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Food Photography: The Secret Sauce Behind Sweet Smoke BBQ's New Website

Sarah Carnes • April 8, 2020

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes during a food photoshoot? It involves delicious food, preparation and experience. Our talented in-house photographer, Kyla, is at the forefront of all our photoshoots and she shared a peek into the world of food photography for us. Kyla is an exceptional photographer with over seven years of experience. We were thrilled when the opportunity arose for Kyla to capture Sweet Smoke BBQ’s delicious food and fun restaurant atmosphere.

We are going to share all the greatness of food photography with you from Kyla’s perspective, but first, we need to start with how it all begins.

Preparation for a Photoshoot Starts Way Before the Day of

After meeting with Sweet Smoke BBQ staff, Kyla started by researching competing barbecue establishments and sites the client liked in terms of style. “Preparation is key to having a successful shoot day,” said Kyla. From there, she took her expertise in food photography and design to create a unique vision for the big day.

When developing a website, people often forget about the importance of quality photography and its influence on the entire site’s visual appeal. However, Kyla knows photography is one of the most critical aspects of a new website. She begins by making a list of the elements she wants to incorporate into the design. Then, Kyla decides on the aesthetic for photography and how to best capture the feel of the restaurant through lighting, colors and ambiance. From there, she creates a shot list for the day of the shoot, communicates with the clients and ensures everyone is comfortable with the goals and expectations of the photoshoot.

Kyla’s Experience Propelled her Into Food Photography

Kyla has over seven years of experience in photography and held a coveted food photography internship at Thriving Home, a local cooking blog. It was there where she learned the art of food photography. She worked there before joining Lift Division and was eager to jump into a new scene of food photography with Savor Magazine.

Savor is a local magazine guide to all the restaurants in Columbia, created and published by Lift Division. Savor’s goal is to become the best resource to help everyone indulge in Columbia’s finest restaurants, coffee shops, taverns, dessert spots, food shops, events and everything in between.

Savor is growing just like Columbia’s cuisine! Are you a local restaurant needing advertising? Contact Savor to start building your foodie reputation in Columbia today.

Expect a Little Mess in Food Photography

What is creativity without a little mess, right? Especially when it comes to food photography. Kyla shared how even when she spilled sauce during the photoshoot it was an opportunity to bond with the employees and get their take on why they love Sweet Smoke BBQ. She mentioned how rewarding it was to have employees on set while she staged the shoot. It gave her insight into how Sweet Smoke BBQ serves its customers. By being able to capture customers in the background of the photos, Kyla felt Sweet Smoke BBQ’s friendly atmosphere and authenticity were displayed.

In it From Start to Finish

Kyla is also a web and graphic designer at Lift Division, which means she has been the go-to person for Sweet Smoke BBQ’s website from the very beginning. From designing the custom website to capturing the atmosphere of Sweet Smoke BBQ through photography, Kyla has executed the client’s vision effortlessly.

After all the hard work, sauce spills and happy customers, Kyla brought Sweet Smoke BBQ’s vision to life. We are excited to share the completed website with you. Check it out in the link below and let us know what you think!

Are you looking to spice up your website or social media? Email us to receive a quote for website photography or website design from Lift Division.

By Sarah Carnes

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Sarah had an interest in art, writing and technology from a very early age. She spent her childhood building websites and designing album artwork. Fortunate enough to attend a high school that offered graphic design classes, she was able to pursue her passion and expertise earlier than most of her peers.

Sarah oversees all operational and visual aspects of Lift Division, including design, community management, photography, videography, recruitment and company initiatives. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, Sarah has been instrumental in the high growth of multiple companies and brands, which included helping a company flourish from a $10M to $45M company. She innovates, leads and executes strategic marketing initiatives from the ground up.

Sarah has held various marketing and design positions including Brake Printing, Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, Westminster College and Fresh Ideas Food Service as the Director of Marketing. Her career has allowed her to innovate, lead and execute strategic marketing initiatives from the ground up while managing a team of digital marketers. Sarah has managed and developed marketing, communication, branding, digital communities and creative direction for various companies throughout her career.

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Sarah Carnes

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