How to Become a Food Photographer

[Reyed Mia (Apprentice, DIU)]

How to Become a Food Photographer

What is food photography?

Working as a food photographer involves more than just taking Instagram shots of lovely things you've eaten to impress your friends. A food photographer job features a lot of 'alone time' sourcing freelance opportunities beyond stock agency work, getting regular work with publishing houses, and physically battling with culinary blow torches. But the rewards are worth it! An experienced food photographer lets you in on the qualifications, training, challenges and joys of a fun, alternative job that will exist as long for as there's a food and drinks industry.

What made you become a food photographer?

In my case, it was a gradual process that began with frustration. At my first job, working in the women's magazines segment, I was entrusted with the food section. I learned that the magazine bought stock photography from an agency and then the editor (me in that case) made up the recipes. (That's why, when we cook from magazine recipes, the results can vary greatly compared to the illustrating image.) While I was studying for my graphic design degree, I lived alone and had the chance to build a small food photography portfolio and, suddenly, I realized I had something coherent and appealing to offer to the food world.

What is the pay like?

I am a freelancer and do different kinds of work, so the pay varies greatly. A photo shoot can mean anything from a few hundred euro to a few thousand. Selling your images to stock agencies is disappointingly underpriced, but you do get a fee every time the image is bought. I work with local restaurants, photographing cooking events or photographing their dishes for promotional material and with publishers that give assignments based on their editorial needs. Working out the right way to price your work and time is an issue most of us struggle with. The pay is decent, but in the initial years, it might not be enough to support you, so don't quit your day job as soon as you've bought your professional camera.

What sort of qualifications/training do you need?

The low(er) budget approach: You need an intimate knowledge of your camera and lighting and a huge passion for food that will get you experimenting and creating on a consistent basis. The big budget approach: You need a degree or any kind of training in visual arts and communication (graphic design or photography are a plus), and again, passion for this particular field. In either case, you need to be able to show to your clients that you can stand out in the crowd of professionals in the field.

From personal experience, I would say the most important thing is to grow a thick skin that will help you get through the inevitable rejections in the beginning. You also need to be able to accept criticism and suggestions and to trim your ego down to size. The greatest artists are very humble people and the diva behaviour really is something that only movie characters can get away with.

Job satisfaction? What are the perks of being a food photographer?

As with every other visual profession, it feels great to see your work being published, printed or otherwise reproduced. You get to make a name for yourself, to work with various people who have different projects, and most of all, you get to be more in control of your time and price your work better in relation to the time and effort you invest.

Source:http://www.mookychick.co.uk/how-to/fun-alternative-jobs/how-to-become-a-food-photographer.php