Diving into a photo shoot for your food marketing program? There are a number of different setups you can choose from to help get the right message across… In addition to the general tips for running a successful photo shoot overall, there are a number of different setups you can choose from to help get the right message across.

#1 The Ingredient Shot – This includes a group of ingredients before any major prep has taken place. Ingredient shots are perfect for putting a spotlight on your product, teasing a recipe or prompting engagement/ideas from your audience.

#2 The Prep Shot – This can include all ingredients in the first step of preparation, or you can focus in on one or a few particular ingredients. If your product is one of the ingredients involved, naturally a prep shot is a great way to showcase it front and center.

#3 the Set-up Shot – Similar to the prep shot, but a little further into the cooking process. Think cake batter in the bowl, or cookie dough on baking sheets before going into the oven. The set-up shot can help demonstrate how to complete any complicated steps in a recipe.

#4 The Beauty Shot – This is the pretty shot of the untouched final product: your carefully frosted cake, hot cookies piled onto a plate, etc. This picture should make your audience salivate!

#5 The “Let’s Eat” Shot – This photo takes the perfect beauty shot a step further, making the subject relatable, actionable and most importantly, edible. If you’re planning on including people in the frame of your photos, the “Let’s Eat” shot is a great place to include them.

Is your main objective to spotlight a product, demonstrate how to make a dish, or to show versatility with a finished recipe? What would your target consumer like to see? What types of imagery does your community engage with most? Choosing the type of setup that best aligns with your brand, audience and objective is just as important as the photography itself to engage consumers through food marketing.

Hungry yet? The best part of food photography and styling is getting to enjoy the fruits of your labor when you’re done!