The Manual of Food Photography
Food is a unique niche in the panoply of commercial photo work. Food and beverage companies require photography for packaging design or promotional campaigns. Restaurants, web designers, or foodie bloggers all look for the visual recreation that brings the viewer to try or buy.
(image courtesy Michelle Havens)
Taking a picture of cooked meat is easy. Making it look appetizing (or even edible) is an art and a specialized skill. In addition, there are “pizza pulls”, ice cream scoops, or stop motion milk splashes in a bowl of cereal. Plus, you need to know the various legal issues of food depiction in advertising. It’s tricky stuff.
Let’s just say you could learn this stuff the hard way, or the easy way.
So after 30 years of experience in food styling for advertising, magazines, books, and films, Delores Custer has published "Food Styling" - a must-have book for anyone interested in preparing food for the camera.
Ms. Custer’s book is the real deal. It’s a comprehensive, revealing manual on the techniques used by the pros. She discusses not only the craft and techniques (like 5 ways to produce steam), but also the variety of aesthetic approaches to client work and advice about the appropriate style. She also discusses videography and other business opportunities.
So add this book to your list of professional tools. It may even help you decide when to bring in a seasoned pro to help, or when you can pull it off on your own.
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