Five Don’ts on a Restaurant Photoshoot

I’ve done photography for several restaurants, with a fast and a slow pace environment, restaurants with big or small kitchens.  I’ve taken pictures during the day and/or night, with a staff in a good and a bad mood.  It’d get specially hectic during their busy hours. I’ve had to multitask between cooking and photography (many times I was afraid for my camera!)  and there are always so many other crazy situations that the best way to react has always been to use ‘common sense’.

One has to have an idea of what will be photographed, if it’s the staff and the restaurant ambiance, or if only the dishes will be photographed.  A list always comes in handy, and I have many other tips, but for now I have these basic 5 things to avoid for when you are taking pictures at a restaurant. Bonus: If you bring something tasty to the front/back of the house, it might help.

1.  Check Once, Check Twice, Check Again!

Image Credit: Gallery Mobile

Don’t forget Double-Triple Checking your equipment & Battery Life the night before. (been there, not fun).

2.  Don’t Make The Chef Angry.

Image Credit: GifBin

 Seriously don’t make the Chef angry, he/she will kick you out of the kitchen in one second if you piss him/her off. 

3. Get Out Of The Way!

Photo Credit: Break Room Stories

Don’t get in the way of waiters/waitresses. You can ruin their whole ‘serving tables rhythm’ (don’t mess with that, how would you feel if someone gets in the way of one of your shots? exactly.)

4.  Focus. Don’t Get Distracted.

Image on Tumblr

Ahem, hitting on waiters/waitresses/cooks, and that also includes eating anything while you are working. (You need both hands to hold your camera, and remember, it’s business, no pleasure).

5.  Be Careful. There Will Be: Fire, Knives, and Angry Cooks: because… IT’S A KITCHEN!

Photography by: Petra Hall

Don’t leave any equipment inside or anywhere inside the kitchen, accidents do happen.

What are your don’ts when taking pictures at a restaurant?