Visualizing food: photography as a design thinking tool to generate innovative food experiences that improve food well-being

Purpose This paper examines the potential of photography as a design thinking method to develop innovative food experiences that improve food well-being. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a critical review of research using photography to examine the complex physical, emotional, psychological and social relationships individuals have with food at personal and societal levels. Findings The conceptual legitimacy of photography is well-established in the social sciences but has been missing from design thinking practices. Photography is particularly well suited to understand the highly visual practice of food and to design innovative food experiences. Research limitations/implications Practical and ethical issues in the use of photography are considered as a research tool. Future research should examine photography as an integrated tool in the entire design thinking process. Practical implications A table of photographic research methods for all stages of design thinking, from empathy to prototyping, is presented. Best practices for the successful implementation and interpretation of photography in food design thinking are discussed. Social implications Photography is a uniquely inclusive and accessible research method for understanding the social problem of food well-being and designing innovative food experiences. Originality/value To the best of the authors knowledge, this paper provides the first conceptual foundation for the use of photography in design thinking. The paper identifies novel photographic methods that can be used to understand problems and generate solutions. It provides guidelines to successfully integrate photography in the design of innovative food experiences that improve food well-being.