself spells “on the go”, so photograph it in plastic plates, or the paper wrappers it comes in. Small cardboard boxes can also be used.

5. Post processing the photos is very important since there can be flaws and inconsistencies in the fast food item just handed to you. They are made in bulk and in minimum possible time, so some faults are bound to creep in. So use Photoshop or any other editing software and polish off the rough edges.