Real food!

Delicious deception or detailed styling?

Ever scrolled through Instagram and stopped dead in your tracks, mesmerized by a photo of a burger? Or flipped through a cookbook and felt an instant craving for the perfectly captured pasta dish? That's the magic of a food photographer.

But there's more to it than just pointing a camera at a plate of food. While some food photographers use motor oil in place of syrup and mashed potatoes instead of ice cream I work hard to use real food in all my photos. You still wouldn’t want to bite into one of the burgers I shoot though because there are a lot of toothpicks holding all the components in place!

The Art of Food Styling

Think food photography is all about capturing a quick snapshot of lunch? Not quite. I meticulously arrange the food, choosing plates, props, and backdrops to create a mouthwatering composition. Think of it as setting the stage for a delicious play. It is important to keep the food fresh and pay attention to details like garnishes. In fact, I keep my own little herb garden and grow my own lettuce to use in my shoots! What could be fresher than that?!

Lighting Up the Dish

Lighting is everything in food photography. Light, natural or artificial is the key to all photography. Knowing how to manipulate light is important so that you can choose what aspects of the food should be the focus. I various techniques to highlight the textures, colors, and freshness of the food. From soft, natural light to dramatic shadows, I know how to make each dish shine.

The Perfect Click

With the food styled and the lighting set, it's time! I try to get everything as close to perfect as possible in my shot. I shoot tethered so I can see the images on a bigger screen than the back of my camera. I try to approach the dish from various angles and distances. Sometimes I surprise myself with what angle I like the best! Be creative and play around.

Keep it Fresh

Something I really love about food photography is that it requires constant problem solving! It feels like no two shoots are exactly the same.