Case Study: Apex Hotel Vineyard

Brief.

The Vineyard is a luxury countryside hotel and restaurant in Berkshire, known for its fine dining and award-winning wine offering.

As a returning client - following a previous food photography shoot for one of their previous employers hotels - they approached me to capture their new Sunday menu.

The brief was to keep the imagery feeling relaxed and refined, with a strong emphasis on using streaky, summery natural light to reflect the seasonal tone of the dishes. The images were intended for use across their website, social media, and digital campaigns.

Approach.

The ½-day shoot was focused on capturing traditional hero shots of the new Sunday menu - highlighting both individual dishes and carefully selected wine pairings. Working closely with the kitchen team, and Executive Chef Tom Scade, we timed plating to ensure each dish was photographed at its freshest.

To deliver on the client’s brief for a summery, streaky light feel, I worked with natural daylight and subtly introduced studio flash to lift shadows and maintain consistency.

The final gallery delivered a polished series of food photography assets that felt seasonal, elegant, and true to The Vineyard’s elevated dining experience—ready for use across web and digital platforms.