# Quick question on meat photography



## carnivROAR (Mar 21, 2013)

Hi

Sorry about coming on the website brand new and asking for help straight away without introduction.

I know it's bad nettiquette but I'm stuck with something.

I'm working with a local bison meat supplier, free range, grass fed completely hormone free meat.

They're about to take their products online and unsure whether to use cooked/prepared photos or raw photos. I personally like the raw pictures as you can see the tenderness of the meat as well as the marbelling, being a meat freak these sorts of details are more attractive to me. OTOH I've seen across the web there are meat sellers who use prepared/cooked photography.

When buying raw meat online, which pics would you much prefer to see at the e-store?

Thanks


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## Barbara L (Mar 21, 2013)

If there is only going to be one picture, it should be raw. A few raw and one cooked would be good.  

Welcome to DC!


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## Andy M. (Mar 21, 2013)

Raw meat photos tell you more about the meat than the cooked meat photos.  You can see the muscles, marbling and external fat much better to help you judge the meat's quality.  That would be my focus on such a site.  A couple of pictures of the perfectly cooked end product would be helpful with some cuts.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 21, 2013)

I agree with the raw. Just look at all of the major chains and other meat specialty shops, etc. that sell meat. In their flyers and other promotions it is always raw.  I think they have spent loads of money and done tons of market research that would support that.  I think you should borrow a page from their book(not literally).


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## buckytom (Mar 21, 2013)

raw. 

as andy said, you can judge the meat better.


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## taxlady (Mar 21, 2013)

One more vote for raw. And, agreed, if there are several photos, one could be of the cooked result.


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 21, 2013)

If the meat is of high quality then I say raw.

If the meat is poor quality then I say cooked,  _'sell the sizzle not the steak'_


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## taxlady (Mar 21, 2013)

Aunt Bea said:


> If the meat is of high quality then I say raw.
> 
> If the meat is poor quality then I say cooked,  _'sell the sizzle not the steak'_


mwahaha


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## Snip 13 (Mar 22, 2013)

Raw. Your selling a raw product so the pic should match.


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## lyndalou (Mar 22, 2013)

Agree with all above.


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## FrankZ (Mar 22, 2013)

I agree with the raw meat pictures.

And if you want  to use the second picture clean up the plate.  The juices running make it look amateurish.


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## carnivROAR (Mar 22, 2013)

Rocklobster said:


> I agree with the raw. Just look at all of the major chains and other meat specialty shops, etc. that sell meat. In their flyers and other promotions it is always raw.  I think they have spent loads of money and done tons of market research that would support that.  I think you should borrow a page from their book(not literally).




i ws going to go with raw as a no brainer but a lot of our competitors use cvooked pics only.


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## powerplantop (Mar 22, 2013)

The photos on the main page could be cooked. 

Then when you get to the page where you order the individual cut those should be raw.


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## jabbur (Mar 22, 2013)

I agree that raw is better when choosing to buy a cut of meat online.  If it's an unusual cut that folks may be unfamiliar with preparing then a pic of it "done right" would be good.  I also like powerplantop's suggestion of cooked on the home page and raw on the order page.  The cooked pics may draw more folks in by stimulating their taste buds.  Then when they decide they need some, you show them the quality with the raw pics when they order.


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## carnivROAR (Mar 23, 2013)

*Meat photography for online meat store (your opinions wanted) part 2*

Hi

Sorry about re-posting, if you have taken part in the previous discussion on this topic please ignore this post. 

I made the mistake of influencing the poll by stating my personal preference. So I'm going to ask other people again without posting my personal bias.

I'm working with a local bison meat supplier, free range, grass fed completely hormone free meat.

They're about to take their products online and unsure whether to use cooked photos or raw photos. They'll be sell raw steaks, ground meat, roasts & sausages

Would like your opinions on which pictures would be best suited for a online meat seller

Thanks

Examples from the web (not our own pictures)


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## carnivROAR (Mar 24, 2013)

Hi thanks for the responses.

Appreciate the contribution, I hope I haven't swayed the way you have responded because I showed clear bias in my opening post with regards to preferring raw over cooked.


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## buckytom (Mar 25, 2013)

while i still think a picture of raw meat is better, i keep thinking of tommy boy: "i can get a good look at a t-bone by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but i'd rather take a butcher's word for it."  :smile


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## Zereh (Mar 25, 2013)

I do love the pictures of the cooked (or being cooked) meat. But if I were doing any on-line purchasing I would expect to see the meat raw, just as I would in the butcher shop.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 25, 2013)

carnivROAR said:


> i was going to go with raw as a no brainer but a lot of our competitors use cvooked pics only.


Then, why don't you try something a bit different to stand out from your competition and use both, somehow? Omaha steaks uses mostly cooked. I'm thinking they did some market research..https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=BztQUd-xGMf6yQHDjIHQAg


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## PrincessFiona60 (Mar 25, 2013)

Rocklobster said:


> Then, why don't you try something a bit different to stand out from your competition and use both, somehow? Omaha steaks uses mostly cooked. I'm thinking they did some market research..https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=BztQUd-xGMf6yQHDjIHQAg



The grill marks are too perfect, Omaha already has it's market and a large customer base.  I think raw would be best for an online business starting out.


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## chopper (Mar 25, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> The grill marks are too perfect, Omaha already has it's market and a large customer base.  I think raw would be best for an online business starting out.



You are right.  The grill marks are so perfect they almost look fake, and the perfect cuts on that big fat hot dog!  Ok, I'm hungry after looking at the food both raw and cooked!  I still think the raw is the way to go.


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