: Re: Knowing when to use pictures over words When writing about food, be it a cookbook or a food blog, as long as the media supports it, the use of pictures is going to make a difference in

First, always include a picture of the finished product. It helps me, as the customer, realise what it is they're trying to achieve, it helps me see whether my intermediary stage is in the right direction, or completely not. It also makes me drool and want to make and eat that particular recipe. Without the picture, I'm in the dark.

With that starting point, consider what visual information is already contained in the picture of the finished product. For example, a picture of finished cookies contains information of size and colour ("bake until lightly brown"). If the cookies contain some sort of filling, you'd want your one photo of the finished product to show that - show the cookie broken in two, with the soft centre sort of leaking out. This is why it is common to show a slice of cake rather than the whole thing - you are providing information on layers. You want the one picture of the final product to be as informative as possible.

You would only need to provide additional pictures if some essential information is not contained in the picture of the final product and is easier shown than explained with words. The intermediary stages of constructing a chessboard cake or an apfelstrudel, for example, are not self-evident from the finished product.

How do you know the text information is not clear enough, and a picture of the intermediary stage is needed?

If you struggle to explain what one should do, a picture would probably help. If you find that it would help you to explain, that's a strong clue.
If what you're explaining could be simplified to an IKEA-like diagram (fold A over B), a picture would probably help.
If all a picture shows is a mix of products, or goop of some colour (read batter), it is of no use at all. If you need to describe the consistency of the batter, it is more helpful to say it's "like X" (e.g. "the consistency of thick yoghurt").

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