CBG makes your mouth water with smartphone food photography

At CBG, Charlier-Brabo Group, they want to work more on their own content for social media. They want to adopt or use the content they provide to influencers on a one-to-one basis. But taking good food photos with your smartphone obviously requires some training, which is where we came in.

At CBG, Charlier-Brabo Group, they aim to create more in-house content for their social media platforms.

CBG is best known for its Elvea products – those iconic cans of tomato paste you’ll likely find in any kitchen cupboard. To promote their brand, CBG collaborates with influencers who entice their followers by sharing mouth-watering dishes prepared with Elvea products. Influencers need relevant content, of course, but it is true that food photography is a discipline in its own right.

While influencers already feature CBG’s products on their accounts, it would be even more convenient if they could adopt or use CBG’s content directly. To achieve this, CBG needs to elevate the quality of their social media photos. The challenge? Create high-quality food photography with simple tools that anyone on the marketing team – or even within the company – can use to produce impressive results quickly and easily. Their tool of choice: the smartphone.

But taking good food photos with your smartphone requires some training, which is where we came in.

Food photography: quick and tasty

Portraying food in a visually appetising way is an art. However, the speed and volume of content required for social media make relying on professional photographers and high-end equipment impractical. While this approach delivers excellent results, it’s too slow and costly for CBG’s needs.

Another option, such as packshots, was also ruled out. Those clinical, flat-lit product photos – common in department store brochures – are ideal for straightforward product presentations but fail to evoke hunger or excitement.

An alternative would be to use low-threshold new technology. The image quality of smartphones is more than adequate for digital content creation, and the editing apps available are easy to use, even if you are unfamiliar with Photoshop . We’ve all tried it—snapping a picture of a beautifully garnished fillet of sole on an elegant plate at a restaurant, hoping to impress our friends on social media. But how often does that stunning dish end up looking like a pale, lifeless fish on your screen the next day?

And yet! With a little practice, this approach can work wonders. CBG knew it too, which is why they turned to us for a “Food photography with smartphone” training.

CBG learns from the experts

The team at CBG recognised the need to improve the quality of their social media photos. They were convinced this could be achieved without setting up a professional studio. But how?

Christophe Janssens, Head of Marketing at CBG, shared: “There are some creatives here who manage to take great pictures with their smartphones, but we still felt something was missing – that extra spice, that wow factor. We want people’s mouths to literally water when they see our food photos. That’s why we turned to Catena Company for training.”

And so, we got to work. The CBG team arrived prepared, bringing along all the equipment they were already using smartphones, a tripod, a gimbal, a ring light, and more. Clearly, they were no strangers to food photography. They also brought their own products and accessories, including a basil plant, fresh tomatoes, kitchen utensils, and branded gadgets. Catena Company provided a seasoned professional for the session: Ellis Humblé, an experienced food photographer.

Christophe Janssens, Head of Marketing at CBG, shared: “During the training, we explored the possibilities and limitations of different smartphones and learned in detail how to make the best use of the accessories. Any decent smartphone can get the job done, and we didn’t need to invest in new accessories right away. For us, the biggest gain was learning how to use lighting effectively and improve image composition. Ellis and the team at Catena Company explained this clearly through hands-on exercises.”

“There are some creatives here who manage to take great pictures with their smartphones, but we still felt something was missing – that extra spice, that wow factor. We want people’s mouths to literally water when they see our food pictures. That’s why we turned to Catena Company for training.” – Christophe Janssens, Head of Marketing @ CBG

And here’s the thing – these tips aren’t just useful for food photography. While food photography is especially tricky because it aims to appeal to the sense of taste, the same principles can enhance any type of product photography.

Ready to get started? Experiment with these tips and feel free to contact Geerte. She’ll be happy to create a tailored programme to elevate your product photography.

Courtesy of CBG and Ellis Humblé Photography.