Cmcg Creative, Halifax (2026)

24/07/2026

Camera and lighting setup 👇🏻 (save for later)

So I use the Sony a7R V with a Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 lens for all these shots. It gives me a wide variety of styles which means the client at the end gets a wide variety of shots to use too 📸

Then I’ll use a single flash which is the Godox AD600 PRO II. Depending on the style will depend on how much diffusion I’ll use. Typically this light will be placed to the side or it’ll back light all my shots. Flash power will be 1/16 or brighter 📸

Typical setting I’ll be around f/9.0 with a shutter speed of 1/250. This is so I cut out most the ambient light and also get most the dish in focus with a larger depth of field. I’ll adjust other settings accordingly.

The main thing I’m thinking about is telling the story of the entire experience.

When I shoot restaurant content, I’m always thinking about how the images will be used across Instagram, websites, Google, menus and future marketing campaigns. Variety is what gives clients the most value. So make sure you:

☕️ Use menus to strengthen the brand
🔍 Capture close-up details to highlight texture
🙌 Include staff interaction to bring personality
🍽️ Create clean flat lays for social media and menus
🪑 Step back for wider table shots that show the atmosphere
🍴 Finish with eating and action shots to make the food feel real

What shot do you always make sure you capture on a cafe shoot?

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Shot for based in Saltaire, West Yorkshire

Food Photography Tips | Restaurant Photography Ideas | Yorkshire Food Photographer | Best Brunch Spots in Yorkshire | Photography Tips For Beginners | Dark And Moody Food Photography | Content Ideas For Restaurants | Sony Alpha Shooter | Camera Gear For Food Photographers | Flash Food Photography | Creative Food Photography Ideas

20/07/2026

The answer. Create more mess 😋 Content that’s currently catching attention feels more human, spontaneous and ‘messy’

Think first bites, sauce drips, finger licks, crumbs, pours and people genuinely enjoying the food. A brands vibe and personality needs to be shown through the content as this connects a lot more than over styled shoots 🤝🏻

As photographers, it’s easy to chase perfection. But sometimes the shot that feels a little chaotic is the one that gets remembered.

Here are a few ways I like to make food content feel more craveable:
🍔 Encourage people to interact with the food
🧀 Capture the cheese pull, sauce drip or first bite
📸 Photograph the making, not just the finished dish
🤍 Leave the crumbs, fingerprints and imperfections
⚡ Use movement to create energy
👥 Focus on the experience as much as the food

Don’t get me wrong there will always be a place for clean hero shots. But if every image feels polished, posed and predictable, you risk blending in. Be unique and creative. That’s how you create an identity and differentiate to everyone else

Do you think food photography is moving away from perfection?

Follow Cameron McGarvey | Photographer for more food photography, restaurant content and hospitality marketing tips.

Shot for Falafel Guys 🌯 sixsliceuk Big Buns Burgers based in Leeds City Centre 📍

MY GEAR:

Sony A7RV
Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8
Godox AD600 Pro II
K&F Concept 90”/230cm Horizontal Tripod

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10/07/2026

How I’d photograph French cuisine (steak, crème brûlée, wine and more) 🇫🇷📸

One thing I’ve learnt from photographing restaurants…

Not every dish should be photographed the same way. A steak deserves different lighting to a bowl of French onion soup. A glass of wine tells a different story to a crème brûlée so will suit different styles. And all food will require different styling to bring the most out of it

The more you understand the food you’re photographing, the easier it becomes to create images that make people stop scrolling.

