How Much Does Food Photography Cost in London? (The No-BS Guide for Restaurants & Food Brands)

By Andras Dietrich - Chef-Turned Food Photographer & Videographer, London

If you’ve been searching for how much a food photographer costs in London, you’ve already noticed something strange:

Prices range from £150 to £3,000+, and no two photographers explain why.

So here’s the no-BS, expert breakdown from someone who’s spent over a decade in kitchens, worked with premium brands, and now produces high-end photography and video for restaurants, manufacturers, and food brands across London.

Because the truth is simple:

Good food photography doesn’t cost money; it makes money.

More clicks, better conversion awareness.
Bad food photography costs you far more than it ever saves.

Let’s break down what real food photography costs in London today, why the prices vary, and how to choose the option that actually moves your business forward.

TL;DR — Food Photography Costs in London

• 4–5 hour session: from £650 (30 edited photos)

• Full-day shoot: from £950 (40–60 photos)

• Content day: from £1,650 (photos + 6–8 videos)

• Prices depend on styling complexity, setups, location, and post-production

• Premium photography = higher conversions, better ads, stronger branding

• Ideal for restaurants, food brands, manufacturers, and delivery platforms

Scroll down for case studies, real client results, and how pricing works.

What Food Photography Costs in London (2025 Pricing)

Here are the real numbers, based on current London market rates:

4–5 Hour Food Photography Session — from £650

This is the easiest and lowest-risk entry point.
Perfect for restaurants, small food brands, and delivery-only businesses needing:

• Menu updates
  
  

• Deliveroo / Uber Eats / Just Eat photography
  
  

• Website refresh
  
  

• Social media content
  
  

• Ambience & lifestyle shots
  
  

You can expect around 30 fully edited photos that you can use across:

• Websites
  
  

• Delivery apps
  
  

• Instagram
  
  

• Ads
  
  

• Printed materials
  
  

For most businesses, this is the “let’s finally fix the photos” session - fast, efficient, and massively impactful.

Or try a photographer, videographer before we invest in a continuous content creation plan.

Full-Day Food Photography — from £950

A full day gives space for:

• Multiple setups
  
  

• More complex dishes
  
  

• Bar, ambience, interior shots
  
  

• Lifestyle scenes
  
  

• Higher volume content
  
  

Typically, clients receive 40–60 photos depending on complexity. Often offered hybrid days where photography and videography are mixed.

This is ideal when you’re launching a new menu, opening a new location, or want a full brand refresh.

Content Day (Photo + Video) — from £1,650

This is where brands get the best long-term value.

A content day includes:

• 30 edited photos
  
  

• 6–8 short-form videos (hero shots, scroll-stoppers, product demos, lifestyle scenes)
  
  

• Two-person crew when needed
  
  

• Storytelling direction
  
  

• Consistent visual identity for campaigns, reels, ads, or website content
  
  

Brands can ask this monthly or quarterly when they need a content bank boost to always stay fresh.

If you want to step into the world of paid ads, higher conversions, and brand storytelling, this is the package that delivers ROI.

Campaigns & Manufacturer Shoots - Custom Pricing

Campaigns require more planning:

• Pre-production
  
  

• Studio rental
  
  

• Creative direction

• Brand messaging and business goals
  
  

• Multiple crew members
  
  

• Specialist lighting
  
  

• Lifestyle setups
  
  

• Scripted or structured video production
  
  

Because no two campaigns are the same, these are priced after a consultation, but they usually start from £2,000+ and scale with requirements.

Why Food Photography Costs What It Costs

Food photography is one of the most technically demanding types of photography.

Five main factors impact the cost:

1. Styling Complexity

A Deliveroo shoot (where dishes come out fast and consistently) is very different to a shoot where:

• Each burger needs perfect stacking
  
  

• Each drizzle needs a perfect texture.
  
  

• Each dish needs chef-level plating.
  
  

• Every item needs its own setup.p
  
  

If the kitchen sends dishes quickly, we can capture a lot in a short time, up to 30 dishes in a 4–5 hour session.

If each dish needs custom styling, that number drops, but the quality increases.

2. Number of Setups / Scenes

Each lighting change = time.

A simple menu shoot is fast.
A lifestyle campaign with props, hands, ingredients, and storytelling takes longer.

3. Location vs Studio

Studio photography gives full control.

Restaurant/location photography must adapt to:

• Light conditions
  
  

• Space limitations
  
  

• Kitchen timing
  
  

• Live service flow
  
  

This affects speed and complexity.

4. Pre-Production

The more planned a shoot is, the smoother it runs.

This often includes:

• Creative direction
  
  

• Prop selection
  
  

• Backgrounds
  
  

• Shot list building
  
  

• Brand identity alignment
  
  

• Storytelling decisions
  
  

This matters more for campaigns than menu shoots.

5. Post-Production

A professional photo isn’t finished when the shutter clicks.

Editing includes:

• Retouching
  
  

• Colour correction
  
  

• Cropping
  
  

• Exporting multiple sizes
  
  

• Delivery formatting (Deliveroo/Uber Eats/ Just Eat specs, website specs, social media ratios)
  
  

Poor editing = poor results.
Premium editing = content that sells.

