Great food photography starts with understanding what your brand needs to say.
I'm Sharon Cosgrove, a commercial food and drink photographer and the founder of Still Hungry Studio in Belfast.
I work with food and drink brands, marketing teams and creative agencies to create distinctive photography and video for packaging, advertising, campaigns, websites and social content.
But before I pick up the camera, I want to understand what you need the imagery to do.
Your imagery has a job to do.
Great food photography isn't simply about making something look good.
Your imagery might need to stop someone at the supermarket shelf. Launch a new product. Bring a campaign idea to life. Give your brand a consistent visual identity. Or make someone hungry enough to want what you're selling.
And when you're investing in a commercial shoot, you need to know that the person behind the camera understands the bigger picture.
That's why I start with the brief, not the camera.
We'll look at what you're creating, how many images you really need, where they'll be used, who needs to notice them and what they need to achieve.
Then we work out how to bring that to life.
Not sure what should go into a photography brief?
I've put together a practical 7 step guide to help food and drink brands work out exactly what they need before approaching a photographer - from image requirements and usage to budget and production. Comment ‘7’ on the contact form.
GET MY 7-STEP FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BRIEF →
A photographer who understands the bigger picture.
I've spent 20 years working in photography, but my background actually started in design.
I graduated from the University of Ulster with a First-Class Honours Degree in Design for Visual Communications, and that background has shaped the way I approach photography ever since.
For me, a successful image has to do more than look beautiful. It has to communicate.
Over the years I've worked with some of the UK's and Ireland's most recognisable food and drink brands, including M&S, Costa Coffee, Dale Farm, Mash Direct and White's Oats.
Whether I'm creating a single hero image for packaging or a complete bank of campaign content, my approach is the same: understand the brief, plan properly and create imagery with a clear purpose.
And just as importantly, make the whole process straightforward for the people I'm working with.
"Not only is Sharon highly skilled, but she also makes the entire process enjoyable and stress-free. Her friendly, professional approach puts everyone at ease, and she understands exactly what we are trying to achieve."
Karen Kelly, Wafer
From brief to final image, I keep things simple.
01 — Tell me about your project
You don't need to arrive with a perfectly formed photography brief. Tell me what you're working on, what you're hoping to create and where the imagery needs to work.
02 — We'll shape the shoot
We'll work through the creative approach, shot requirements, styling, props, production and practical details before shoot day so everyone knows what we're working towards.
03 — Create with confidence
On set, we work collaboratively, reviewing the imagery as it's created and making adjustments along the way. Once everything is approved, your selected images are professionally edited and prepared for final delivery.
Everything we need. All in one place.
Welcome to Still Hungry Studio.
Still Hungry Studio is my purpose built food photography and production space in Belfast, designed specifically around the needs of commercial food and drink shoots.
There's plenty of room for photography, video, lighting, sets and production, alongside a dedicated food photography kitchen with a large island and integrated induction hob allowing cooking, styling, photography and filming to happen in the same space.
An extensive collection of props, surfaces and backgrounds is available on site, giving us plenty of creative flexibility without having to source everything from scratch.
There's also space for food stylists, clients, agencies and production teams to work comfortably alongside the shoot.
In other words, less running around and more time creating.
Experience you can rely on.
20 years working in the photography industry.
First Class Honours Degree in Design for Visual Communications, University of Ulster.
Commercial experience across food and drink packaging, advertising, campaigns, e-commerce, editorial and digital content.
Awards & Recognition
IFEX Food Photographer of the Year — Winner 2024
World Food Photography Awards — Finalist 2025
Northern Irish Enterprise Awards — Creative Food Photography Studio of the Year 2025
Northern Irish Enterprise Awards — Storytelling Innovation Award 2025
Innovate NI — Silver Level Innovator 2026
UK Small Business Awards — Best Photography Services Finalist 2026
Irish Food Writing Awards — Food Photography (Professional) Finalist 2023
Great British Entrepreneur of the Year Awards — Finalist 2022
Trusted by food and drink brands, agencies and marketing teams.
M&S · COSTA COFFEE · DALE FARM · MASH DIRECT · WHITE'S OATS · MOY PARK · IRWIN'S · MALLON FOODS
"From the initial planning calls right through to the shoot, she is a dream to work with. We couldn't be happier with the final shots for our Christmas campaign — every image is so well thought out, and her attention to detail is incredible!"
Katie Carson — Mash Direct
Let's create imagery that works as hard as your brand does.
Whether you're launching a new product, refreshing your packaging, planning a campaign or need a stronger library of food and drink imagery, I'll help you turn the brief into photography and video created with a clear purpose.
You don't need to have everything figured out before getting in touch.
A few details are enough to start the conversation.
