A Taste of Harare: Food Photography, Creative Adventures & Good People in Zimbabwe

3 MONKEYS RESTAURANT

Three days, five locations, countless beautiful plates of food, and an unforgettable experience in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Sometimes the best creative opportunities come from an unexpected phone call. This particular adventure began when Yaron Wiesenbacher got in touch to discuss the various restaurants and sports bars he was involved with in Harare, Zimbabwe. What started as a conversation quickly turned into an opportunity to pack my camera gear, jump on a plane and head north for three days of food, beverage and hospitality photography.

I was personally welcomed and taken around Harare by Yaron himself, visiting five different locations over the course of the trip. The brief was to photograph their food offerings, capture a selection of beverages and create imagery that reflected the atmosphere and personality of each venue.

It was an opportunity to explore different menus, environments and restaurant concepts, all while doing what I love most: telling stories through photography.

Day One: 3 Monkeys Restaurant

Our first stop was 3 Monkeys Restaurant in Harare. It was the perfect introduction to the assignment, getting straight into the rhythm of photographing dishes, working with the available spaces and finding the right light to bring each plate to life.

Food photography is about so much more than simply making a dish look appetising. It’s about capturing texture, colour, detail and atmosphere. The way light falls across a beautifully prepared plate, the subtle details in the ingredients and the little elements that make a dish unique all contribute to the final image.

I wanted the photographs to feel inviting, natural and full of character, while maintaining a consistent visual quality that would work across their marketing and digital platforms.

Travelling Light, Creating Beautiful Light

One of the more interesting aspects of this assignment was the way I approached the technical side of the photography.

I travelled to Zimbabwe on my own, without an assistant or additional crew, which meant every piece of equipment had to earn its place in my luggage. When travelling for commercial photography assignments, particularly when moving between multiple venues, I have learnt that a well-considered lighting setup is far more valuable than bringing everything you own.

For this trip, I worked with one continuous light and two strobes.

The continuous light gave me the flexibility to assess and shape the light in real time, particularly when working in different restaurant environments. It allowed me to see how shadows, highlights and reflections would fall across the food before taking the shot.

The two strobes provided the additional control and power needed to create more defined lighting, add depth and bring out the finer details in the dishes. They also allowed me to work consistently in environments where the existing ambient light wasn’t always ideal.

Combining continuous lighting with strobes gave me a compact but versatile setup that could be adapted to different dishes, surfaces and shooting conditions.

Working alone also meant that I had to be particularly organised. From setting up and styling the food to adjusting lighting, composing the shot and managing the equipment, every part of the production was handled independently.

There is something quite satisfying about arriving at a location with a relatively small amount of equipment and knowing that you can still produce a complete commercial photography collection without compromising on quality.

Good photography isn’t necessarily about having the biggest production setup. It is about understanding light, knowing your equipment and being able to adapt creatively to the environment around you.

The People Behind the Experience

While the food, restaurants and photography made this trip worthwhile, what made it truly special was the person who brought it all together.

Yaron is genuinely one of the most amazing people I have had the privilege of meeting. He is an absolute gentleman, incredibly kind, generous with his time and always willing to help. From personally taking me between the different locations to making sure everything ran smoothly, his hospitality made the entire experience that much more enjoyable.

I also had the pleasure of meeting his beautiful wife and daughter, which made the trip even more special. It is often the people you meet along the way who leave the most lasting impressions, and this was certainly one of those occasions.

I travelled to Harare for a photography assignment, but I left with so much more than a collection of photographs. I left with wonderful memories, new connections and a genuine appreciation for the warmth and generosity I experienced.

Yaron, thank you for the opportunity, the hospitality and, most importantly, for being such a wonderful human being. Some experiences stay with you long after the camera equipment has been packed away, and this is undoubtedly one of them.

Harare, you were an absolute pleasure. Until next time.