Restaurant photography is a lot of fun! It’s also a lot of work. Not just for me, the photographer, but the entire kitchen team and management group involved. But the creative result of 6–8-hour days is SOO worth it.

I spent two days shooting the new food and beverage menu for the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. This is my second time shooting with the Fairmont and it’s always a blast. Usually, I’m solo shooting in my studio, but being on location means I get to collaborate with other fabulous creatives and food lovers to make the vision of the photograph come to life. 

When shooting a menu list, it’s important to plan and create a game plan. We worked off a mood board for inspiration and prop selection, and the kitchen team, led by Chef Jijupaul, worked on the detailed menu items needed. Behind the scenes, it’s like a magical dance between shooting, cooking, styling and resetting for the next plate. Dishes were timed so when we were done shot, the next one was ready to go. Lots and lots of hard work behind the scenes.

Being able to leverage the most from the shoot is key for a robust content strategy. Plated items were executed in a way that allowed for both single plates to be shot, but also group shots. The second day of shooting was ‘geniusly’ planned by the Fairmont’s marketing team too. We were joined by the talented Amy Moedt from Red Tree Photography who shot lifestyle sessions with the plated dishes. As I finished shooting the items in one dining area, the plates would make their way to another dining area where Amy would shoot action scenes. It was brilliant. Cook once, shoot twice!

I feel so grateful to be a part of capturing the creativity and artistry for the Fairmont. Here are a few of my favourite shots from the two days.