Photography by Ian L. Sitren

Posts tagged “unedited fast food photo

Real Whoppers!


What a Whopper Really Looks Like

A Whopper of a lawsuit is making headlines. In Coleman v. Burger King, the fast food giant is being accused of deceptive advertising, with claims that its famous burgers don’t look nearly as appetizing in real life as they do in the company’s promotional images.

The lawsuit has sparked a wave of comparison photos, with media coverage highlighting images of Whoppers looking deflated, sparse, and unappealing.

But let’s be clear: the so-called “real” Whopper photos being circulated tell a story of their own — shot in bad lighting, at awkward angles, with a sickly green hue that distorts the appearance of the food. That’s not reality either; it’s just the opposite kind of spin.

The photo here wasn’t taken for this lawsuit or in reaction to it. It’s one I shot previously as part of my ongoing fast food photography series, and it’s been on my website for some time.

These are actual Burger King Whoppers and Double Whoppers, photographed as they came out of the bag — no styling, no manipulation, just carefully lit against a black background. And they look good — and in my opinion, taste good too.

This isn’t an endorsement or a takedown. It’s just documentation — what these burgers really look like. Not inflated, not degraded. There’s a difference between advertising and reality, but there’s also a difference between reality and an intentionally bad photograph.

This is what Whoppers really look like.

You can see more of my fast food photography series — everything from burgers and tacos to shrimp and sandwiches — at 👉 SecondFocus.com “From Bag to Background.”