Working with Atlanta Eats as a DP

Years ago, I did a lot of work with the local TV show Atlanta Eats. I worked as a contract Director of Photography and Videographer on a number of different projects. Some of the footage I shot ended up on the TV show, but most of it was used for their social media channels and restaurant marketing content around the Atlanta area.

Filming with them was always a lot of fun. A typical shoot day meant heading to a nice restaurant and capturing beautiful shots of the food. I’d set up lights at a table, and the chef would bring out dish after dish. We had to move quickly because the food always looked best when it was fresh, especially when there was still steam rising off the plate. I learned a lot of tricks when it came to making food look good on camera. One of the best parts was after we finished filming, we usually got to eat the food.

We’d often set up a well-lit interview with the chef, and then go from table to table getting customer reactions. After that, I’d head into the kitchen to get B-roll of the food being prepped. It was a fast-paced shoot but always enjoyable, and I picked up a lot of valuable experience during that time.

Some of the more memorable shoots were the ones that involved marketing a location rather than just one restaurant. Two that stand out are Atlantic Station and the Atlanta Airport. We spent a couple of days going around showcasing the best spots to eat at each location. They even hired actors to walk around, sit at tables, and eat the food for us to film. It felt more like a commercial shoot and was a really cool experience.

Around that time, I also had a side photography gig where I’d go to restaurants and take food photos for Uber Eats and DoorDash menus. That work taught me even more about how to make food look amazing on camera.

I really enjoyed filming and photographing food. In general, I think making product videos is a lot of fun. You get to slow down, focus on lighting, and really make something look its best. It has been a while since I’ve worked in the food world, but I’d definitely be open to jumping back in if the right opportunity came along. Here is my food reel: