WHY DOES MY BAR OR RESTAURANT NEED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY?

Lemon shrimp scampi overhead shot

Some people view professional photography as being expensive, but expensive is relative. What some people will think is expensive others may not. But to some, and here I include some restaurants that have had a massive amount of investment in them, any cost at all is expensive. Perhaps the real question should be “Why do I need professional photography?” And it’s a frustrating recurring theme. But any form of business photography should not be viewed as an expense but instead, as an investment.

But looking at the problem through the potential client’s eyes can be equally as frustrating, especially so when it becomes obvious that they have put everything they can into their business but are not receiving the return that they deserve, especially in today's competitive environment. Their hard work, the quality of their beverages and food, as well as their expertise, can easily go unnoticed if their website does not stand out, especially so if they lack any form of quality imagery, either on-site or on their social media.

Hubspot statistics state that 82% of people would buy a dish just because of how it looks in the picture, regardless of whether they wanted it in the first place, and restaurants that changed from text-based to photo-based menus for online ordering increased their conversion rates by 25%. To achieve revenue goals customers need to know what a restaurant has to offer.

I, and other food/beverage photographers understand how restaurants can easily miss out on valuable revenue without providing existing and potential customers with a strong message. That message should be visual and simple; beverages or food should speak for themselves. Eyes create desire before the mouth, and professional images will make customers feel like they’re already tasting the restaurant’s beverages or food. Photography generates emotion and a feeling of desire. Customers should take one look at a restaurant’s food and beverage images and say, “I want that!”. And that is what sells product!

The success of any food and beverage business relies on food being delicious, that has to be top priority. But restaurants also need customers to walk through their doors. If they can’t fill seats then it doesn't matter how delicious the food is, they are simply wasting time and money. The key to attracting customers is to tantalize their taste buds well before they take their first bite. Eyes eat before the mouth, so professional menu images will make customers feel as if they’re already tasting the food. Professional food photography may incur costs but it's one of the most significant investments that a food business can make.

As a photographer, I believe that the way to sell any product is to instill emotion into the created image. To take the photographed product, whatever that product is, food, wine, beer, etc., and to make the viewer want to reach into that photograph, grab its content and have an experience with the people that they imagine are in the scene. They should want to be in that place, that environment, and most importantly, want to be part of it, enjoying those products and the experience offered. Now that will sell your product and make you money!

True Images Photography provides professional beverage and food commercial photography that gets your business noticed. Feel free to book a free 30-minute consultation here.

Do look around the rest of the blog here for more helpful posts, and if you have any questions please reach out. I’m happy to advise. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn where I always answer messages with a detailed reply.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARRIVE AT A RESTAURANT PHOTOSHOOT?