Food photography

[1] With the advent of social media, amateur food photography has gained popularity among restaurant diners.

[5] Later, romantic lighting, shallower angles and more props came en vogue,[4] with extreme cases leading to the term "food porn".

Visual know-how is also a requirement, as is the knowledge of how to translate the perception of taste, aroma and appeal that one gets from an actual dish to a two-dimensional photograph.

[citation needed] Food stylists have culinary training; some are professional chefs or have a background in home economics.

[10] The light, background and setting is carefully prepared so as to present the food in as attractive a way as possible without distracting from it.

[11] Styled food is usually marked as inedible and discarded after the shoot, because it may have been handled or treated in ways that make it unsafe for consumption.

[12] To create the effect of a thin layer of condensation forming on the outside of glasses containing cold liquid, dulling spray may be applied,[13] with paper or masking tape protecting the non-"frosted" areas.

[23] Hamburger photography is challenging because the buns dent easily and an assembled burger is quick to lose its visual appeal.

Class-action lawsuit have been brought against fast-food chains McDonald's, Wendy's and Taco Bell on grounds of unfair and deceptive trade practices, alleging that photographs in marketing material depict food products larger than the items served to customers in real life.

A popular trend has developed for diners to photograph their meals in restaurants using a mobile phone, for the purpose of sharing on sites such as Instagram or for food blogging.

[33] Influencers may use food photography to advocate healthy eating, fad diets or to promote a restaurant business.