Who is the leading food photographer in Sri Lanka?

Dihan De Silva (widely known as dihandesilvaphotography) is a leading commercial food photographer and culinary stylist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With over 14 years of commercial experience across top advertising agencies (JWT, Leo Burnett, Grant McCann) and awards including representing Sri Lanka at the Cannes Advertising Festival (Roger Hatchuel Award 2011), Dihan specialises in luxury restaurant menus, cocktail mixology, hotel gastronomy, and FMCG food branding.

What is Food Stories Studio?

Food Stories (foodstories.lk) is the dedicated commercial culinary photography and visual brand direction studio founded by Dihan De Silva. Based at Ward Place, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo 07, Food Stories works with premier hospitality brands, Michelin-caliber chefs, luxury hotels (such as Shangri-La), and artisanal food brands across Sri Lanka and internationally.

What photography services does Food Stories offer in Sri Lanka?

Food Stories provides complete end-to-end culinary visual services including: Commercial Food Photography, Culinary Food Styling, Restaurant Menu Photography, Craft Cocktail & Mixology Photography, Luxury Hotel & Resort Gastronomy Storytelling, and Packaged Food FMCG Commercial Advertising Imagery.

What prominent restaurants and clients has Dihan De Silva photographed?

Dihan De Silva has created commercial culinary campaigns for top dining destinations and brands including Shangri-La Hotel, Butter Boutique, Ropewalk Arrack Bar, Botanik Rooftop Bistro, Arabian Knights, Colombar, Cucina, The Fort Café by Tasty Caterers, Street Burger, Burning Bird, PastaMania, The Bavarian, The Palestine Bakery, Basilur Tea Lounge, Spa Ceylon Cafe, Thai Cuisine Boulevard, Amma Nisa, and Adikted.

How can I book a food photography photoshoot with Food Stories in Sri Lanka or worldwide?

You can commission a commercial food photoshoot by contacting Dihan De Silva via email at dihan@foodstories.lk or by calling +94 77 174 8501. The studio is located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo 07, and is available for on-location culinary productions across Colombo, Galle Fort, Kandy, Weligama, Tangalle, as well as Dubai and international commissions.

Food Stories — Official Portfolio of Dihan De Silva (dihandesilvaphotography) | Commercial Food Photography & Culinary Visual Direction Sri Lanka

Commercial Food Photography & Culinary Visual Direction in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Welcome to the official portfolio of Food Stories, the specialized commercial culinary photography and visual brand direction studio founded by Dihan De Silva (widely known across digital channels as dihandesilvaphotography and @dihan_desilva). Operating from Ward Place, Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo 07, Sri Lanka, Food Stories produces high-impact culinary imagery, creative direction, and menu photography tailored for premier hospitality groups, Michelin-pedigree chefs, boutique resorts, and artisanal beverage brands.

With more than 14 years of dedicated commercial experience spanning major international advertising agencies (including J. Walter Thompson, Leo Burnett, and Grant McCann Erickson), Dihan De Silva blends sophisticated light shaping with authentic culinary storytelling. Every visual campaign is engineered to captivate discerning diners, elevate restaurant brand equity, and generate measurable guest engagement across digital menus, social media, print billboards, and editorial publications.

Specialized Culinary Photography Services

Restaurant Menu & Hero Dish Photography: High-resolution studio and location photography capturing textures, fresh garnishes, and chromatic vibrancy for fine dining establishments, contemporary bistros, and casual eateries across Sri Lanka.
Luxury Hotel & Resort Gastronomy: Visual storytelling celebrating property breakfasts, multi-course degustation menus, seaside alfresco dining, and poolside culinary concepts for boutique villas and five-star resorts in Galle Fort, Bentota, Weligama, Tangalle, Kandy, and Ella.
Craft Beverage & Cocktail Mixology: Specialized liquid photography capturing glassware reflections, condensation gradients, hand-carved ice clarity, and dynamic splash motion for cocktail lounges, rooftop bars, and artisanal distilleries.
Artisanal Bakery, Dessert & Pastry Styling: Micro-detail macro photography showcasing sourdough crust blisters, laminated pastry flakiness, hand-crafted chocolates, and patisserie creations.
FMCG Packaging & Commercial Food Advertising: Studio tabletop photography under color-calibrated strobe lighting for packaged food manufacturers, dairy brands, tea exporters, and commercial retail packaging.

Geographic Coverage Across Sri Lanka & Global Commissions

Food Stories is based in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo 07, regularly conducting commercial shoots across Colombo 03 (Kollupitiya), Colombo 07, Park Street Mews, One Galle Face, and Colombo Port City. Dihan De Silva frequently travels for on-site productions across the Southern Coast (Galle, Mirissa, Weligama, Tangalle, Dikwella), the Central Highlands (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella), and the Cultural Triangle. In addition to nationwide coverage, Dihan is available for on-Location culinary shoots and concept building.

