Photos as good as the real thing.
Food and product photography, plus your premises and your people
I spend much of my working life photographing food and products, and I shoot every With Gumption job myself. You get honest, well-lit pictures of your food, stock, premises and team, ready for your website, menu boards, packaging and Google listing.
Why your own photos matter.
People buy food and products with their eyes, usually on a small screen and often before they've read a word. A good photo of your sourdough, your candles or your buffet spread answers questions a paragraph can't. How big is it? What's in it? Does it look like something I want right now?
Stock photos can't do that, because they aren't of your stuff. People notice, especially anyone who has seen the same smiling chef on three other websites this week. Google's own guidance asks for Business Profile photos that are in focus, well lit and true to life, which is a fair description of what we aim for anyway.
Food photography that makes people hungry.
Food is where I'm most at home. Cafés, bakeries, caterers, delis, farm shops and producers all need pictures that make people hungry without looking like plastic display models. That means proper light, the right angle for each dish, and food that's been plated to be eaten, not glued in place.
Most food shoots happen on location, in your kitchen or at your counter, using the food you actually serve. We plan a shot list with you beforehand, so dishes come out one at a time while they're fresh and you can keep serving customers around us. The result works for menu photography, your website, social posts and the specials board alike.
If you've been searching for a food photographer in Yorkshire who also understands websites and Google listings, this is the part of the job we'd most like to hear about.
Product photography for shops and makers.
For products, clarity comes first. Clean, consistent shots on a plain background for your website or online shop, so every item sits neatly beside the others and customers can see exactly what they're getting. That's the backbone of good ecommerce product photography.
Then come the lifestyle shots that show things in use, in a setting that suits your brand, for your homepage, social media and adverts. Smaller items can usually come to us, dropped off or posted. Larger things, like furniture, timber or garden products, are photographed where they live. Either way, we take real care over colour, because someone who orders the teal one expects a teal one to arrive.
Your premises and your people.
Customers like to know who they're dealing with and what the place looks like before they turn up. A few good shots of the shopfront, the counter, the workshop or the van, plus relaxed pictures of you and your team at work, do a lot of quiet persuading on a website and a Google listing.
Nobody has to stand with their arms folded. We photograph people doing what they do, whether that's icing a cake, trimming a beard or loading a delivery, and take a couple of straightforward portraits for your About page and social profiles while we're there.
How a shoot works.
Every shoot is planned around where the photos will end up, so nothing is wasted and nothing is missing.
A chat and a shot list.
We talk through what you sell, where the photos will be used and what you'd like more of. You get a written shot list and a fixed quote, so we both know exactly what the shoot covers.
A little preparation.
We'll tell you what to have ready: which dishes or products, clear surfaces, the team in uniform. For food, we agree the running order so each plate comes out fresh rather than wilting while we set up.
The shoot itself.
I work around your business, with lighting where it's needed. You're welcome to look over my shoulder and say if something doesn't feel like you, because it's far easier to fix on the day.
Editing and delivery.
Every image is edited by hand, with colour corrected and distractions tidied away, then supplied in sizes for your website, social media, print and Google Business Profile photos, in a clearly labelled folder.
Clear about where you can use them.
We agree up front where you'll use the photos. For most small businesses that's simply everywhere you market yourself. If packaging or a big advertising campaign is on the cards, mention it early and we'll cover it.
A food and product photographer in Bingley, near Bradford.
We're based in Bingley, so shoots around West Yorkshire are straightforward, from Saltaire, Keighley and Ilkley to Bradford and Leeds. We travel further across Yorkshire and beyond when a job calls for it, and product photography that can be posted to us can come from anywhere in the UK.
Because we also build websites and look after Google listings, the photos don't just sit in a download folder. We can put them straight to work on your site, your menus and your profile, which is usually where they make the most difference.
Real work
Mr Moussaka's food photography.
We shot new food photography for Mr Moussaka as part of rebuilding its website and ordering system, so every dish on the menu now looks like the thing that turns up in the box.
“Now all I need to do is make wonderful Moussaka for all of my lovely customers.”
Questions about photography.
How much does a food or product photo shoot cost?
It depends on how many dishes or products there are, where the shoot happens and where the photos will be used. A dozen items on a plain background is a very different day from a full menu shot on location with the team. We'll talk it through, agree a shot list and send you a fixed quote before anything is booked.
Do you shoot on location or in a studio?
Food is nearly always best photographed where it's made, in your kitchen or at your counter, so it reaches the camera fresh. Premises and people happen on site too, naturally. Smaller products can often come to us instead, which keeps things simple if you're further away. We'll suggest whichever gives the best result for what you sell.
Do I need a food stylist?
For most small businesses, no. I know how to make food look its best on camera, and your chef or baker usually knows the dishes better than anyone. For bigger jobs, like packaging or an advertising campaign, a specialist food stylist can be worth the extra, and we'll tell you honestly if we think your shoot needs one.
How should I prepare for a shoot?
We'll send a short checklist beforehand. Usually it means having the dishes or products ready in the order on the shot list, giving the space a tidy, and letting the team know what's happening and what to wear. For food, cook in small batches so every plate is fresh. Don't worry about making it perfect. That part is our job.
Can I use the photos on my website, social media and Google listing?
Yes, that's what they're for. Every image is supplied in sizes that suit each place, from a wide website banner to a square social post and your Google Business Profile. We agree the uses up front, so if you're planning packaging, printed adverts or anything unusual, mention it at the start and we'll make sure it's covered.
Do you only photograph food?
No. Food and products are the speciality, but we also photograph premises, interiors, vans, workshops and people at work, which nearly every small business needs at some point. If a photo helps a business look as good as it really is, it's probably something we can shoot. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll say straight away if it's a fit.
Photography for your trade.
Some of the trades we build for. Or see everyone we help.
Got something that's slowing you down?
Tell us what's eating your time, in your own words. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and what it would take.