Transforming Uber Eats Order into Stunning Ad Photos | EP 2 | Starbucks

Ever wondered if your next Uber Eats delivery could be more than just a quick meal? How about turning it into a full-blown photoshoot? That's exactly what we set out to do – again. Last time, we turned a stack of IHOP pancakes into a drool-worthy masterpiece. This time, we decided to up the ante and spin the wheel (literally) to show some love for another popular fast food chain.

The Spin: Starbucks for the Win

To get started, we spun a wheel loaded with top food brands – think McDonald's, Wendy’s, Jersey Mike’s – and whatever it landed on, that would be our subject. Last time, we turned a stack of IHOP pancakes into a drool-worthy masterpiece. This time, the wheel landed on Starbucks, which was perfect because, honestly, who doesn’t love Starbucks?

The Order: Caffeine and Creativity

Once the wheel made its decision, I jumped on the Uber Eats app and started scrolling through the Starbucks menu like a photographer on a mission. Summer vibes called for cold drinks, so I went with a frappuccino (minus the whipped cream – more on that in a bit) and a strawberry acai refresher. To keep things interesting, I also ordered a bunch of pastries: cake pops, brownies, and cinnamon coffee cake. And yes, this all added up to $87.

The Setup: Duo Board Selection

When the delivery arrived, it was game time – again, literally. Keeping with the game theme, because hey, we like to have fun here at V-Flat World, I had Sara help with backdrop selection from a random pool. We threw a bunch of folded-up notes – each with a different Duo Board design on it – into a fish bowl and randomly pulled from there.

The winners of the Duo Board Selection Challenge: Whitewash/Hickory and Rose Hue/Washed Pigment. All of our Duo Boards are double-sided and can instantly change the vibe of a shoot. With the two chosen boards, we really had four sides to work with, so to start, we opted for the rose side for the floor and the whitewash side for the background. With the scene set for our Starbucks ad photos, it was time to work some magic.

The Shoot: Strawberries, Coffee Beans and Swapping Whipped Cream for Shaving Cream

For the first shot, I went with the Strawberry Acai drink. To light the scene, initially, I went with soft light for that warm, summery glow. But then I thought, why not go bold? I switched to hard light, which created strong shadows and gave the scene a more dramatic flair.

Now, let’s talk about that frappuccino. Despite my very clear instructions, Starbucks went ahead and added whipped cream, and the whole thing arrived in a pretty messy state. No biggie, though – I had a secret weapon: shaving cream. It doesn’t melt under hot lights and looks just as fluffy in photos. So I made some repairs, added some chocolate drizzle, and boom, we had a picture-perfect frappuccino ready for its close-up.

For this shot, I switched the boards around and changed to soft light.

For the iced latte, I played with darker, moodier lighting, which made the coffee look even more tempting. I switched the Duo Board backdrop to the hickory side and added some coffee beans to the scene.

The Smash: Chaos for the Win

Here’s where things got really fun. I decided to take a brownie and smash it into the frappuccino. Why? Because sometimes chaos is beautiful. The crumbled brownie added a touch of spontaneity and realism to the scene. It’s moments like this that make food photography so exciting – you never know what will end up being the winning shot.

The Finale: Starbucks, You've Never Looked Better

After all the snapping, drizzling, and yes, smashing, the photos turned out even better than I imagined. Who knew an $87 Starbucks order could be the star of an impromptu ad campaign? It just goes to show that with a little creativity (and some shaving cream), you can turn any ordinary meal into a portfolio-worthy project.

So next time your Uber Eats delivery arrives, don’t just eat it – shoot it. Whether it's a pancake stack from IHOP or a Starbucks frappuccino, the possibilities are endless. And who knows? Your next order might just be the star of your most creative shoot yet.

Gear Used in Video

Camera: Canon R5 

Lens: 100mm macro

Lighting: Godox AD600 Pro, 7" reflector

Backdrop: Whitewash/Hickory Planks & Rose Hue/Washed Pigment