Food Photography 101 for Singapore Restaurants

Food photography has become more important than ever, given the meteoric rise in the popularity of food delivery platforms and the surge in the number of people using them. This can be attributed to the global pandemic, along with the hustle and bustle of people’s daily lives. With the food delivery sector in Singapore forecast to be worth US$ 708 million by 2025 and the users utilising such services expected to reach 3.6 million, it is imperative to ensure your food photography on food delivery apps is nothing less than perfect.

Why is food photography so important?

With an ever-growing customer base using Singapore’s many food delivery platforms like Foodpanda, Deliveroo and GrabFood, you have to showcase your dishes in the right light. It will entice diners to select your restaurant if the photos you use really pop and make your food look mouth-wateringly appetising.

If you are able to utilise food photography properly, your business will likely see an increase in revenue and profits as more and more people will be flocking to try the delicious delicacies you are serving up.

To help you achieve this, we at Smart City Kitchens have prepared an in-depth guide to food photography for the various food delivery platforms in Singapore.

1. Foodpanda

Renowned for being one of the powerhouses of the food delivery market, there are three types of photos you have to get right to really stand out from the crowd – listing photo, banner photo and dish photo.

Listing photo – This is the first image customers see when your restaurant pops up on their Foodpanda feed. In most cases, it features a restaurant’s signature dishes that are the hallmark of the eatery. Since this is the first visual point of contact, it is essential to make sure that the picture used captures the very essence of what your F&B business is about, while also ensuring that it piques customers’ interest and encourages them to order from you.

Banner photo – This is essentially a large image that represents your restaurant’s profile. It should consist of multiple signature dishes or a particular item on the menu, especially if it has a unique selling point, such as being made in a particular way or using traditional methods.

Dish photo – These are individual photos on the restaurant’s menu that can be found on the Foodpanda app. It should showcase what the dish looks like and be taken from an angle that makes it look incredibly scrumptious.

Image size

Listing and banner photos

Minimum dimension of 1440px x 1053px
Minimum size of 200KB
Dishes should be in the centre of the photo
Images should not be blurry
Don’t include food items that are not served by your restaurant
Watermarks, logos, collages, text and borders are strictly prohibited

Dish photos

Minimum dimension of 1000px x 731px
Minimum size of 200KB
Photos of any food should be in the centre of the image
Images should be clear and bright
Don’t feature dishes that are not served by your eatery
Don’t include any watermarks, logos, collages, text and borders

Quality requirements

Listing and banner photos

Same photos can be used for your listing and banner photos
Have images of at least five different dishes
The angle should be 90 degrees (top view)
The picture of your dish should take up at least 80% of the frame
All food items must be in focus
Props can be used to complement the dishes
Have a plain and bright background

Dish photo

Should be one photo
Recommended that it be taken from a 45-degree angle (However, this can vary depending on the type of dish it is as burgers should be taken from a front view – 0-degree angle, while soups and curries should be taken from a 90-degree top angle view)
The dish should take up at least 80% of the frame
The entire food item should be in focus
Don’t use any props
Use a plain background

Lighting tips

Here are a few food photography lighting styles that can really elevate your dishes to a whole new level.

Lighting from the side – Brings out shadows and bright spots of dishes
Diffused light – Using a reflective surface will help bounce and diffuse natural or artificial lighting onto your food
Natural light – The best option to use when doing food photography
Artificial light – Ideal to use 2 hot shoe flashes with modifiers

Editing tips

Use the following to make your photos stand out even further:

Sharpen the photo – Gives it definition and makes the dish look sleeker and more elegant
Adjust the white balance – Warmer light makes food look much more appealing
Adjust the brightness and contrast – Boosts the colours, highlights and shadows of your food
Tweak the saturation – Another great way to let the colours pop

2. Deliveroo

Another major player in the food delivery sector, there are four main things to keep in mind – dish placement, aspect ratio, specifications and stock photos.

Hero images – People will see this first when coming across your restaurant on the Deliveroo app, so it is imperative that it is of the highest quality.

Menu item images – These are individual photos of the dishes your establishment serves. In order to entice people to order from you, these snaps need to really shine.

Dish placement

Hero images

All hero images should have at least five different dishes
The food items should take up the majority of the photo
First photo people will see, so make sure it truly represents your brand
Don’t overcrowd the image with too many dishes
No watermarks, hands, faces, text or raw ingredients should be in the image
Collages and photoshopped images are not permitted

Menu item images

One image that clearly shows the ingredients
Use a clear background
Ensure the dish is centred
Use natural light to avoid reflections and shadows
Don’t use any watermarks, hands, faces, text or raw ingredients
Avoid collages and photoshopping images

Aspect ratio

Hero images – at least 1920px x 1080px (Anything higher must have a 16:9 ratio)
Menu item images – at least 1200px x 800px
All photos should be landscape
Whole food item should be in the image
Ensure the photo isn’t blurry
For dishes like burgers, sandwiches, cakes and drinks, use a 45-degree side-on angle

Specifications

All images must be JPEG format
Images must be named according to the dish it is representing

Stock photos

All photos uploaded must be owned by you
Stock photos or images taken from search engines like Google are not allowed

3. GrabFood

GrabFood is Singapore’s most popular food delivery app, with 77 percent of people using it, according to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight. Furthermore, it acquired Uber’s Southeast Asia operations in 2018. Given its popularity amongst the locals, restaurants wanting to feature on the app have to follow specific requirements during the food photography process.

Banner image – This is the customer’s first point of contact when finding your restaurant. This photo should emanate what kind of cuisine your eatery specialises in.

List image – This is the picture that will be shown when your business is on the list next to other restaurants. In order to stave off your competitors, your food photography can’t afford to be anything less than top-notch.

Angles

Overhead shots – Food items should be placed in the centre of the frame
45-degree shots – A single dish should be the main focus
Straight-on shot (side view) – Ideal to showcase the ingredients in dishes, making it perfect for burgers, sandwiches, cakes or drinks

Plating

It is essential that your food is cooked properly before being plated up and ready to be photographed
The plating of the food should exude class, so make sure nothing has spilt and there are no stains or marks that will turn your customers away

Cover photo

Upload two pictures with one being in 1:1 aspect ratio (750px x 750px) and the other in 9:5 (1350px x 750px)
Should make it easy to identify what type of food your restaurant serves
Use a picture that best captures the branding of your establishment