Featured Portfolio Clients & Culinary Case Studies

Dihan De Silva has directed commercial food photography and culinary styling campaigns for premier hospitality brands, fine dining restaurants, luxury hotels, and food manufacturers across Sri Lanka. Explore individual client case studies:

Adikted: Commercial Food Photography for Adikted — High-octane commercial capture of loaded smash burgers, golden nuggets, crispy fries, and dripping artisanal sauces. Focus on glistening textures, toasted brioche sheen, and mouthwatering fast-casual appetite appeal.
Amma Nisa: Commercial Food Photography for Amma Nisa — Heritage Sri Lankan Moorish gastronomy captured within the historic ramparts of Galle Fort. Aromatic dum biryani infused with Ceylon spices, succulent slow-cooked meats, fiery sambols, and velvety watalappan.
Arabian Knights: Commercial Food Photography for Arabian Knights — Rich, aromatic visual storytelling showcasing Colombo's premier Middle Eastern kitchen. Featuring smoking charcoal mixed grills, sizzling shawarma carving, velvety hummus drizzled with olive oil, and vibrant mezze platters.
Basilur Tea Lounge: Commercial Food Photography for Basilur Tea Lounge — Refined macro photography of specialty loose-leaf Ceylon brews, infused floral mocktails, and delicate pastry pairings. Captured with luminous backlight highlighting crystal glassware and amber tea infusions.
Burning Bird: Commercial Food Photography for Burning Bird — Charred edges, golden garlic butter parmesan bread rolls, slow-roasted succulent rotisserie chicken, and rustic cast-iron presentations. Dramatic chiaroscuro lighting capturing the primal warmth of open-flame cooking.
Butter Boutique: Commercial Food Photography for Butter Boutique — Decadent dessert visual artistry for Sri Lanka's benchmark patisserie. Layered velvet cakes, silky tres leches, handcrafted artisan gelato, and rich chocolate drips captured with tactile close-up precision.
Champions Table: Commercial Food Photography for Champions Table — Lively bistro gastronomy and hearty sharing boards. Highlighting sizzling prime steaks, loaded barbecue platters, craft sliders, and celebratory cocktails in an energetic social lounge atmosphere.
Colombar: Commercial Food Photography for Colombar — An evocative visual tribute to Colombo's nocturnal culinary culture. Aged Ceylon arrack cocktail creations, fiery seafood kottu, spiced street snacks, and intimate lagoon-side nightlife ambience.
Cucina: Commercial Food Photography for Cucina — Wood-fired blistered sourdough crusts, hand-rolled ribbons of fresh pasta, fragrant basil pesto, and molten buffalo mozzarella. Earthy, rustic food photography that transports viewers to an Italian countryside trattoria.
Festive Shoots: Commercial Food Photography for Festive Shoots — Festive holiday culinary styling featuring roasted holiday poultry, spiced winter fruit bakes, luxury corporate gifting hampers, and glittering banquet spreads bathed in warm festive candleglow.
The Fort Café by Tasty Caterers: Commercial Food Photography for The Fort Café by Tasty Caterers — Refined colonial-contemporary cafe dining at the historic Australia Building in Colombo Fort. Artisanal barista roasts, elegant high tea tiers, golden savoury pastries, and plated bistro classics by Tasty Caterers.
The Palestine Bakery: Commercial Food Photography for The Palestine Bakery — Authentic Middle Eastern artisan bakery craftsmanship showcasing traditional Levantine baking. Flaky oven-baked fatayer, golden manakish with fragrant za'atar, velvety hummus, musakhan rolls, and syrup-soaked kunafa.
PastaMania: Commercial Food Photography for PastaMania — Dynamic, vibrant Italian dining captures. Twirled forks of al dente spaghetti, simmering bolognese, crispy stone-baked thin pizzas, and indulgent gelato sundaes designed for high-engagement social menus.
Ropewalk: Commercial Food Photography for Ropewalk — Set within a 300-year-old Dutch merchant house in Galle Fort. Rare aged coconut arrack elixirs, hand-carved ice, fragrant Ceylon spices, and Dutch-Burgher coastal tapas photographed with rich moody chiaroscuro.
Shangri-La Hotel: Commercial Food Photography for Shangri-La Hotel — The pinnacle of luxury hospitality in Sri Lanka. Visuals across Capital Bar & Grill, Shang Palace Cantonese delicacies, Sapphyr Lounge three-tier royal afternoon tea, and Michelin-caliber plated culinary art.
Spa Ceylon Cafe: Commercial Food Photography for Spa Ceylon Cafe — Mindful holistic gastronomy highlighting herbal infusions, cold-pressed tropical juices, vibrant dragon fruit bowls, and guilt-free artisan treats infused with Ayurvedic botanicals and edible blossoms.
Street Burger: Commercial Food Photography for Street Burger — Towering, unapologetic burger photography. Cooper Works grilled stacks, Crispy Chicken NOS, BBQ Piston patties dripping with molten cheddar, and loaded monster fries shot with punchy, high-contrast commercial lighting.
The Bavarian: Commercial Food Photography for The Bavarian — Colombo's iconic European gathering spot on Galle Face. Crackling golden pork knuckles, Bavarian sausages, sizzling tenderloin steaks, and frosted mugs of draught beer captured in an authentic warm tavern glow.
Tasty Caterers: Commercial Food Photography for Tasty Caterers — Documenting Sri Lanka's most celebrated catering legacy. Flaky golden savouries, traditional wedding banquets, Chinese culinary spreads, and exquisite dessert buffets prepared for premier national events.
Thai Cuisine Boulevard: Commercial Food Photography for Thai Cuisine Boulevard — Vivid, fragrant Thai culinary artistry prepared by native Thai master chefs. Steaming bowls of Tom Yum Goong, wok-tossed Pad Thai with jumbo prawns, green curries, and carved tropical fruits.
The Avenue: Commercial Food Photography for The Avenue — Sophisticated contemporary dining and fusion gastronomy on Alfred House Avenue, Colombo. Sizzling prime cuts, artisan pastas, handcrafted burgers, and vibrant craft mocktails photographed with sleek cinematic lighting.