Food photographer: who is this and how to become one?

Working as a food photographer is gaining more and more popularity these days. But before you devote yourself to this profession, you need to figure out who it is and how to become one.

As long as the food and beverage industry exists, the demand for food bloggers will always be high. These people are in demand in restaurants, fast food cafeterias, and food companies. It is important for them to be heard, have their own blog and regularly post posts on social networks, they need to cooperate with promotional agencies, and, of course, no one canceled media and contextual advertising. In all these cases, one cannot do without a specialist who can photograph food products so that they would not be ashamed to put them on the pages of magazines and newspapers, show them on television or on the Internet.

Professional photographers use special skill secrets to make even the most ordinary food look more attractive in their photos.

In addition to the decoration of the images, food photographers also have to deal with the selection of subjects for photographs. It is important that they have a good knowledge of food preparation and cooking. It is no secret that most of these specialists began their careers in the catering sector. However, a photographer without such experience can also take pictures of food with practice and training.

There are at least two main ways in which people can come to the profession of a photographer. The first is when fairly experienced photographers, specializing in children, weddings or portraits, want to expand their horizons and try themselves in some new direction. The second - the more common way - is when food bloggers, due to circumstances, take a camera in their hands and learn to shoot food, so that their posts on social networks or on the pages of Internet portals look more attractive.

Over time, they outgrow the level of their project, reputable companies, confectioners and culinary specialists begin to invite them to shoot, after which they no longer become bloggers, but real food photographers who have an impressive volume of orders.

As with any person in the visual specialty, every food photographer will surely be pleased to see that his work is posted in newspapers and magazines, published on the pages of online publications or reproduced in any other way. A good professional always has a chance to make a name for himself, at work he will meet interesting people representing various projects - blogs, cookbooks, and shows.

At the same time, a food photographer is always left to himself, so he can build his work schedule in accordance with his capabilities, employment and mood. If desired, he can always arrange an unscheduled weekend and not suffer from interpersonal intrigues that often accompany employees in large companies.

However, it was not without its drawbacks. Despite the high demand for representatives of this profession, not every specialist in the field of photography will undertake this painstaking work. This specialist faces many challenges:

• monotony, routine and scrupulousness of work;
• a high level of stress in a situation if the shots turn out to be unsuccessful and the plan cannot be implemented;
• in order to qualify for cooperation with serious publications, the photographer needs expensive equipment;
• the activity requires on-site photo sessions - this means that a food photographer must have personal transport or spend his own money to pay for a hired one;
• As a rule, employers set rather limited time frames for order fulfillment, do not add optimism and constant worries about the opinion of the customer - these people often face an unsatisfactory assessment of the client.

Like any other specialist in the creative field, a food photographer always thinks about his projects. As practice shows, even during their holidays, they willy-nilly reflect on their customers, the latest trends and modern food equipment. This is not surprising, because during the execution of orders, the reputation of the photographer is at stake, therefore, every time photographing products and dishes for the customer, this specialist must give all his best.

The photographer should be distinguished by an increased level of responsibility, since he will have to make all decisions on his own. In addition, there will always and everywhere be people who are unable to appreciate the artistic professions. They will ask questions about why they should pay a large sum just for the fact that you press the shutter button. You should react competently to such comments.

It is very important for a photographer to keep abreast of fashion trends. This means that he should devote a lot of time to studying domestic and foreign experience in the field of photographing products. Food photography can be difficult not only morally, but also physically. - It is not uncommon for a photographer to climb stairs with his equipment or stand in a hunched position all day, filming several hundred dishes for a cookbook or delivery service.

You should be prepared for the fact that at first the work is unlikely to bring a lot of money. More often than not, young food photographers combine office work and photography. It is very important at this time not to lose your fervor - with the proper dedication and self-improvement in the profession, sooner or later, the photographer will be sure to start handling orders. As a rule, after the income from filming begins to overlap the salary that the photographer receives in the office, he goes on a free voyage.

In order to capture a dish or any product as effectively as possible, the photographer must know his subject well, be able to handle the tools of a professional photographer... Food photography requires a lot of knowledge, not only technical knowledge, but also those related to the food itself. Beginners in this field should be able to cook and "understand" food, not necessarily on a professional level, but at least at a level to be able to discuss all aspects of photography with their potential client.

Food photography is one of the modern varieties of still life, which is why specialists in this field must have a meticulous look and attention to every little detail.

Most often photographers are approached restaurants, in order to make advertising brochures and pictures of your dishes. Moreover, a specialist in this field can find a job either within the framework of only one company, or as a freelancer, working for several customers at once.

The list of clients and potential employers is complemented by large corporations and food companies. They need food photos to display their products. on the website and in brochures... In addition, the activities of specialists are in demand among publishers of magazines or cookbooks, as well as Internet portals dedicated to culinary issues.

It takes a lot of study to become a professional photographer. Keep in mind that there is no educational institution where food photographers are trained, so a beginner must learn everything himself. There are quite a few free blogs and tips on this topic these days on YouTube and Instagram. - in them you can find information not only about the actual shooting, but also about such issues as photo retouching, search and design of props. If you are fluent in a foreign language, it makes sense to pay special attention to foreign sites, since food photography is more common in America and European countries than in Russia.

It is very helpful to learn from successful examples: The work of such food bloggers as Petr Karasev, Yulia Kosmo, Daria Boronina and Dina Belenko is in great demand; many novice specialists use Eduard Zhukov's Internet channels, as well as the insta blogs of Maxim Mordvintsev and Danila Sneg.

If you want to learn how to take photos faster, it makes sense to pay attention to special courses - there are a lot of them on the Internet. Keep in mind that such courses are usually paid: a good course with homework and feedback from a curator costs about 15-25 thousand rubles. Basic courses and master classes cost 10-15 thousand rubles, all kinds of webinars, as a rule, are estimated at about 3 thousand rubles.