SCHEDULING
DELIVERY
NAMING
PHOTOSHOOT OVERVIEW
EQUIPMENT
LIGHTING
Dish/product photos
Hero photo
Dos and Don'ts
Food Photography Guidelines
V 1.5 - 2023.08.29
Menulog connects consumers and restaurants through its global online food delivery marketplace. Headquartered in Amsterdam, it was created in January 2020 by merging two of the world's most successful food delivery firms: Takeaway.com (founded in 2000 in the Netherlands) and Just Eat (founded in 2001 in Denmark). To improve customer satisfaction, Menulog is working on obtaining pictures of every dish from its partner restaurants.
Your aim is to make customers happier by helping them understand what they order and have a better experience overall.
SCHEDULING
Please note that if you photograph the same restaurant for multiple clients, the photos must be different for legal reasons.
The Dish/Product photo will be cropped to 4:3 and 1:1 aspect ratios. Ensure sufficient negative space in the original photo so that the 1:1 ratio dish is not cropped.
If you are scheduling for the first time and are not sure of the correct process, please follow the instructions here to ensure that you follow the correct protocol with the business owner.
By accepting this assignment, you will be representing OCUS in the eyes of our client. We count on you to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in your coming interactions. The date has been requested by the onsite contact. Please do not reschedule, and show up to the appointment! The onsite-contact will be waiting for you.
⚠️ Assignments are not all the same. Please check on OCUS platform the number of images you need to take and confirm to the business owner the number of dishes they have to prepare.
⚠️ Please only photograph the dishes that are currently available on the restaurant's menu. Refer to the menu link provided in the assignment description.
DELIVERY
When and how to upload my images
Your priority is to take excellent photos. To ensure consistency across our entire community, OCUS is handling the post-production internally. Please respect the following requirements to make sure that we can deliver the best results to our client.
Don’t edit any of your photos (no crop, no edit).
Don’t remove the metadata from the files.
Select your best shots and don't send more files than required.
Follow the naming convention below (take some notes during the photoshoot to keep all the needed information).
⚠️ If something does not allow you to strictly follow these guidelines during the photoshoot, you must let us know with a comment on your dashboard after your upload.
NAMING
To ensure accurate file naming, refer to the business menu link visible on the assignment page. Open this link during the photo shoot to validate the dish names with the on-site contact. The items you photograph must be the exact same ones that will be available on the Menulog app, otherwise, your assignment won't be validated.
Kindly rename your files following this structure:
For dish/product photos: Dish_name.jpg
For Hero photos: Hero.jpg
Examples:
Cheeseburger_with_fries.jpg
Hero.jpg
Please make sure you upload your files to the correct category and then confirm when you've finished the uploading process by clicking on "Send all media" to send the files to OCUS.
⚠️ Send your pictures before midnight on the day of the photoshoot. ⚠️ Keep your RAW files until your assignment is validated.
PHOTOSHOOT OVERVIEW
Your goal is to take enticing photos that make people eager to order food from the Menulog platform.
⚠️ Remember to always shoot your photos in RAW format, but only upload JPG files to the OCUS platform. If you need to ask us any questions, you can use the link at the bottom of this page to visit our Help Center, and we'll be happy to help you.
EQUIPMENT
Full frame or APS-C
General settings:
ISO 400 max
WB: 5700 K
35-90mm (full frame)
General settings:
Aperture: f/8 - f/11
Accessories
Mandatory accessories:
Tripod
Reflector
Grey card
LIGHTING
Natural (indirect) sunlight is preferred. If you don't have access to a window, we encourage you to use a 5-in-1 reflector to soften the light from the ceiling on the items or add brightness to shadows.
Try to have the light come from the sides of the table, rather than behind, in front of, or above it.
The use of flash is optional and depends on the lighting conditions on-site.
The photos should have soft shadows.
Please avoid any distracting reflections on the table.
Dish/product photos
Dish/product pictures are used for individual menu items, and they showcase how these are sold to clients through the app.
Please photograph one item per photo, unless it's an assortment. If the dish includes a side dish, be sure to center the main element in the frame.
Set a 45° angle by default for most dishes
90° for flat food, such as pizza, etc.
10° for layered food items such as burgers, drinks, and desserts to enhance visibility
⚠️ Important ⚠️
Please note that the dish photos will be cropped to both 4:3 and 1:1 aspect ratios. Ensure that there is sufficient space in the original photo so that the dish in a 1:1 ratio photo remains uncropped.
Original Image - leave around 50% of negative space around the dish or dish assortment for the retouchers to work on:
⬇️
4:3 Ratio:
⬇️
1:1 Ratio:
Quantity
Refer to your OCUS Dashboard for the quantity.
If the on-site contact doesn’t provide enough dishes, please follow the instructions listed here.
Do
Place the dish in the center of the frame, it has to be entirely visible after OCUS applies the 4:3 and 1:1 crop ratio.
Always use your camera in a horizontal format, even with objects like bottles.
The ingredients should be visible, to understand the content of the dish
Use a wooden, stone, marble, or plain-colored background that is consistent across all photos.
Don't
Don’t include plastic cutlery or chopsticks in the composition.
Do not show any hands in the frame.
Do not shoot plastic plates or food directly on the table. If you do not have a plate, you can use a board or a paper napkin instead.
Avoid capturing busy backgrounds, especially those that include writings, brand names, or excessive colors.
Avoid shooting uncooked food.
Camera settings
Shutter Speed - 1/150
35-90mm (full frame)
Aperture > f/8 - f/11
ISO 100 - 400 max.
WB: Manual, try to get natural tones
Tripod, Reflector.
Horizontal/45° (or 10°, 90°)
Good examples
Hero photo
The Hero shot is the first photo of the business that app users will see when they are looking for something to order.
It's composed of a main dish surrounded by other dishes and decorative props in a small quantity and related to the theme of the restaurant. A minimum of 3 dishes is required for this type of photo.
Quantity
x1
Do
Place a dish in the center, then others around it (check the visual examples below).
Opt for a 90° angle for most food items and a 10° angle for layered food and drinks.
Leave little space between the dishes, so the composition looks plentiful.
Remember to compose your photo with enough room, so OCUS can apply a 3:2 crop ratio and keep the other dishes visible.
The background needs to be clean of dust, and crumbs.
Use a wooden, stone, marble, or plain-colored background that is consistent across all photos.
Don't
Don’t include plastic cutlery or chopsticks in the composition.
Do not show any hands in the frame.
Do not shoot plastic plates or food directly on the table. If you do not have a plate, you can use a board or a paper napkin instead.
Avoid capturing busy backgrounds, especially those that include writings, brand names, or excessive colors.
Avoid shooting uncooked food.
Refrain from shooting multiple dishes on a single plate; use distinct plates instead.
Camera settings
35-50mm (full frame)
shutter speed - 1/150