Packaging Photography That Makes Customers Bite
Food packaging photography is about so much more than just showing your product on the cover. It needs to be eye-catching in real life and scroll-stopping online. Great packaging photography tells a story and instantly conveys your brand’s values.
A few things to consider:
Styling & Technique: Styling is the first piece of the puzzle, but beyond that, you need a photographer who understands lighting, composition, and post-processing to create images that truly sing. Some products call for harder light to highlight texture, while others benefit from soft, diffused lighting.
Aspirational Imagery: Accuracy is essential, but so is emotional impact. Your photos should sell the dream, stir desire, and spark a connection.
Flavor Cues: The right image can trigger a craving. A juicy pickle, rich flowing chocolate, or crisp greens bursting with toppings—all crafted by an experienced food stylist—evoke immediate appetite appeal. From pristine product styling to thoughtful garnishes, a stylist helps showcase your product in its best light.
For a recent shoot with Meati and Smith Design, we updated the front and back food images on their vibrant packaging. The front images needed dramatic shadows to bring out texture while maintaining consistent product placement from previous versions. I created overlays in Capture One to ensure perfect placement and arrived with a tailored lighting plan.
For back-of-pack shots, which featured the product in use, we adjusted the lighting to enhance appetite appeal and ensure everything fit the designers’ crop requirements.
As you can see, what looks like a simple shoot involves a lot of precision, planning, and collaboration. I work closely with skilled stylists and bring the technical know-how to make your packaging photography truly shine.
Refreshing your packaging or launching something new? Let’s chat about how standout photography can help bring your brand’s vision to life.
