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SCHEDULING
DELIVERY
NAMING
PHOTOSHOOT OVERVIEW
EQUIPMENT
LIGHTING
Single product photos
Menu header
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Food Photography Guidelines

V 1.1 - 2023.11.10

OCUS LOGO

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 grocery store for multiple clients, the photos must be different for legal reasons.

The menu header will be cropped to a 1:1 aspect ratio. Ensure sufficient negative space in the original photo.


How to schedule a photoshoot


If you are scheduling for the first time and are not sure of the correct process, please read 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. If a photoshoot already has an appointment scheduled, please respect this appointment and only assign yourself to the photoshoot if you are available at this time.


⚠️ Assignments are not all the same. Please verify in the OCUS platform the number of photos you need to take, and confirm to the business the number of dishes they have to prepare.


⚠️ Please only photograph the products that are currently available on the business 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 facilitate accurate file naming, you should look for the link to the business menu visible on the app that we have on the assignment page. You should open this link during the photoshoot to validate the product names with the on-site contact (the menu in the app is not the same as the menu available in the business). The names of the items you photograph must be the exact same ones that will be available in the app, otherwise, your assignment won't be validated.


Kindly rename your files following this structure:

  • For single menu items: Dish_Name.jpg

  • For the Hero shot: 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 upload 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 accurate photos that make people eager to order products from the 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

Camera.png

Full frame or APS-C

General settings:

  • ISO 400 max


Lens.png

35-80mm (full frame)

General settings:

  • Aperture: f/8 - f/16

Tripod.png

Accessories

General settings:

  • Tripod

  • Reflector

  • Grey card


LIGHTING

  • Natural (indirect) light is preferred, but you can still use a flash if you're able to do so.

  • You also need to use a reflector to brighten shadows on the opposite side of the item.

  • Avoid noticeable reflections in the table





Single product photos

Single 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 it's the latter, make sure to center the main element in the frame.


  • 90° (from above): Recommended for flatter items such as pizzas and items that display the branding and item type on the lid.

  • 0° (straight on): This is the most commonly used angle for groceries and is used for many items including crisps, condiments, and single beverages.

  • 45° (slightly above): This angle is used to help show portion/pack size. Use this angle for multi-packs where the quantity might be misleading if shot from a different angle.



Format

  • Aspect ratio 3:2

  • Landscape orientation

  • Images must be shot on a plain background 

  • The product should be completely sharp


⚠️ Important ⚠️

Please note that the product photos will be cropped to a 3:2 aspect ratio. Ensure that there is sufficient space in the original photo so that the product remains uncropped.


Original Image - leave around 50-70% of negative space around the product/assortment for the retouchers to work on:


Ratio to anticipate (3:2):




Quantity

Amount of "Products" requested in your assignment page.

If the on-site contact doesn’t provide enough products, please follow the instructions listed here.


Do

  • Keep images clean and simple: Help customers identify items by clearly displaying the item and key information such as brand, size & weight.

  • Accurate item representation: The photo of the item must be a true representation of the item a customer will receive and match the menu item description.

  • Place the dish in the center of the frame, it has to be entirely visible after OCUS applies the 3:2 crop ratio.

  • Always use your camera in a horizontal format, even with objects like bottles.


Don't

  • No people or hands: People interacting with or holding products is discouraging to our customers. Photos must be of the product only.

  • Do not shoot unpacked food directly on the table. Use a piece of paper or napkin if needed.

  • Avoid capturing busy backgrounds, especially those that include writings, brand names, or excessive colors.

  • Do not shoot show any instances of open alcohol: only sealed and unlabeled containers are allowed

  • Do not show watermarks that are not owned by the restaurant.



Camera settings

  • Shutter Speed - 1/150

  • 35-75mm (full frame)

  • Aperture > f/8 - f/16

  • ISO 100 - 400 max

  • Tripod, Reflector




Good examples


Menu header