Food Product Photographer Melbourne
Hannah Caldwell is a Melbourne-based food and product photographer with more than twenty years of commercial experience creating high-end imagery for food brands, FMCG clients and creative agencies across Australia.
Food product photography sits at the intersection of still life, brand communication and commercial craft. Whether the subject is a premium ingredient, a packaged food range, a sauce, a condiment or a hero product for a retail campaign, the goal is the same: to create an image that communicates what the product is, while giving it a presence that earns attention.
What I photograph
My food product photography covers a wide range of categories including packaged food and FMCG products, fresh produce and hero food components, condiments, oils, sauces and pantry goods, premium and artisan food brands, food products for retail and brand campaigns, and campaign imagery for advertising and brand launches.
Approach to lighting
Every product has a visual character and every brief has a tone. Some food products call for bright, clean light — fresh, airy and energetic. Others benefit from a darker, more considered palette that gives the product depth and drama. I work across both ends of that spectrum, always in service of what the brand needs rather than a fixed style.
Studio and location
I work from a well-equipped studio in St Kilda East, Melbourne, and am available for location shoots across Melbourne and nationally for larger productions.
Selected clients
Fonterra (Anchor Cream) · Lilydale Chicken · Gourmet Garden · The Chia Co · Glad · Tilley Soaps · Décor · Ballantyne Butter
What I’m Known For
- High-end food product photography for FMCG, retail and brand campaigns — studio and on location
- Precise control of light, surface and composition to give products visual authority
- Experience across packaged food, fresh produce, condiments, pantry goods and premium artisan brands
- Images built to hold up across packaging, retail, digital and advertising use
- Melbourne-based studio in St Kilda East with national travel available for larger productions
Food Product Photography Services
Packaged food and FMCG — hero product shots, packaging detail and campaign imagery for retail, digital and advertising use. Created for brands and agencies with a clear understanding of how images will be used across formats.
Fresh produce and hero food components — high-quality imagery of ingredients, produce and food components for brand, editorial and retail use. Light and composition matched to the product’s character.
Condiments, oils, sauces and pantry goods — studio photography for premium and everyday pantry ranges. Clean, purposeful imagery that communicates quality without excess styling.
Advertising and campaign imagery — food product photography created for national and state campaigns, including OOH, print and digital. Produced with agencies and direct with brands.
Brand and launch photography — full image libraries for new product launches or brand refreshes, with cohesive visual language across the set.
Selected clients: Fonterra (Anchor Cream) · Lilydale Chicken · Gourmet Garden · The Chia Co · Glad · Décor · Ballantyne Butter
FAQ — Food Product Photography Melbourne
How is food product photography different from food photography?
Food product photography is more commercially driven — the product itself is the hero, and the imagery needs to communicate brand, format and quality at a glance. It often needs to hold up across multiple uses: packaging, retail, digital, advertising and editorial. The approach is precise and brand-led rather than purely atmospheric.
Do you work with agencies or direct with brands?
Both. I work directly with food brands and marketing teams, and also with creative agencies and producers who bring me in as the photographer on a brief. The workflow is structured for both: clear brief, shot list, predictable delivery.
Can you shoot across a full product range?
Yes — I’m experienced shooting full product ranges for FMCG clients where consistency across SKUs matters as much as the quality of each individual shot. Studio conditions make this efficient and reliable.
What should I prepare before the shoot?
Final packaged product, any brand guidelines or reference imagery, a shot list, and clarity on intended usage and formats. I’ll send a pre-shoot checklist to keep things organised.
Do you shoot on white or styled sets?
Both. Clean, high-key product shots on white or neutral backgrounds; styled contextual shots with surfaces, props and food in scene. Most brand libraries include a mix of both.
What areas of Melbourne do you cover?
Studio based in St Kilda East. I shoot on location across Melbourne and travel nationally for larger productions.
Recent Food Product Photography Projects
Kettle Chips — Crafted Collection
Fonterra — Anchor Cream Campaign
Décor — Cinematic Food Packaging Photography
View all food photography