Food and pastry photography
A dish only lasts a few minutes: the sauce sets, the ice cream gives way, the herbs wilt under the lights. Photographing food means working within that window, almost always outside the studio, alongside the person who created the dish. The studio works with chefs, restaurants, patisseries, food companies and publishers, in Rome and throughout Italy.
On location: the studio moves into the kitchen
Food shoots almost always take place where the dish is made: in the restaurant, in the pastry kitchen, often in spaces that are hard to reach and have no photographic equipment at all. So the whole studio is taken apart, packed up and rebuilt on site.
Sometimes there is room to work comfortably in the dining room; at other times the set has to go right next to the kitchen, where the heat spoils food in no time. Every location is different, and the set is adapted to the space available without giving up control of the light.
Speed is part of the technique
In food photography, speed is not haste: it is a working condition. Some foods change their appearance in moments, and the smallest hitch, even just changing a battery, can turn a perfect element into something past saving.
That is why the set must be ready, the light defined and every tool within reach before the dish arrives in front of the lens. Once the plate is on set, the only thing that matters is the shot.
Photographer, chef and stylist working in concert
Food photography is a team effort. Whoever prepares the dish has a precise look in mind: the angle it should be seen from, the balance of weights, volumes and colours. The photographer's job is to follow that vision and bring it out, not to replace it with their own.
The intent behind the dish
Sets the point of view, proportions and colours: the dish must come across in the photograph exactly as it was conceived.
Light and timing
Translates that intent into light, framing and depth, working within the tight timescales that food imposes.
The fine details
When on set, takes care of the small things that separate a good image from a truly exceptional one.
For it to work, everyone involved has to be organised and aligned: every step, from plating to the shot, happens in sequence with no downtime.
Tableware, props and backgrounds: the set travels with us
A food shoot takes far more than a camera. Along with the equipment, every job brings dozens of different pieces of tableware, accessories and props to the set, to build the scene that best suits the dish and the story of the venue.
- Cameras and lenses
- Dozens of plates, bowls and tableware
- Several studio flash units
- Props and set accessories
- Stands and background supports
- Backgrounds and surfaces
Who it's for
Chefs and restaurants, for menus, websites and social media; patisseries and pastry kitchens; food companies, for packaging, catalogues and campaigns; publishers, for cookbooks. The studio's photographs have appeared in several volumes devoted to food and wine.
Explore the editorial publications and food case studies such as Pomodoro Galletto and Saitè. If you work in wine or spirits, take a look at the page on wine and spirits photography too.
Selected work
Frequently asked questions
Does the shoot take place at the restaurant or in the studio?
In most cases on location: in the restaurant, next to the kitchen or in the dining room. All the studio equipment, along with backgrounds, tableware and props, is brought on site.
Do I need a food stylist?
Not always. When a stylist is on set, they take care of the fine details that make the difference; either way, the work is done in close agreement with whoever prepares the dish.
Do you also work on books and publications?
Yes. As well as menus, websites, social media and advertising campaigns, the studio's photographs have been published in books and volumes devoted to food and wine.
A new menu, a book or a product with a story to tell?
Tell us about the project and the place it comes from: we'll plan the shoot together, from the kitchen to the final frame.
Request a Project Brief