Food Photography Shoot at The Manor House Hotel, Moreton-in-Marsh

I recently completed a professional food photography shoot for The Manor House Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh, a luxury Cotswolds hotel looking to refresh its food and drink imagery. The brief was to update their hotel food photography across marketing channels and to capture a series of images showcasing their festive afternoon tea.

Working With Natural Light in Winter

Shooting food in winter always presents challenges. At this time of year, the sun sits very low, meaning limited and inconsistent natural light throughout the day. This is exactly why hotels often turn to an experienced food photographer — understanding how to adapt quickly and still produce high-quality, consistent results.

Once I identified a strong area of light, the final setup was deliberately clean and uncomplicated. By combining natural light with carefully chosen backdrops, textures and surfaces, I was able to create a polished look that suited both the hotel’s brand and the seasonal brief.

Photographing Festive Afternoon Tea & À La Carte Dishes

The shoot covered a wide range of food and drink, including refined à la carte dishes, desserts, cocktails and a full festive afternoon tea presentation. The focus throughout was on creating imagery that feels authentic, inviting and true to the guest experience, while still maintaining a premium, editorial finish suitable for hotel marketing.

A Collaborative Hotel Photography Shoot

This was my first time working with The Manor House Hotel marketing team, and they were excellent to collaborate with — friendly, organised and genuinely helpful throughout the shoot. Strong communication on location always makes a big difference, especially when working around changing light conditions.

Professional Food Photography for Hotels

This project is a great example of how professional hotel food photography can elevate a brand’s visual identity, even in challenging lighting environments. The final images will be used across the hotel’s website, menus and promotional material to better reflect the quality of the food on offer.

If you’re a hotel, restaurant or hospitality brand looking to update your food photography, feel free to get in touch to discuss your project.