Three Uncles, Chinese Restaurant Photography London
I have worked with Three Uncles since 2019 when they opened their first shop in Liverpool Street. Since then, I have provided photography for each of their branches including Liverpool Street, Camden, Brixton, Ealing and St Pauls and helped provide all images for their website, print and social media.
Three Uncles specialise in Cantonese roast meats and have grown to 6 units in London, via grab-and-go shops as well as two sit-down restaurants in Ealing and Brixton. They are now one of the largest Cantonese restaurant groups outside of London’s Chinatown. As part of their brand growth, they’ve invested in commercial food photography London businesses can rely on to capture both quality and character.
The client’s vision
Three Uncles vision is a modern representation of a Cantonese BBQ shop, with a focus on high quality food and a simple, straightforward menu. The aim for the restaurant food photography was to align with this vision but focus on punchy, bold images highlighting the artistry behind the laborious marinating and roasting process.
The client wanted restaurant menu photography and restaurant interior photography in Ealing, St Paul’s and Brent Cross as well as a mixture of takeaway images for delivery platforms (such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat)
Why does restaurant photography matter for your brand in London?
People eat with their eyes first, professional restaurant photography together with amazing food styling glorifies your food and communicates professionalism and trustworthiness of your brand. Customers often search for restaurants in London for inspiration on the web and they will associate your photography effort to the effort you put into creating your dishes. It is not something to be underestimated.
Restaurant branding photography is essential to your brand as people find an emotional connection with photography that triggers positive emotions - convert into trust and loyalty.
Your brand perception can be led by photography storytelling, such as luxurious settings conveying the message of premium and exclusivity, or rustic styling conveying an organic natural brand.
As a professional restaurant food photographer in London, my aim is to make sure to convey the right message with my images that align with your brand strategy.
How competitive is the London restaurant scene?
Very competitive. According to Rentech Digital there are 11,414 restaurants in London, as of January 2025, showcasing a 4.63% increase since 2023. This includes single-owner establishments and chain restaurants, reflecting the city's dynamic food culture.
A significant number of London restaurants have established a strong digital presence, with 8,205 having their own websites and thousands active on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
With all this competition, the importance of being visible through online engagement via photography and media, is vital in the restaurant industry.
Why you need strong interior photography.
Interior photography captures the atmosphere, and conveys the overall mood, lighting and the dining experience. Many customers choose a restaurant based on its atmosphere, therefore professional interior photography can help show your venue at its best.
My role during the restaurant interior design photoshoot for Three Uncles was to capture the ambient mood and distinctive design elements. Through a blend of interior and lifestyle photography, I aimed to convey the dining experience accurately to the customer.
Lighting challenges in restaurant interiors
Choosing the lighting techniques for restaurant photography can be challenging, but when possible, I will opt for natural lighting. This is my favourite type of lighting combined with bracket exposure. Bracket exposure is a combination of three images with different exposures, that are merged in post-production to bring in the brightest and darkest part of the image in a balanced result.
One of the main Interior lighting challenges is a wide range of bright spots in contrast with dark spots (or high dynamic range) that must be carefully considered.
For Three Uncles interior photoshoots I have a used a mixture of natural lighting and studio lighting.
Styling dishes to match the restaurant’s aesthetic
The style of the dishes often matches the restaurant’s aesthetic, in certain instances the image style drives the restaurant’s aesthetic. In some instances (like with Three Uncles) I often use a particular type of backdrop that mimics microcement and this ended up being Three Uncles' choice for their table top.
The food styling techniques in their branch in Liverpool Street included using backdrops (that I can provide) and adding any sauces, chopsticks, drinks and other elements that create a story. The food is the hero, so it needs to shine with the use of studio lighting combined with natural lighting.
The restaurant’s food presentation for photography is the same as it is presented to customers, the choice was often in a takeaway box with the occasionally plated dish.
Summary
For the past five years, I’ve worked closely with the wonderful team at Three Uncles, capturing their journey and playing a key role in theirbranding transformation and storytelling through photography. Strong, consistent visuals and customer engagement through food photography have helped them build trust with customers and reflect the quality of their food. The signature Three Uncles style draws in thousands of people to eat in their restaurant every day.
If you are looking for a food photographer in London, for advertising, social media and websites, get in touch.
