The Food on This Page Never Changes
Every photograph shows exactly the same £2.80 Meat Feast pizza from Sainsbury's.
We didn't swap it for a better-looking pizza.
We didn't add extra toppings.
We didn't replace it between photographs.
The only thing that changes is the photography.
That's important, because customers don't judge your business by the ingredients alone. They respond to what they see.
Whether they're scrolling through Google, browsing your website or looking at your menu, your photography shapes their expectations before they've tasted a single bite.
The four images below show how different approaches to photography change the way the same pizza is perceived.
From a quick smartphone snapshot to a bespoke Hero image created for a campaign, each photograph has a different purpose and creates a different impression.
None of them are "right" or "wrong".
The question is simply whether they're helping your business achieve the result you want.
Smartphone
This is where many businesses begin.
A quick photograph taken on a phone takes only a few seconds and shows customers what's on offer.
For quick, everyday social content, that's often enough.
When you're asking people to choose your business over another, though, this image has to compete with every other smartphone photo they see.
It documents the pizza.
It doesn't do much to sell it.
Professional Camera, One Light
A professional camera immediately captures more colour, texture and detail.
Add a single light, and the pizza starts to look fresher, warmer and more inviting.
This kind of straightforward professional setup is a significant step up from a smartphone and can work perfectly well when the aim is simply to create a clean, competent image.
The food hasn't changed.
Customers simply see it differently.
JaxMore Premium Photography
This is the minimum standard we deliver on every shoot.
The lighting is carefully shaped to bring out texture, colour and freshness, while keeping the food looking completely natural.
We can style the setting with props, cutlery, drinks and other elements to suit the brief. The difference at this level is that we work within an established set rather than building something new for every frame, allowing us to photograph a wide range of dishes efficiently while maintaining the quality you see here.
For many hospitality images, this is exactly the right approach.
It's also the standard included in our Seasonal Refresh sessions.
JaxMore Hero Photography
Sometimes a photograph needs to do more than show the food.
It needs to stop people scrolling, strengthen your brand and support a campaign.
For a Hero image, we build the set specifically around the shot, choosing the styling, props, lighting and atmosphere to create a stronger emotional connection while keeping the food itself as the hero.
Here, we did exactly that with the same £2.80 supermarket pizza.
The pizza hasn't changed. The story we've created around it has.
Independent Research. Measurable Results.
Beautiful photography should do more than look impressive.
But can professional food photography actually change what customers think a product is worth, or how likely they are to buy it?
Independent consumer research by Nottingham Trent University explored exactly that question, comparing responses to the same products photographed professionally and without professional styling and lighting.
When viewing the professional JaxMore images, participants:
- expected the product to cost 40% more
- said they were more likely to buy
- saw the product as higher quality
Think about what those differences could mean for your business. Stronger perceived value, greater purchase intent and customers who recognise the quality you're offering. Our Food Photography ROI Calculator lets you explore what potential improvements could mean in financial terms.
You can explore the full findings and what they mean for your business in our Nottingham Trent University research.
But there's another fascinating question. Why does photography have this effect?
Scientific research into visual perception, colour, texture and even the body's physiological responses to food imagery helps explain how photographs shape our expectations of taste, freshness and quality.
Understanding why food photography works reveals how the right images can make your products more appealing before anyone has tasted them.
And the difference can be surprisingly dramatic. We photographed the same supermarket pizza four different ways, changing the lighting, composition and presentation.
Our Before & After Photography comparison shows just how much these choices can influence the way your food looks.
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Copyright © 2018-2021, JaxMore - All rights reserved
KTBB Limited trading as JaxMore Food and Drink Photography
Registered in England, no. 08828493
VAT no. 177253392
Registered Address: Carwood Park, Selby Road, Leeds, LS25 1NB
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Try our ROI Calculator and run the numbers for your own business today
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