Photographing food is a major business, and is not as simple as snapping a photograph of the food delivered to you at a restaurant. More specifically, “food styling” is the process of dressing up a plate to look more appetizing and photograph in a more appealing way. When looking at the food styling photography used to market foods from low, middle, and high end restaurants, it is interesting to see how the images differ, as they relate to the foods presented in the restaurant setting, and how each are used, visually, to demonstrate different aspects of our larger food culture.
It is perhaps, first and foremost, useful to define what food styling is, and what it is designed to do, more specifically. The process of food styling and its impact on food imaging, and advertising practices can be demonstrated through a case study of the Campbell’s “marbles” advertising incident, which was widely debated as it related to the company’s legal and ethical right in the process of advertising. In this case, in 1960, Vincenta Meehan, a home economist working on a Campbell’s Soup advertising photoshoot, use marbles to prop up the ingredients in the soup. Their argument was that they did not add the ingredients to the soup, but simply defied the “law of gravity” by making the noodles and chicken visible in the broth, rather than allowing them to sink to the bottom of the bowl (Scott 1). This is exactly the kind of practice used in food styling. The “principles of realistic representation” have been abandoned in favor of using a variety of technologies to create images that meet with the standards of “surrounding cultural materials” (Scott 13).
Generally, the photo evidence we collected, and the historic evidence of experts, both indicate that lower grade restaurants show a greater disparity between the advertising images used, and the food delivered, however, this trend is in keeping with the cultural material beliefs, or in other words meets with consumer expectations, an so does not constitute deceitful advertising practices (Carafoli 94; Scott 13). The underlying cultural message that this sends can be further analyzed through specific discussion of the images collected, and the theoretical frame work that defines the relationship better food styling and reality.
When comparing the image of a McDonalds to the food received there, there are a number of significant difference which can be noted. First, the burger in the advertisement pictures are thicker, and darker in color. Second, the buns in the photo are thick and round, while the burger bun that we were served is flattened. Finally, the placement of every element of the burger is perfectly planned and symmetrical, while it is clear that the real burger was just slapped together; the lettuce is falling off, the burger is hanging out of one side of the bun, and there is sauce everywhere. In short, there is nothing symmetrical, or intentional about its appearance, and it’s clear that the individual elements were not handled with care. This is reflective of the purpose of food styling, which has the intention to “seduce the general public into buying a particular product.” (Carafoli 94). As such, it must appeal to the senses, through a single visual image. As a result, according to Carafoli, the best food styling simply shows the food at the best version of itself. The buns are the perfect shape, the greenest lettuce which can be found is placed on the sandwich, the burgers are cooked to just the right point of brown, and the burger is arranged on a plate to display the dish at its very best, without altering the actual recipe at all (Carafori 95).
It is because of this simple truth that the middle grade and high end foods look much more recognizably like their images. As the product of a higher quality venue, hey come to the consumer closer to their ideal form. They must be presented visually, at essentially the same level of perfection as the fast-food image, but be presented to the consumer in a way that is consistent with the cultural expectation for the venue.
For example, in terms of mid-grade venues, the dish from Webora was very similar to the image that was presented of the selected dish. The dish served to us did not have slightly as rich a pink color in the fish, and the asparagus was not quite as green, but the dish was overall similarly presented. Close enough, certainly, for our expectations of the venue to be met. Many of the venues that we analyzed were authentic foods from diverse food cultures. It is interesting to note that generally, the more “foreign” the food appeared in the images, the further the more beautiful the images of that food were. This is, according to Mendelson, because fine cooking has long been associated with Western dishes, primarily those deriving from French cuisine, and so the images must overcome the fear, or avoidance of the foreign and unfamiliar in order to attract consumers (1).
Finally, the images of the high end restaurant were closest to the dishes served. They contained all the advertised garnishes, drizzles, and other charismatic features. They generally had brighter, truer colors, and more attractive features, as would be expected by their price range. This is clearly demonstrated, for example, in the dessert from Oishii photographed. In fact, there were features in the dish served to us that were lovelier than the professionally styled dish.
This trend can be more readily understood if we return to the original case study, Campbell’s justified their actions, stating that “The possibility of fooling consumers was zero since virtually all consumers had experience with Campbell’s,” (Scott 13). Their underlying goal was not to deceive but rather than attract. Similarly, the case lead the FTC to define deceptive advertising as “whether a typical viewer might have been deceived.” (Scott 13). As such, it is critical that high-end restaurants be more deliberate with their images, and ensure that they can deliver a food that is the best version of itself, but still recognizable when compared to the images, as compared to the clear artifice of fast food images. Most people have had fast food, and so know what to expect in terms of receipt. However, a first time visitor to a high-end restaurant could easily feel deceived, and legally argue that they were deceived, of the $80 steak ordered was not recognizable from the image in advertising. The middle end restaurants, thus, fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum of reality, and cultural expectations, based on their target market and price point.
Works Cited:
Carafoli, John F. “Tempting the Palate: The Food Stylist’s Art” Style
Mendelson, Anne. “A Brief History of Gourmet Magazine” (2001).
Scott, Linda M. "Shooting Marbles: Another Look at the Landmark Campbell Soup Deceptive Advertising Case." Advertising & Society Review 12.4 (2012): 1-15. Web.
