The Business Case for Professional Food & Beverage Photography: Insights from Industry Expert Jupiter Jones
In today's visually-driven marketplace, the phrase "we eat with our eyes first" has never been more relevant for bars and restaurants – especially for restaurants wanting to tell their story to their guests. With social media dominating how consumers discover and choose dining experiences, how do restaurants create content that engages both new guests and loyal patrons, and when is it worth it to bring in a professional? We spoke with Jupiter Jones, a specialist in “elemental gastronomy photography”, to understand how professional food and beverage photography can transform a restaurant's business.
Hire Someone or DIY??
Restaurants are much more than just the food and drinks they serve – they provide environments for guests to have real-life experiences. And going even deeper, there is usually a story behind the design, aesthetic, and yes, the food and drink offerings. Being able to communicate this story to guests before they even step foot into the establishment is incredibly powerful, which is why social media has become such a powerhouse for the hospitality industry. When making the decision to hire a professional or create content yourself, many factors come into play (budget, in-house people resources, time) – but the most important thing to consider is: What is going to tell the restaurant’s story the best? We will try and outline many things to consider below!
The Marketing Reality: Why Professional Photography Could be a Difference-maker
"With the market we have right now, ads are very difficult to work with because we've been advertised to so much," explains Jones. "Word of mouth and presentation is a big deal." This shift in consumer behavior means that restaurants can no longer rely solely on traditional advertising methods. Instead, they must focus on visual storytelling that authentically represents their brand and experience.
The impact on business metrics can be substantial. Jones reports seeing 15-20% increases in client engagement when restaurants invest in professional photography for advertising campaigns and PR initiatives. For video content, which has become increasingly demanded, the results can be even more dramatic, with some clients achieving viral content that significantly boosts their visibility.
However, the true value extends beyond immediate metrics. Professional photography serves as what Jones calls "visual documentation of the pride of their work." It's not just about making food look appetizing – it's about communicating the craftsmanship, attention to detail, and overall experience that sets a restaurant apart from its competitors.
The Technical Difference: Professional vs. Smartphone Photography
While smartphone cameras have improved dramatically over the past decade, there remain fundamental limitations that prevent them from achieving the same results as professional equipment. Jones, who actually teaches mobile photography to bartenders, acknowledges that phones can produce decent results but emphasizes crucial technical barriers.
"You will never reach certain styles and certain looks due to technology barriers," she notes. The primary limitation lies in lighting capabilities. Professional photography relies heavily on controlled lighting setups, including strobe flashes and diffusers, to create what's known as the "crave factor" – that visceral response when viewing food or drinks that actually makes you salivate.
"You can make your food look pretty all day with a phone, but you can't capture that craving aspect," Jones explains. This "sensationalization" comes from the interplay of light and shadows, combined with precise composition that's only achievable with professional equipment and expertise.
The lighting challenge becomes even more pronounced when working with beverages, especially those involving condensation, bubbles, or transparent elements. Jones has developed specialized techniques for working with what she calls "elemental gastronomy" – photographing drinks and dishes that incorporate fire, water, smoke, and other dynamic elements that require expert technical knowledge to capture effectively.
The Process: How Professional Shoots Work
Professional food photography requires careful planning and specific conditions to achieve optimal results. Jones typically arrives at new locations several days early to conduct test shoots and understand the space's unique characteristics, lighting conditions, and overall vibe.
Her approach involves what she calls "expansive shot lists" that go far beyond simply documenting menu items. For a single cocktail, she might capture four or five different shots from various angles – 45-degree angles, action shots, hard light, soft light, and backlighting. This comprehensive approach typically results in 20-25 different photos of each drink across multiple settings within the venue.
The volume of content delivered reflects this thorough approach. Rather than providing just a few select images, Jones typically delivers hundreds of edited photos from a shoot. For a recent four-day project with a new restaurant, she captured close to 8,000 photos and delivered over 1,200 finished images to the client.
However, with this approach, there are some things that are worth considering. These types of shoots generally need to occur outside of operating hours, and a number of staff members would need to be present in order to prepare the menu items. This could be a very significant time investment.
Optimal Timing and Frequency for Photo Shoots
How often should a restaurant create new content? The short answer: it depends. The frequency of professional photography sessions varies based on several factors, including the restaurant's concept, menu rotation schedule, and marketing needs. Jones works with clients on monthly, quarterly, and annual schedules depending on their specific requirements.
Monthly clients typically operate in tourism-heavy markets where fresh content is essential for attracting visitors. These sessions are usually shorter, half-day shoots focused on creating new content to maintain social media engagement and marketing freshness.
Quarterly shoots often coincide with seasonal menu changes or holiday promotions. Jones begins shooting holiday content as early as August, with Christmas materials typically captured in September to ensure restaurants have content ready for their marketing campaigns well in advance.
