Let’s be honest—everyone eats. And these days, everyone photographs what they eat, too. From fancy dinners to frothy cappuccinos, food photography dominates social media feeds everywhere. Those are fun snapshots, but companies want to show stunning imagery of their food. Behind those mouthwatering images are photographers—like us—whose job is to make the food look as irresistible as it tastes (without devouring it on set… well, most of the time)
At our studio, we take food and beverage photography seriously—but not too seriously. Some commercial studios look like Michelin-star kitchens, with chefs on standby. Ours? It’s starting to resemble a mini department store—stacked with cutting boards, colorful linens, glassware, and every quirky prop imaginable. All tools of the trade when your mission is to make food the star of the show.
Of course, even professionals need to “practice” to stay sharp. Recently, we spent a day photographing a local favorite – Stan’s Donuts, the legendary Chicago import that just opened in Schererville, Indiana.
A quick bite of backstory: Stan’s started in Los Angeles, but thanks to a sweet partnership between founder Stan Berman and Chicago’s own Rich Labriloa, a self-taught artisan baker and entrepreneur who founded Labriola Baking Company in 1993, later selling it in 2013, but has remained the owner and driving force behind other ventures, including Labriola Cafe & Neapolitan Pizzeria and a partnership with Stan’s Donuts & Coffee, now with 17 Stan’s Donuts & Coffee locations in Chicago and now Northwest Indiana. Thanks Rich!
Our shoot was a blast – experimenting with lighting, angles, and stacked focusing to show off every glaze and sprinkle in its full glory. The hardest part? What to do with dozens of beautiful donuts afterward. They were, technically speaking, props purchased for business purposes (just in case the IRS is reading). So yes, we disposed of them – by carefully loading them into our car and conducting a very thorough taste test.
If you haven’t already, treat yourself to Stan’s Donuts & Coffee – now seving up happiness at their new Schererville location on Route 41. And if you’re a food brand looking to make your products look just as tempting, give us a call. We’ll bring the lights, lenses, and maybe a few extra napkins. Learn more about Stans Donuts at their website: www.stansdonuts.com -Rick Bella for Bella Photography
