Ordinami.itA good photo sells the dish before the waiter even opens their mouth; a dark photo with flash kills it. The difference between the two isn't a €3,000 camera: it's the light, the angle, and five minutes of attention. Here's how to get menu-worthy photos with the phone in your pocket.
Lighting is 80% of the result
Take photos during the day, near a window, with the dish receiving lateral or slightly rear light. Never use the phone's flash: it flattens everything and creates greasy reflections. If you're taking photos in the evening, turn off the yellow spotlights above the table and use a white light lamp positioned to the side, never frontal. A sheet of white paper on the opposite side of the light softens the shadows and costs nothing. Also, avoid tables against colored walls: the red or green will reflect onto the dish and distort the colors.
Angles that work
- From above (90 degrees): perfect for pizzas, platters, poke, and buffets. Ordered composition, clean tablecloth.
- At 45 degrees: the universal angle, the one you see the dish from when seated. Suitable for almost everything.
- At dish height: for burgers, lasagna, layered desserts: anything with a vertical structure to show.
Prepare the dish for the photo
The dish in the photo should be the real one you'll serve, but in its best version: clean plate edges, real portion, a drizzle of oil or fresh sauce just before the shot because opaque foods look old. Take the photo within two minutes of plating: the melting mozzarella and steam only exist then. And take plenty: ten photos per dish, then choose.
Mistakes that are immediately noticeable
- Digital zoom: degrades quality, get closer with your feet.
- Heavy filters: the customer orders what they see in the photo and expects that. Only adjust brightness and contrast.
- Chaotic background: crumpled napkins, half-empty bottles, staff bags in the background.
- Bought archive photos: if the carbonara in the photo isn't yours, the customer will notice with the first bite, and they'll write the review.
An organizational tip that's just as valuable as the technique: keep a dedicated folder on your phone and rephotograph each dish when the presentation or season changes. A winter dish photo used in August is noticeable, and an organized archive saves you when you need an image on the fly for a post or the menu.
Where to use the photos
The same photos work three times: in the menu, on social media, and on Google. On paper, printing photos is expensive and ages poorly; on a digital menu, you can upload them for free and replace them when you improve the shot. With Ordinami, you can associate a photo with each dish and update it from your phone: photograph your strongest dishes as they come out of the kitchen during a quiet service, and in two weeks, you'll have an illustrated menu without having closed for a single day.