Why Food Photography is Important
One of the growing areas in photography is food photography. People are always fascinated with food. There are several websites dedicated to food photography alone and even several food blogs. The true purists are buying new cameras, so that they can take better pictures of meals.
This trend has not been able to escape the notice of restaurateurs faced with customers who are on tight entertainment budgets. In fact, the competition in this business has even forced many chefs and restaurant managers to take the visual appeal of the dishes more seriously than it was before.
We are in the era where the pressure for better visual appeal serve as that motivation to develop a food portfolio. It is not surprising that great food photography can be harder than it looks because it takes time to learn and you would also need to understand the psychology of food. Imagine taking a top-notch shot of a cone of ice-cream before it melts. How can you possibly do that? We have professional photographers for that and just as you know; photography is beyond one country, it is something universal and could possibly hold the culture of a particular place dearly.
Having said that, there is need for us to capture that national oriental dish known as Machboos, there is need for us to take a good shot of Quozi (stuffed lamb served on spiced rice), Muttabaq Samak (Kuwaiti fish and rice), Gers Ogaily (also known as Perfume Cake), Jireesh (Kuwaiti cracked wheat soup), Maglooba (upside-down rice cake), Gabout, Margoog and many others. The photographs you see in magazines, books and even on blogs and websites have input from stylist. Especially one who is experienced with working with different foods and props to make it look very presentable and delicious that you wouldn’t even know when you would start salivating. Food styling isn’t meant for everyone just as photography isn’t meant for all too. Some just have the natural aptitude for food styling but what is recognized as simple garnishes for most dishes goes beyond that creative ability.
The Kuwaiti Cuisine which is an infusion of Arabian, Persian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines needs so much attention just like any other food when it comes to food photography. I did mention that photographs could serve as vessels of culture peculiarity and even preservation especially when it comes in contact with the outside world. The Machboos can be an exquisite meal having a unique flavor with split chick peas and raisins. Now, it is the work of the food photographer to bring out that rich look in the food, the Jireesh is another delicacy known as cracked wheat soup prepared from the mashed wheat ceral with lamb or chicken, onions, tomatoes, bay leaves, raisins and the rest. This meal gifts that earthly and sweet flavor and it is known to be a comfort food. The photographer is meant to give that comforting but delicious shot. Individuals like Fahad Alfahad, Aref Alodat, Sulaiman (Mrfocusstudio), Fahad Alazmi, Yousef Salem and many others are food photographers in Kuwaiti but like most photographers their field is not limited to Kuwaiti alone but Saudi, Arabia, India and other countries in the Mediterranean.
Read also:
Top Selling Food Items in Kuwait:
- Machboos Chicken
- Shawerma
- Machboos Laham
- Boston Mushroom
- Chicken Tortila
- Bacon Cheese Fries
- Jabreet Shawarma
- Texas Chessy Pasta
- Mustabaq Zubaidi
- Halloumi Sandwich