Comments on: Snapping Photos at Restaurants: Should You?

By: Selba

Selba — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:20:14 +0000

Just last week, when I had a lunch at a Japanese restaurant, the manager didn’t allow me to take pictures. I guess the restaurant is afraid that I might from a competitor restaurant.

It’s been always a challenge when taking pictures in a restaurant or food on the street. It might attract other people curiosity to see someone is busy taking food pictures. Some food vendors are happy being captured and some other are showing hesitant and unwilling to cooperate. As for my friends when I dine with them, mostly, they feel annoy because I’m busy with taking pictures of the food instead of directly eating and enjoying my food,

Well, frankly speaking, sometimes I do feel shy or uncomfortable when I take pictures in restaurants although I’ve never used flash when I take food pictures. Sometimes, I might ask a permission first or explain to the waiter that the purpose of taking pictures is for my food blog, but then sometimes I don’t ask permission if I think the restaurant probably is already familiar with people taking pictures of their food in their restaurant.

By: Parisbreakfasts

Parisbreakfasts — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:09:18 +0000

For 7 years on and off I shot the chefs, the plates, the prep, the guests at the James Beard House, so I’m not too intimidated to shoot in a restaurant. But I would NEVER EVER use flash. Aside from being intrusive and rude, it blows out the dish in an unpleasent way – no natural shadows. It does happen that occasionally I’m enjoy the food too much and completely forget to take a shot before diving in….ahem.
Certainly asking first is a good idea.

By: My Carolina Kitchen

My Carolina Kitchen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:26:19 +0000

Thank you for addressing this subject. I don’t yet feel comfortable photographing food in a restaurant. I’ve done it only once and asked first if they minded. They said “yes, of course” so I took a couple of pictures. I would love to know more about how to do it and I’ve enjoyed reading the comments here.
Sam

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:06:13 +0000

I’m so thankful for this post and all the thoughtful responses. I have been trying to decide how much photography is okay at restaurants as I’ve been learning and practicing a lot recently.

I’ve always taken photos of beautiful plates well before I had a food blog, so I never associated it with an annoying food blogger habit until recently when I got my SLR camera. I no longer felt inconspicuous!

I agree that using a flash is bad form and maybe I should make a self-enforced 2 or 3 shot per dish rule. I’ve never been told to put away the camera, but then most of the pics I take are of my very photogenic son and when they’ve “caught” me before photographing the food, I just say something about how beautiful the food was presented and the waiters always smile and complement the chefs.

I dare say that comping my meal would be a great way to get me not to do a review. I hope I can fly under the radar enough for this not to happen.

By: SinoSoul

SinoSoul — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:38:50 +0000

Sat thru Blue Hill Stone Bar's 8 course tasting on the 11th. While gifted with rain-softened NY light at 5pm, by the time the ACTUAL first course came, my table was devoid of sun light. Nonetheless, I used the SLR w/ unabashed enthusiasm. The staff served around my camera and voiced nary a complaint. 13 "amuse", 6 savories, 3 desserts + petit fours. I only missed picture of the petit fours. No flash ma! Face Bacon

By: Nikchick

Nikchick — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:54:57 +0000

I’ve taken thousands of food photos for my personal blog over the years. I try to be quick and unobtrusive about it. My friends and co-workers not only know that I do this but have come to expect me to do it; they comment on it when I *don’t* photograph and frequently offer their plates even when I don’t ask. I’ve never been asked by a restaurant not to photograph but I also don’t engage in any crazy antics to stage photos or use flash… I’m always disappointed when the lighting in a restaurant is too dim to take decent photos but I never resort to flash. I took non-flash photos of every course during my trips to The Herbfarm (similar to your Blue Farm experience) and bothered no one while doing it.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:53:45 +0000

We dined at Manresa a few weeks ago and I brought my DSLR along with a macro lens designed for low-light conditions. Pictures were still a challenge because the restaurant was dimly lit, but I still refrained from using flash. In fact, I never use it at all because I find it destroys the picture, and yes, it would annoy other diners in a restaurant. I limited myself to 3 quick shots of each dish to be unobtrusive as possible. I was initially hesitant to bring the camera along considering Manresa’s intimate ambience, but it helped that the couple at the next table were also photographing their food (without flash). It was my first time photographing dishes in a restaurant so I plan to do it a couple more times before deciding whether to continue with it.

By: Michele

Michele — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:10:27 +0000

I do take photos and I have never been asked to put my camera away. I try not to draw attention to myself. I don’t spend a lot of time on the shot because I don’t want to be a distraction and let’s face it … I really just want to enjoy my meal like everyone else. I never really noticed anyone noticing me. However, there was one occasion when I visited a tapas restaurant and our server asked if I was a spy. When I explained that I was writing a review he shrugged and said “ok”. My after dinner drink was comped, but I doubt that had anything to do with the review.

I prefer to include photos with my reviews even if it means that I’m not a “real” reviewer. In my opinion it adds something to the piece.

By: Nani

Nani — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:54:05 +0000

I have yet to see a food blog with decent photos taken in restaurants or “this is what I just ate” approach-(sorry Owen, they just wouldn’t cut it here, in my book); most blogs we see these days are people shooting at home the food they’ve cooked or recreated, and some of them have experience with using a good camera.

If you can be inconspicuous with shooting, I supposed it shouldn’t bother anyone, but if it does-put it away. More than 10 years ago, when I was building a cafe I used to document the meals and things I like in restaurants, but this was long before it was a rage. I might find it annoying today. Kind of like cell phones; there’s a time in place for them, and most often they don’t belong in restaurants.

By: Celeste

Celeste — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:23:38 +0000

No flash photos! Non-flash photos are okay in less-formal settings, provided that you’re unobtrusive. Obviously, if you’re attempting to write a legitimate restaurant review, you need to leave the camera at home. As you learned, once you snap a photo (flash or not), you will attract undue attention. “Real” reviewers aren’t snapping pics.