How to prepare for a food photography shoot

I get a lot of questions regarding preparation for a food photography shoot. I will discuss them in this blog.

What information do I need to receive a food photography quote?

In order to give you an estimate of the costs of the photoshoot, I’ll be looking for the following details:

• THe type of food that you would like me to capture. Not all foods are the same to photograph. Certain types of food are a lot more challenging than others. For example, icecream can be very tricky since it will melt. Whereas pancakes are very straightforward.

  Also, it would be good to know if the food needs to be prepared, as it will take more time to prepare.

• The number of items that will be in one shot. It takes a lot of time to set a full table as opposed to a plate with a cake, for example.

• The total number of food items to be photographed and also the total number of images. You might want to photograph one item at different angles or with a different background.

• THe style you would like the food to be photographed in. What is your brand like? Do you like a minimalist style with as little props as possible or a more abundant style with ingredients scattered around and a lot of props in the background. The last approach requires a lot more time to set up.

A selection of tapas, photographed in a rustic style

How do you come to an estimate?

Based on all the information as described above, I will estimate the time it takes to cover all the images that you are looking for. I usually quote by time needed (as in: half a day, full day, etc). The estimate will also include:

• the setup fee

• a fee for a stylist (if this was agreed)

• the editing fees: I do a basic retouch, light and colour correction and a light clean-up if needed. Anything that requires more time will come with an extra fee.

• the usage rights for the images

• the supply of the images in high and low resolution.

• mileage (if I come to your premises)

Summer salad in a minimalistic style

What happens after I have accepted the quote?

Once you accept the quote we will have a (zoom) call to discuss the photo session in further details. We will cover:

• Style. The style that we will photograph the food in should comply with your branding guidelines. A rustic style does not work for a brand that is modern, smooth and minimalistic.

• The props and backdrops we need for the different images. This also includes ingredients that we might use in addition to the actuall food product;

• Any other photos that you would like me to take. You might like me to take some headshots or branding photos with people in it. I can give you some advise on what to wear and can help with a make-up artist if you need one.

And then it’s lights on and ACTION!

I’ll describe in my next blog the shoot itself as well as the post-production stage. Feel free to give me a call if you have any other questions …