Annual clients usually require comprehensive documentation of their entire menu and brand presentation, making these the most extensive and time-intensive projects.
The key is aligning photography frequency with business needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. Restaurants with frequently rotating menus benefit from more regular shoots, while establishments with stable offerings might only need annual updates unless they're launching new campaigns or undergoing concept changes.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Through her extensive experience, Jones has identified several recurring mistakes that bars and restaurants make with their visual marketing:
Poor Lighting and Color Representation: The most common issue is photography that doesn't accurately represent how the establishment actually looks. This creates the disconnect problem mentioned earlier, where customer expectations don't match reality.
Ignoring Brand Alignment: Many establishments fail to consider how their photography aligns with their pricing and market positioning. High-end venues with poor photography can appear less premium, while casual spots with overly polished imagery might seem pretentious or inauthentic.
Trying to Shoot During Service: One of Jones's strongest recommendations is avoiding photography during service hours. "It is very difficult to shoot while you are open for service," she emphasizes. The logistical challenges of moving equipment around customers, combined with bartenders' divided attention between service and photography needs, invariably leads to poor results and inefficient use of time.
Inadequate Time Management: Underestimating the time required for professional photography often leads to rushed sessions and subpar results. Jones typically allocates 15 minutes per cocktail in her scheduling, which might seem excessive but is necessary to achieve the quality that justifies the investment.
Lack of Style Consideration: Many establishments hire photographers without considering whether their style aligns with the restaurant's brand identity. Jones emphasizes the importance of selecting photographers whose aesthetic matches the establishment's vibe, comparing it to choosing a tattoo artist who specializes in the specific style you want.
The Symbiotic Relationship with User-Generated Content
Rather than competing with user-generated content (UGC), professional photography should complement and enhance it. Jones sees this as a symbiotic relationship where professional images showcase the establishment's pride and professionalism, while customer photos provide authentic social proof of the actual dining experience.
"Having the professional side and the stuff that shows your pride also entices people who do the other type of UGC," she explains. High-quality professional photography can actually attract more influencers and food enthusiasts who are drawn to visually appealing establishments.
This approach works particularly well on platforms like Google Business, where restaurants can showcase both professional photography and user-generated content, giving potential customers both the polished brand presentation and authentic customer experiences.
Including Staff in the Brand Story
An often-overlooked aspect of restaurant photography is including the actual people who create and serve the food and beverages. Jones makes staff photography a standard part of her packages, offering headshots to every client as an included service.
"People are more likely to stay and more likely to be invested if you invest in them," she notes. When staff members receive professional headshots they can use for LinkedIn, competitions, or other professional purposes, it builds loyalty while ensuring the restaurant's brand is associated with their success.
This approach also addresses the practical reality of hospitality's high turnover rates. While some shots feature "mystery hands" for longevity in marketing materials, celebrating current staff helps create a sense of community and investment that can reduce turnover.
The Investment Perspective: ROI and Long-term Value
While professional photography represents a significant upfront investment, the long-term value extends far beyond immediate marketing applications. Quality images can be used across multiple channels – social media, websites, print materials, PR campaigns, and advertising – providing ongoing value long after the initial shoot.
The key is viewing professional photography not as a one-time expense but as a foundational business asset. Jones has seen struggling establishments transform their fortunes partly through effective visual storytelling, with one client achieving "best bar of the year" recognition in a major city within twelve months of their photography investment.
"Don't shortchange yourself and have poor visuals," Jones advises. "Your drink tastes absolutely delicious. But if it looks poor in pictures on social media, nobody's gonna order it. You're gonna wonder why this drink is so good, why is nobody ever ordering it? They don't – it doesn't look good."
Making the Investment Decision
For bars and restaurants considering professional photography, the decision often comes down to understanding the role visual marketing plays in today's competitive landscape. With consumers increasingly relying on visual cues to make dining decisions, professional photography has become less of a luxury and more of a business necessity.
The investment in professional photography should align with the establishment's overall brand strategy and market positioning. Higher-end venues particularly benefit from professional imagery that communicates their quality and attention to detail, while even casual establishments can use authentic, well-crafted photography to stand out in crowded markets.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve and visual marketing becomes even more central to business success, establishments that invest in professional photography position themselves to better compete, attract customers, and communicate their unique value proposition in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
The message is clear: in a world where we eat with our eyes first, professional food and beverage photography isn't just about making things look pretty – it's about telling your story, building your brand, and ultimately driving business success.
Jupiter Jones is an established food and beverage photographer with a lifelong love for storytelling through sensory experience. She began as a chocolatier, then worked in nearly every role in hospitality - prep cook, server, barback, bartender, and manager. She also launched an experiential event product company, crafting immersive brand activations rooted in emotion and atmosphere.
Check out her work here: Lionysus Creative