Food Photography for Delivery Apps (Phone Only)

Light: the only thing that really matters

• Shoot next to a window between 10 am and 3 pm. Never use the kitchen's tube light — it makes food look grey-green.
• Turn the flash off. Always.
• Put a white thermocol sheet or a sheet of A3 paper opposite the window to bounce light back and kill harsh shadows.
• Side light for texture (biryani, tandoori), back light for anything glossy or steaming.

Angles by dish type

• Top-down (90°): biryani, thali, pizza, bowls — anything flat and wide.
• 45°: burgers, gravies with rice, plated mains — the most natural "as you'd see it" angle.
• Eye level (0°): burgers, shakes, layered items where height is the selling point.

Styling in five minutes

1. Plain background: matte black tile, wooden board or grey slate. No patterned tablecloths.
2. Fill the frame — food should occupy 70-80% of the image.
3. Fresh garnish added seconds before shooting, never before.
4. Wipe the rim of the bowl with a tissue. Every time.
5. One prop maximum: a spoon, a napkin or a single ingredient.

Editing (2 minutes per photo)

In Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile: raise brightness slightly, add contrast, warm the white balance a touch, boost structure/clarity, crop square. Never oversaturate — orange-red curry that looks fake gets 1-star "not as pictured" reviews.

Platform rules to respect

• Square or 4:3, minimum 1024 px on the short side.
• No text, logos, watermarks or price tags on the image.
• Show the actual portion you deliver — misleading photos cause disputes.
• One dish per image; no collages.

What to shoot first

Your top 10 sellers, then your three combos. A single afternoon covers it. Reshoot anything whose recipe or portion changes.

Use the photos everywhere

The same images work on Swiggy, Zomato, magicpin, your Instagram, your WhatsApp catalogue and your free Cloud Kitchen Adda listing. Pair them with the tactics in how to get more orders on Swiggy & Zomato.