Stylizing a food shot is harder than it looks.
Considering hiring a food stylist for your next shoot? Maybe you should.
Consider the over all impact on the viewer at your restaurant and how imporant it would be for your customer to see the food they order, online or in print.
Lighting is key in food photography, angle, how the shot will be used, if it is only a portion shot or the entire plate of food, will shallow depth of field be relevent, will there be a server in the shot or someone int he background, such as a model?
Sure there are many varieties of food photography, your basic IHOP menu, your Fine Dining, your local advertisment in a community magazine or Bon Appetit Magazine and budgets that go with each one.
One of the other elements most people don't consider often and should is color consistancy, in the food and of course color temptrature in the image itself.
What is your budget for stylizing and post production to make the image "pop" out from the page?
All of these things should be considered in your pre- shoot consultation with the photorapher.
No detail is too small to include so try not to get frustrated with detials, it's for the over all benifit of the client and the end result will be worth it.
Food Photography is a speciality in itself and use of lighting along with certain equipment and a creative vision is a requirment for good imagery.
Lastley, don't have unrealistic expectations for your photographer to create a masterpiece if your budget is not there. Insure you cover all the bases and be honest with yourself and your photorapher when it comes to how you visualize the images and how your budget fits your vision.
Communication is the key to having lasting relationship with your photographer, if he/she asks you a lot of quesitons it's a good thing, that means they care. Be sure to always return emails and don't be affraid of the contract it benifits the client and photographer as a working professional.
Bon Appetit