Capturing Food Stories Through Photography

Shared food and drink isn't just about the product though.  Pull back the camera and show the full scene - Matthew captures people, emotions and shared times - more than just food.

I'm not a specialist food photographer — but food plays a part in many of the stories I tell. The same principles apply across everything I shoot: natural imagery, beautiful lighting, and rich, understated colour. Whether it’s reportage of a rustic harvest or polished visuals of a glamorous dinner setting, I aim to capture the moments that resonate — human, textural, and quietly cinematic.

Case Studies

  • Product still life photography of a glass of Asahi Beer with a plate of bao bunsl by beverage and lifestyle photographer Matthew lloyd

    Food Pairings for Asahi Super-Dry

    What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

    Make It
  • a table tableau in the style of a dutch masters painting, with food and drink on top and a pair of dogs underneath

    A Personal Project - Dutch Still Life

    What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

    Make It
  • people eat using chopsticks in a fancy restaurant in this lifestyle photo by matthew lloyd

    Lili at The Peninsula Paris

    What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

    view shoot
  • loaves of bread in a bakery shop window

    Baltserzens

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  • a chef sharpens his knives in this cinematic image for a luxury catering brand

    Signature Food Catering

    Description goes here
    View Shoot
  • a chef sprinkles salt on a dish in dramatic lighting

    Louis M. Martini Napa Valley

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Grilled fish fillet on a white plate, garnished with shrimp, seared potato slices, and greens.
Plated gourmet dish featuring sliced beef, leafy greens, creamy mashed potatoes, a small copper pan with sauce, and a charred vegetable. Elegantly presented on a white plate.
Gourmet meal with sliced beef, mashed potatoes, greens, and baked cheese in a small pan, served on a white plate with a glass of red wine.
Gourmet dish on blue plate with sauces, toasted rounds, and a small jar, beside a glass of white wine on a cloth-covered table.
Assorted pastries on a table, including spiral buns, croissants with chocolate and white toppings, poppy seed pastries, and pastries with custard filling.
Chef in white uniform sprinkling flour, creating a misty effect on a dark background.
Chef in white uniform holding a frying pan with flames above it in a kitchen setting.
Chef seasoning food with herbs in a professional kitchen.
Two people exchanging a glass of water with an orange slice at a dining table with salads.
Group of people sitting together, smiling, and enjoying drinks with orange slices at a dining table.
Group of friends enjoying a meal together at a dining table with dishes and sparkling water
Assorted dishes with vegetables and a bottle of sparkling water on a wooden table, surrounded by people dining outdoors.
Dinner table with plates of vegetables, bread, sparkling water, and people reaching for food.
Rustic still life with bread, cheeses, citrus fruits, and a metal jug on a wooden table, featuring curious dogs below.
Gourmet dishes on wooden table; left image features plates with meats, vegetables, bread, and sauces; right image shows a dish with meat, greens, and vegetables on brown plate.
Two images: left shows raw fish fillet and sliced salmon; right shows cooked salmon dish with sauce, garnish, and a side.
Two gourmet dishes on plates; left side features salmon with creamy sauce, garnished with greens; right side has meat with vegetables on brown plate; served with bread and butter.
Left panel: a large cleaver on a wooden cutting board. Right panel: various kitchen tools including tweezers, a ruler, a small knife, and tweezers on a wooden surface.
Two-part image: Left side shows cocktail-making tools like a grater, jigger, stirring spoon, strainer, and a cocktail with garnish in a glass; right side displays a glass of red wine, several wine corks, and a corkscrew on a wooden surface.
Gourmet dishes on a wooden table, including plated meat and vegetables, artisan bread, butter with herbs, and a small jug of sauce.
A rustic wooden table set with a bowl of green soup topped with croutons, accompanied by slices of bread. There is a side dish with yellow slices, possibly cheese, in a small bowl. Another bowl holds a salad with greens. Utensils on napkins are place
Person in patterned sweater with teacups, metal teapots, and bowls of loose tea on a wooden table.
Dark chocolate pieces and coffee beans on a table with a large knife and a glass of amber liquid.
Three bags of coffee labeled "El Salvador," "Baltzersen's Blend," and "Kenya" from North Star Coffee Roasters.
Sliced crusty bread on a floured surface.
Assorted sliced artisan bread on wooden boards, including seeded whole grain, baguette, and sourdough loaves, with a knife.
Sliced red onions, whole red onion bulbs, a block of cheese, grated cheese in a bowl, and onion peels on a dark surface.
A man wearing a black suit and glasses standing outdoors with trees in the background, holding his jacket's lapel and looking towards the camera.
Man holding a piece of wood with mushrooms in a forest setting.
Gourmet dish with assorted ingredients, cutlery on napkin, white flowers, and a glass of white wine on a gray table.
a portait of a rural lawyer standing amongst greenery

