MNN - Mother Nature Network

One of this week’s heated debates in the online world of food centered around the taking of photographs of food in restaurants. Here’s what you should be reading to understand what’s going on.

• The New York Times got the conversation started with their Restaurants Turn Camera Shy piece. Some restaurants ban the practice altogether and some highly discourage it, but others bring diners and their camera phones right into the kitchen for good lighting.
• Taking photos in restaurants shouldn’t be that complicated that it disturbs those around you, asserts Grub Street. I love their conclusion. “Sharing food photos with your friends is arguably one excellent way to share your experience, but when sharing photos increasingly takes the place of shared plates, dinner can become less social.”
• Bon Appetit has its own tips for doing restaurant food photography well without disturbing others. Above all, they say, “don’t act like a jerk.”
• And, just to make sure you’re not being a jerk when taking photos, Pop Photo has a how to on taking a picture in a restaurant without looking like a jerk.