San Diego Restaurant Photographer Shares How to Choose the Best Dishes for Your Photos

As a San Diego food photographer, I was recently interviewed on a podcast about restaurant photography for marketing and branding. The host, another food photographer, asked how I help restaurants decide which dishes to feature during a professional photoshoot.

Many food brands—especially small, independent San Diego restaurants—have a limited budget for professional photography. That’s why I’ve developed a method to help them strategically select the best dishes to showcase in order to maximize their marketing impact. High-quality restaurant photography drives engagement, increases brand awareness, and ultimately attracts more customers.

Listen to my interview with fellow food photographer, Mica McCook on episode 062: Dish Decisions, of The Savory Shot, the podcast that explores the world of food photography here:

Spotify,
Apple Podcasts,
Amazon Music,
iHeartRadio,
and Podbean.

How to Choose the Best Dishes for a Restaurant Photoshoot

To make the selection process simple, I provide my clients with a Restaurant Photography Checklist—a free tool designed for restaurant owners, managers, and chefs who want to plan an effective food photography session. This checklist ensures that your restaurant’s best menu items are photographed in a way that enhances your brand and appeals to your ideal customers.

This guide is perfect for:
✔️ San Diego restaurant owners looking to increase sales and drive profits
✔️ Marketing teams managing content for local food brands
✔️ Chefs and restaurant managers who want to highlight their signature dishes to update their website and social media visuals
✔️ Food photographers aiming to build a compelling portfolio or deliver a quality suite of images that will help restaurants meet their marketing goals

The checklist can be used to:

Plan dishes for a photoshoot based on visual appeal, popularity, business benefits, and branding goals
Audit an existing image library or social media feed to identify content gaps and verify that all images reflect current plating and brand aesthetics. As plating evolves and ingredients change, outdated images should be replaced. While some brands have high-quality photos that are hard to let go of, an audit helps ensure all visuals align with current brand colors, personality, and values—whether playful, professional, casual, or sophisticated.
Maintain variety and cohesion in your restaurant’s food photography collection to ensure all images reflect a cohesive style that aligns with the brand’s identity and messaging.

Some dishes may fulfill multiple criteria on the checklist, while others require a mix of several dishes to achieve a balanced and visually compelling menu showcase.

The Must-Have Shots for Your Restaurant’s Food Photography

Stay tuned for my upcoming posts, where I’ll break down the must-have shots for your restaurant’s food photography session. These posts will cover:

Photos that tell your brand story
How to highlight your best-selling dishes
Shots most likely to boost profits
Dishes that will drive sales

Need More Than Just Food Photography?

When Southern California food brands and restaurants need more than just stunning food photography, I bring a full-service marketing approach to the table. Based in San Diego, I’m not just a restaurant photographer—I also specialize in:

✔️ Marketing Strategy & Brand Building – Helping restaurants craft a strong visual identity
✔️ Prop Curation & Visual Storytelling – Ensuring every shot aligns with your brand’s aesthetic
✔️ Recipe Development & Blog Content – Creating content that boosts SEO & engagement
✔️ Photo Styling & Composition – Making your dishes look irresistibly appetizing
✔️ Social Media Content Creation & Management – Helping your brand stand out online
✔️ Graphic Design & Branding – Providing polished visuals for menus, ads, and promotions