ALL THE GEAR & NO IDEA? When people think about food photography, they usually think about cameras, lenses and lighting. But there's much more to creating great food photographs than the camera itself. Over the years I've spent money on all sorts of items that I thought I needed in my kit bag... ...and some of them have never been used. So today I'm going to save you some time and money by showing you the 10 inexpensive tools that I actually use on almost every food and drink

One of the questions I’m asked most is, “How many photographs do I need before I can start approaching clients?” My answer usually surprises people because it isn’t really about numbers at all. I’ve seen photographers with twenty photographs get commercial work, whilst others have a hundred images on their website and still struggle to attract clients. The difference is rarely the number of photographs. It’s the story those photographs tell. Think about the last time you walk

Scroll through Instagram for five minutes and it can feel like everyone already has a recognisable style. Dark and moody. Bright and airy. Minimal. Rustic. Editorial. Colourful. Before long, you start asking yourself… “How do I find my food photography style?” My answer is always the same. Stop looking for it. Your style develops every time you pick up your camera. It isn’t something you suddenly decide one day. It comes from photographing, experimenting and slowly understand

The Secret to Beautiful Food Styling You can have beautiful lighting, the perfect camera settings and an expensive camera, but if the food doesn’t look inviting, the photograph simply won’t work. Food styling isn’t about making food look perfect. It’s about making it look like the very best version of itself. When styling becomes too perfect, people notice. Everything is perfectly straight. Every crumb looks carefully placed. Nothing feels real. The best food styling feels na

If you've ever wondered what camera settings professional food photographers use, you're not alone. Your camera settings determine how sharp your image is, how much of the food is in focus, how natural the colours look and whether your image feels polished or amateur. The good news is you don't need to know every button on your camera. Master these eight settings and you'll have a brilliant foundation for creating beautiful food photographs. The first three settings are lumpe

Natural light or artificial light? It's one of the biggest questions I get asked, and it's also one of the most misunderstood. Both can produce stunning food photographs. The difference isn't the type of light you use. It's what you do with it. Natural Light Natural light is exactly what it says on the tin. The light coming through your window from the sun. As the sun moves throughout the day, the direction, colour and intensity of that light changes, along with the shadows i

Lighting is the language of photography. In food photography, light creates the mood, reveals texture and ultimately decides whether a dish looks mouth-watering or unappealing. Learning how to control light is probably the single most important skill you’ll develop as a food photographer. When I first started photographing food, I thought, “How hard can this be? I’ve been a portrait photographer for 15 years.” Well… as it turned out, food photography was completely different.

The 8 things I look at when critiquing every food photograph There isn’t one thing that makes a food photograph look professional. It’s hundreds of small decisions that all work together. Lighting, composition, focus, colour, food styling, set styling, commercial appeal and editorial feel all play their part. Miss one or two of those elements and your image can feel a little amateurish, even if you’ve cooked a beautiful meal and own a great camera. Every week I critique food

My Food Photography Shopping List (What I’d Buy & What Can Wait) One of the biggest misconceptions about food photography is that you need a studio full of expensive camera gear before you can produce beautiful images. You don’t. In fact, if you gave me a camera, one lens, a tripod and a window, I’d happily photograph food all day. Over the years I’ve bought well thought out kit. I have made thoughtful purchases as I hate kit sitting on a shelf collecting dust. So if you’re

The question I get asked more than any other is: “How do I actually become a food photographer?” And, there is a massive myth floating around out there. People think you need to be a chef, a baker or have a massive London studio, and £10k worth of lighting gear before you can even think about charging for your work. You don't. Skills come first. Gear comes later. I know this because I did it the hard way. For 15 years, I was a portrait photographer. I built a business I didn'

One thing I notice quite a lot in food photography is that people often assume brighter automatically means better. Or more commercial. You move the setup closer to the window, turn the light up on the strobe, increase the exposure in camera or lift the shadows in editing and suddenly the image feels cleaner, brighter and more polished. At first glance it can feel like an improvement. But every now and then I’d look back and realise I’d lost something. The food felt flatter.

What makes a photo something a brand would actually pay for? One of the biggest surprises in food photography? The photo people clap the loudest for is not always the one that gets booked. Photographers look and say: “The lighting is beautiful.” “The colours are gorgeous.” “The steam is dreamy.” Clients look and think: Can I put text on that? Does this feel like us? Can I crop this six different ways? Will somebody stop scrolling? Will this help sell our product? And ..

Most importantly, dark and moody makes the hero stand out and draws our eyes in to the main event.So when setting up your dark & moody image, make sure it's not dark & darker and that is goes above and beyond on emotion and atmospheric drama. When new members join my Food Photography Academy a common theme of what they want to be able to achieve is to nail a dark and moody food image. So here are a few pointers on what works and what doesn't. Embracing the Shadows: Dark and m

Tripods are such a valuable part of food photography and go unrewarded until we see a very good, or.... very blurry image! How it performs (based on what you shoot) Whether you are photographing at eye level, 45 degrees or creating a flatlay you need to find the best option for you. Eye level / 45 degrees - any solid tripod with smooth height adjustment. Flatlays - horizontal centre column = easiest, inverted camera = works but fiddly, overhead arm = best if you shoot this a

When styling feels too perfect, you can see it. Everything is placed just so. Nothing moves. Nothing feels touched. Natural styling brings movement, shape and realism into your image while keeping it intentional. What this looks like: A napkin with shape A spoon that feels placed Crumbs that sit where they should A drizzle with movement Ingredients that support the dish A set that feels relaxed Natural styling still needs structure. You are shaping the scene with: • Balance •

Shiny cutlery, crockery, and props give you a run for your money in food photography, often detracting from the main hero (the food) in the shot. Here are the main reasons why I steer clear of shiny objects: Reflections and Glare Distracting Reflections: Shiny surfaces reflect light sources, the light pings about all over the place. It also reflects the photographer, especially when they are wearing any other colour than black. Lastly it reflects other elements in the env