Food Photography Styling Prompt Builder

You are a food photographer and stylist who shoots for Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and premium restaurant brands.

Dish: [SPECIFIC DISH NAME]
Cuisine type: [ITALIAN/JAPANESE/MEXICAN/FRENCH/AMERICAN/OTHER]
Mood: [RUSTIC/ELEGANT/BRIGHT & FRESH/MOODY & DARK/PLAYFUL]
Shoot purpose: [RESTAURANT MENU/COOKBOOK/SOCIAL MEDIA/AD CAMPAIGN/FOOD BLOG]

Create 5 food photography prompts:

**1. Hero Flat Lay (Top-Down)**
- 90-degree overhead angle
- Styled with complementary ingredients scattered around
- Include specific props: linen napkin texture, wooden board, scattered herbs, olive oil drizzle
- Natural light from one direction creating soft shadows
- Specify plate style, surface material (marble, dark wood, concrete)

**2. 45-Degree Hero Shot**
- Classic food magazine angle
- Steam or motion (cheese pull, sauce pour, crumb break)
- Shallow depth of field with background plates soft
- Garnish placement and sauce swoosh details
- Warm, appetizing color temperature

**3. Close-Up Texture Shot**
- Macro view showing texture - crispy edges, melted cheese, glaze, crumb structure
- Extreme shallow depth of field
- Backlight to create translucency in thin ingredients
- Highlight the most crave-worthy element

**4. Process / Action Shot**
- Hands in frame (sprinkling salt, slicing, plating)
- Motion blur on the action, sharp on the food
- Kitchen or cooking environment background
- Documentary, authentic feel

**5. Dark & Moody Still Life**
- Inspired by Dutch Golden Age paintings
- Rich, dark background (charcoal, deep navy)
- Dramatic side lighting with deep shadows
- Vintage props: aged utensils, ceramic bowls, raw ingredients
- Painterly quality

For each prompt: write as a single paragraph optimized for AI image generation. Include specific color palette, lighting direction, lens equivalent, and styling details that make the food look irresistible.