How to photograph food
What it really takes to make something look delicious.
Anyone who has taken a photo of their plate in a restaurant knows how hard it is to make food look good on camera.
An industry is dedicated to advertising food products on TV, online and in print. What does it take to make a burger look delicious, desirable and realistic? And, most importantly, is any of the food in adverts real?
In this programme, Ruth Alexander meets a food stylist, a food photographer, and a director of food commercials, who share their industry’s tips and tricks. She’s joined by stylist Claire Ferrandi Smythe in Johannesburg, South Africa, photographer Sue Atkinson in London, United Kingdom and food commercials director Steve Giralt in New York, United States, who has made a name for himself with flying food and robots.
If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]
Presented by Ruth Alexander.
Produced by Beatrice Pickup.
(Image: A hand lifting a slice from a pizza with cheese, peppers, mushrooms and meat. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Broadcasts
- Thu 16 Mar 202304:32GMTBBC World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, Australasia, East Asia & South Asia
- Thu 16 Mar 202305:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, South Asia & East Asia only
- Thu 16 Mar 202311:32GMTBBC World Service
- Thu 16 Mar 202321:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 16 Mar 202323:32GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & BBC Afghan Radio
- Sun 19 Mar 202308:32GMTBBC World Service except Europe and the Middle East
Podcast
![]()
The Food Chain
Examining what it takes to put food on your plate