Farm to Fork, portrait photography

for the food sector

Woman with scarf standing outdoors in front of a barn.
Woman standing next to a green tractor with headlights on in a dimly lit barn.
Woman standing in front of barn with cows peeking out from behind her.
Chef in a professional kitchen slicing meat on a cutting board, surrounded by herbs, a bottle of wine, and kitchen equipment.
Pile of raw animal bones with some meat
Chef with meat saw and ribs in kitchen, black and white photo
Raw ribs on a cutting board with a butcher's saw and knife, fresh herbs and containers nearby.
Man holding a large fish on a fishing boat, wearing an orange life vest and smiling, with mountains in the background.
Person feeding fish at aquaculture site with net, wearing an orange life vest, mountain backdrop.
Aerial view of fish farm cages in open water
Lake surrounded by mountains with fish farms and boats on the water.
Man conducting a coffee tasting in a coffee shop with various cups and coffee equipment.
Person holding a large cabbage in a garden.
A person walking through a field of leafy crops under a cloudy sky, holding a tool. In the background, there are old stone buildings.
A bearded farmer with a shovel standing in a field of leafy greens.
Baker shaping pastry for small pies on floured surface.
Two people examining apples outdoors, surrounded by green trees and a wooden table covered with apples.
Chef slicing a pie on a wooden cutting board with two whole pies nearby.
Person standing in mushroom farm holding plastic container
Cluster of shiitake mushrooms growing in a dark room with black crates.
Man with a sheep in a barn, holding a silver trophy.
Person in white coat with black and white cow on leash outdoors.
Close-up of mushroom gills with a pink hue
Close-up of a sheep with black and white fleece, being held by a person.
Man shearing a sheep with two men observing in a barn
A person in a white coat and brown pants holding a notebook stands next to a brown and white cow with a rope halter in a grassy area. Another person is sitting on the ground, gently touching the cow, positioned near white fencing, with a building in
People in white coats judging cattle at an outdoor livestock show.
Sheep shearer in action with electric clippers, indoors at shearing competition, holding sheep's head.
Young person in a white coat taking notes, with a brown cow and outdoor setting in the background.
A framed art piece featuring a variety of vegetables and herbs, including an artichoke, Brussels sprouts, dill, thyme, and Romanesco broccoli, arranged on a textured background.
Artistic display of lemons, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and green chilies on textured fabric within a wooden frame.
Assorted food items including salami, ham, blue cheese, bread, garlic, and herbs arranged within a wooden frame, alongside a knife and a metal jug on a textured background.
Assorted vegetables including potatoes, garlic, dill, carrot, onion, fennel, chili peppers, rosemary, and parsnip on a textured cloth background with a wooden frame.
Green leafy vegetables, onions, and fresh dill arranged on a fabric background within a wooden frame.
A display of seafood including a large smoked fish hanging with lemon and parsley garnish, surrounded by smaller fish and prawns. Two scallops rest in their shells at the bottom. Presented inside a wooden frame on a beige background.
Artistic display of carrots and radishes in a wooden frame.
Rustic kitchen scene with sliced ham, sausages, a knife, a metal mug, garlic, herbs, cheese, and bread on a wooden-framed surface.
a stylish image of a hand pouring sauce in a chinese restaurant

The Peninsula Paris

Elegant dish with grilled food, garnished on a metal plate with steam rising, next to a glass of red wine and chopsticks, on a white napkin on a dining table.
Plates of Asian cuisine with decorative elements on a table.
A plate of rice with meat next to a glass of red wine on a table with a white tablecloth.
Elegant dining setting with two wine glasses, one white and one red wine, a dish of assorted cooked vegetables, a plate with pastry snacks, and a yellow flower centerpiece on a white tablecloth.
A hand pouring sauce over a dish of steamed chicken with mushrooms and cucumbers on a white plate. Beside it, a patterned teapot and teacup are placed on a glossy black table next to a red rose.
Table setting in a luxurious restaurant booth with roast duck on a wooden board, a plate of sliced duck with sauce, a bamboo steamer, a glass of white wine, and red and blue cushions.
Elegant dining table with gourmet dishes and cocktails, featuring meat with vegetables, a breaded roll dish, scallop appetizers, and decorative drinks on a purple tablecloth.
Dish of stir-fried vegetables and meat on a decorative plate with chopsticks and a glass of white wine on a table.
A sophisticated dinner setting with gourmet dishes including a steaming plated dish on a grill, a bowl of pasta topped with herbs, and a dish with garnish on a rice cake. Two glasses of wine, one red and one white, are present. The background feature
Elegant dining setup with carved chair, decorative pillow, plate of food, wine glass, and chopsticks on white tablecloth in Asian-inspired restaurant.

Matthew Lloyd brings a documentary sensibility to food and drink photography, blending lifestyle, portraiture, and still life into cohesive visual stories. He works with hospitality brands, chefs, distilleries, and editorial teams to produce natural, atmospheric food imagery — often as part of broader brand storytelling or campaign work. From rural farms and artisan producers to fine dining restaurants and luxury hotels, his approach favours realism, texture, and story-driven context over highly stylised or artificial visuals.

Based in Yorkshire and regularly working in London and abroad, Matthew is available for editorial food photography, hospitality content creation, and photographic asset libraries that place food within the wider experience — the setting, the people, the moment.