Real Case Studies - What London Clients Actually Paid

Manufacturer Content Pack — £2,000

A manufacturer needed:

• 3 hero videos for new products
  
  

• 20 lifestyle clips for ads and launches
  
  

Delivered as a cohesive content bank for a full campaign.

Premium BBQ Joint - Half-Day session

Multiple shoots capturing:

• Deliveroo / Uber Eats dishes
  
  

• Lifestyle scenes
  
  

• Website imagery
  
  

Fast, consistent output: 30 edited photos per session.

Cheese Brand - Full day shoot for a Highly Styled Product Shoot

• Multiple cheese bundles
  
  

• High styling complexity
  
  

• Flat lays
  
  

• Lifestyle setups
  
  

• Creative storytelling
  
  

This is where experience matters - knowing how to style, shape, and present food makes or breaks the result. Delivered 5 hero images and 20 supporting images on a full-day shoot.
The shoot will fuel the creatives for the whole Christmas campaign, where they do 40% of their annual sales.

How My Chef Background Changes Everything

Before photography, I spent 10 years as a chef, including cooking for the Royal Family and developing 100s of recipes.

This gives me a unique advantage:

• I understand food deeply - texture, shape, behaviour
  
  

• I know how chefs think and how kitchens run.
  
  

• I anticipate issues before they happen.n
  
  

• I guide plating when needed.
  
  

• I know the angles that sell

• Know what is important for the customer.r
  
  

This makes shoots smoother, faster, and more aligned with how restaurants and brands need to communicate.

Chefs trust me.
Marketing teams trust the result.

And the final images feel more authentic, because they come from someone who’s lived the craft.

Why Premium Food Photography Costs More and Delivers More

Cheap photography gives you “nice photos.” If you're lucky

Premium photography gives you:

• Better conversion rates
  
  

• Higher engagement
  
  

• Lower ad costs
  
  

• Stronger brand identity
  
  

• More bookings
  
  

• More online orders
  
  

• More trust from customers
  
  

A premium photographer also knows how to:

• Solve unexpected lighting issues
  
  

• Change setups fast
  
  

• Adapt to your space
  
  

• Work with your team
  
  

• Style food on the fly
  
  

• Shoot both stills and video with consistency.cy
  
  

Low-budget photographers often deliver:

• No retouching
  
  

• Inconsistent lighting
  
  

• No understanding of the food or brand
  
  

• Pretty photos that don’t sell
  
  

• More work for your marketing team
  
  

• Assets that quickly become unusable
  
  

The difference isn’t the camera.
It’s the expertise.

Who Gets the Most Value from High-End Food Photography?

• Premium restaurants
  
  

• Food brands launching new products
  
  

• Manufacturers with lifestyle needs
  
  

• Brands with strong identity and story
  
  

• Restaurants that want to increase bookings
  
  

• Delivery-focused businesses want better conversion.
  
  

• Anyone running paid ads
  
  

• Ingredients brands

• Culinaryproducts,s hospitality brands
  
  
  

If you have an amazing product but feel you’re “invisible online,” content is the missing piece.

What Results Do Clients See After a Professional Shoot?

• Higher booking rates
  
  

• Lower cost-per-click on ads
  
  

• Higher ROAS
  
  

• Better brand presentation across platforms
  
  

• Stronger Instagram engagement
  
  

• Better performing Deliveroo/Uber Eats listings
  
  

• Saved time for marketing teams (no more fighting bad photos)
  
  

• Clearer, more consistent brand identity
  
  

Quality visuals don’t just look good; they sell.

So… How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

Here’s the simplest model:

• If you want to test the waters → £650 session
  
  

• If you want a brand-level upgrade → £950 full day
  
  

• If you want photo + video + ads-ready assets → £1,650+ content day
  
  

• If you want a scalable campaign → custom pricing
  
  

The £650 and £950 sessions are intentionally designed to be low-risk, high-value options for businesses that want to finally get content done the proper way — without overcommitting.

But once brands see the difference, they almost always move to content days or campaign work.

Final Thought: This Isn’t an Expense, It’s an Investment

One great photo can outperform 100 mediocre ones.

One strong content day can fuel a brand’s marketing for months.

If you want to attract better customers, stand out in London’s saturated market, and communicate the quality of your food or product, your visuals need to work as hard as you do.

And when done right, they absolutely do.

Ready to Improve Your Food Photography? Start with a Low-Risk Session and get results.

If you want to upgrade your visuals without committing to a full campaign, my £650 and £950 sessions are the best low-risk way to get high-quality photography that actually works.

You’ll receive:

• Fully styled, professionally lit images

• Expert chef-level understanding of your dishes

• Creative direction matched to your brand

• Edited files for Deliveroo, Uber Eats, websites, ads, and social media

• A smooth, efficient shoot with real business results

👉 Let's have a chat to see which package is right for you.
👉 View my Portfolio to see the quality you can expect.