A few things I’m always thinking about during a fine dining shoot 👇🏻

🥩 Use directional light to bring out texture and depth
🍷 Pair drinks with dishes to tell a more complete story
🧅 Get close enough to showcase ingredients and detail
✨ Respect the chef’s plating rather than constantly moving food
🤍 Keep styling minimal and let the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves
📸 Change your composition depending on the dish—macro, 45°, overhead and wider hero shots all have their place
🍽️ Finish with a full table shot to tell the story of the entire dining experience

What cuisine/food do you want to see next? 👇🏻

Shot at Restaurant @ Sous Le Nez a French Restaurant based in Leeds City Centre

Like & Follow Cameron McGarvey | Photographer for more food photography, restaurant photography and hospitality content ❤️

MY GEAR:

Sony A7RV
Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8
Godox AD600 Pro II
K&F Concept 90”/230cm Horizontal Tripod

Food Photography | Restaurant Photography | Fine Dining Photography | French Cuisine | Food Styling | Photography Tips For Beginners | Leeds Food Photographer | Food Photographer UK | Where To Eat In Leeds | How To Photograph Food | Creative Photography Ideas For Restaurants

06/07/2026

Camera gear advice, shot list, business tips and a few other pieces of advice for you all 👍🏻

I mean I’ve made plenty of mistakes (way more than I could fit on a carousel slide post) but ff I could go back and give myself advice when I first started, it’d probably be this 👇🏻

📸 Get closer than you think.
🤍 Stop chasing perfection. The best food often looks enjoyed, not untouched.
👥 Photograph the experience, not just the plate.
✨ Movement will almost always beat a static shot.
💡 Master your lighting before upgrading your camera.
💰 Charge for the value you create, not just the hours you’re there.
🤝 Being easy to work with is just as important as taking great photos.
🍽️ Restaurants don’t need 50 photos of the same dish. They need content that tells the full story.

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt?

Keep shooting and posting. The more you shoot the better you get. Chase quantity over quality. Quality will follow the more you practice. Even if it’s not paid jobs, push your skills and just take your camera out and about

Any photography questions? Let me know👇🏻

Like & Follow Cameron McGarvey | Photographer for more food photography, business and hospitality content ❤️

Images shot for copperandmoss based in Saltaire, West Yorkshire 📍

MY GEAR:

Sony A7RV
Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8
Godox AD600 Pro II
K&F Concept 90”/230cm Horizontal Tripod

Food Photography | Yorkshire Food Photographer | Restaurant Photography Tips | Freelance Photography Business | Creative Photography Ideas | What Camera To Buy For Food Photographers | Sony Alpha Shooter | Cafe Photography Ideas | Content Ideas For Restaurants | Dark And Moody Food Photography | Where To Eat In West Yorkshire | Flash Food Photography

26/06/2026

10 creative shots for your next food shoot 📸🍽️ (save this)

One of the biggest mistakes I see with food photography is taking the same photo over and over again.

Same angle.
Same table.
Same composition.

A few simple changes can instantly make your content feel more creative and help your work stand out 👇🏻

🥪 Shoot with a wide-angle lens to exaggerate the size of the food
🍴 Show the making of the dish, not just the finished product
👀 Add interaction with bites, pours and hands entering the frame
🧱 Use different textures and locations around the venue instead of only shooting at the table
🤍 Pair food with drinks to tell more of the story
📸 Mix flat lays, 45° angles and eye-level hero shots
✨ Focus on texture by showing cross-sections and close-up details

The goal isn’t to create 10 completely different shoots (because that would just be too time consuming and not good business)

It’s to find 10 different ways of looking at the same product

Let me know which shot is your favourite! 👇🏻

Like & Follow Cameron McGarvey | Photographer for more food, restaurant & hospitality photography ideas ❤️

Shot for inside Green Room in Leeds 📍

Food Photography | Restaurant Photography | Creative Food Photography | Sandwich Photography | Food Photography Tips | How To Improve Your Food Photos | How To Shoot Food | Where To Eat In Leeds | Visit Leeds | Leeds Restaurants | Leeds Bars | Sony Alpha Camera Gear | Flash Food Photography | Camera Settings For Food Photography | Food Photography Ideas | Creative Photography Inspiration | Food Shoot Checklist

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Halifax

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https://cmcgcreative.wixsite.com/photography

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