Food Photographers

The best way to gain experience in the field is to work as an assistant to a food photographer. Contact photographers in your area to inquire about opportunities. Additionally, obtain as much photographic experience as possible.

To be successful in their line of work, food photographers have to be patient. Shoots can take hours or even days, depending on the size of the project. An eye for detail is also important to be able to scrutinize a subject for any imperfections that may be imperceptible to the eye, but captured in photographs. Food photographers have to be creative in their work. Some clients will want straightforward images of their food, such as photos found in menus or cookbooks. Other clients may want unique, unpredictable pictures (such as a spicy fajita on a bed of snow) to create a fresh and memorable image of their food, such as photos found in promotional materials and advertisements.

Food photographers should be passionate not only about photography, but also about food. Spending eight hours a day trying to make a salad look just right is not for the average shutterbug. Those who can see the potential beauty in average food items (even something as ordinary as a tomato slice) will be the most successful and happy in this work.

Other important traits for food photographers include excellent manual dexterity, good eyesight and color vision, business acumen, and strong interpersonal and communication skills.