Nothing looks as good in real life as in advertising, and you’d be surprised to know how misleading food in the media can be!
in real life, nothing is like in advertising: and this applies not only to people, made up, nicely lit and retouched, but also to objects or food. It sounds incredible, but even the food has "stylists", photographers who know how to make a product more pleasing to the eye: what is even more absurd is that ingredients that are not really edible are often used to achieve effects that the food itself could not offer.
Engine oil instead of maple syrup
Pancakes absorb real syrup too quickly to photograph, so photographers replace it with engine oil. Another trick is to cover pancakes with a water-repellent spray that creates a protective layer.
The deodorant that makes it shine
Fruits always appear brighter and more appetizing in advertisements. But nothing more than a spray deodorant is needed to give them that perfect look. Some food photographers even use hairspray, but don't be too sure to bite into it afterwards!
Burger patties are colored with shoe polish
Did you know that the steaks used in the ads are almost raw? They are simply seized for a few seconds, this allows them to keep a suitable size and to be juicy as desired. Photographers use shoe polish to colour the steak. To give them this grilled appearance on the grid, they also use hot skewer spikes to create marks on the surface.
Glycerin keeps seafood looking fresh
Seafood tends to lose its freshness very quickly, which reduces its appetizing appearance. To maintain a satisfactory appearance, photographers use a mixture of water and glycerin to make them appear hydrated on the images.
Cardboard in the cakes
Photographers insert and attach pieces of cardboard with toothpicks to achieve a perfect appearance for each cake. It should be noted that the same trick is used for sandwiches and hamburgers.
Liquid soap creates foam
You should have thought of that! To have a beautiful thick and "natural" foam, photographers do not hesitate to add dishwashing liquid. This technique is widely used for beer, coffee or to make milk more appetizing.
Shaving cream instead of whipped cream
Unlike whipped cream, shaving cream does not melt! And that's why it is taking its place in many food clichés! Photographers simply take the trouble to warn advertising actors that despite the appetizing appearance of these desserts, they should never eat them.
Glue instead of milk
In real life, cereals never stay beautiful and crispy on the surface of our bowl, they always soften and end up at the bottom. To keep them on the surface of the bowl and crispy, food photographers replace the milk with white glue and that's it!
Sparkling drinks with antacids
Carbon dioxide bubbles in soft drinks disappear quickly. To avoid this phenomenon, photographers add antacids to the drink to create a chemical reaction that will cause the bubbles to reappear.
