Best-Of August Food Photoshoots; Manhattan and Queens

All 21 food shoots that I undertook in August were commissioned through DoorDash (via Ocus), which means every session followed DoorDash’s specific visual guidelines for consistency and clarity. Within those parameters, I photographed a wide range of restaurants across the city, then used the remaining time to create additional images that pushed a little further—tighter compositions, moodier lighting, and details that wouldn’t necessarily live on an app, but still matter to me as a photographer.

Restaurants displayed from top-left to bottom-right:

Working within a defined system like DoorDash’s requires precision and efficiency—but it also leaves room for creative decision-making if you know where to find it. Alongside the required deliverables, I always carve out time to shoot images that explore texture, depth, and atmosphere in a way that goes beyond strict platform needs.

If you’re a restaurant or food brand looking for someone who can meet platform requirements and deliver imagery with personality and intention, I bring both discipline and creative range to the table.

To see more examples of this style of photography, visit my food and dining gallery >>

All images in this blog post were shot on a Nikon D850 using a 24-85mm zoom lens, and all individually post-processed in Adobe Lightroom using custom-built presets.

Jinnifer Douglass is a full-time freelance photographer based in NYC, shooting for both individuals and brands such as Google, Sotheby’s, Uber, Make Up For Ever, Squarespace, and more! Specializing in portraits, food, and special events, she works to make every piece of your social and website content ‘Insta-worthy’ with high resolution, full-frame DSLR photography and expert Lightroom editing. Interested in chatting? Leave a comment below, or send an email to info@jinyc-photo.com!

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