As a commercial photographer who lives on a hilltop surrounded by neighbors who grow syrah and zinfandel, I have the good fortune to photograph the wine world frequently – the growing of wine, the making of wine, the promotion of wine, the consumption of wine… Like any type pf photography, it’s hard work when I’m in the midst of a shoot. Afterwards, of course, there are special benefits.

I wasn’t always a wine photographer. For years, I shot color-critical work for horticulture catalogs (yes, much less fun than shooting wine). I’d probably still be shooting hort if the baby boomers had not given up gardening for other pursuits – like drinking wine and traveling. When the horticulture industry began to fall on hard times several years ago, I began to diversify my shooting. Eventually, my wine photography grew to a point where I now market myself as a specialist in the field. (Click here to check out my work as a wine photographer.)

The lesson learned – if you are a commercial shooter who has been displaced by the economy, take a serious look at your neighborhood for opportunities. You may find that there are specialties there that are waiting to be developed and marketed.

This is the 3rd (and last!) installment in the PixSylated series on Learning Food Photography. You’ll find several web videos of food shoots, blogs on food & food photography, links to the sites of food shooters and stylists, sources for supplies… and more. [I say "last!" only because these three posts have grown to epic proportions and it's time I move on to completing other PixSylated projects.]

In case you missed the previous posts, here’s a summary. In Part 1, I reviewed a long list of books on food photography and styling. In Part 2, I surveyed workshops, conferences, and trade associations for food photographers and culinary professionals.

Web Videos on Food Photography

Cottage Living Magazine came to Paso Robles (the home of PixSylated) for a food and wine shoot with our friend and neighbor Edward Sellers. Click on the photo below to watch the video of the shoot.

Ed Gowans live shoot for Pear Bureau at his studio in Portland, Oregon

The Art of Food Styling
A bit of live action behind the scenes at a restaurant shoot.

Ratatouille Podcast #7 – Cooking Up CG Food

Blogs & Websites On Food, Food Photography and Styling:

101 Cookbooks – Heidi Swanson, a food writer and photographer based in San Francisco, proves again and again that great cooking and great food photos need not be complicated. Be sure to check out the post “Food Photography Tips”.

Still Life With – The most active blog for food photographers and stylists. The archives are an amazing collection of info. SLW hosts a monthly photo challenge with the entries posted to the SLW group at Flickr. If you’re in search of a one-stop list of links to food photographers, be sure to check out the “Inspiration” sidebar at the bottom of the right column. I’ve never encountered a longer list of food shooters.

Food Designs – Hosted by Lisa Golden Schroeder, a veteran food stylist and co-founder of the International Conference on Food Styling & Photography.

Food Photographers & Stylists To Know

Syl Arena – (yours truly) photographer

Matt Armedariz – photographer

Jacqueline Buckner – stylist

John Carafoli – stylist

Tony Clark – photographer

Lara Ferroni – photographer

Steven Hamilton – photographer

Lara Hata – photographer

Lisa Keenan – photographer

Tracey Kusiewicz – photographer

Judd Pilossof – photographer

Michael Ray – photographer

Sara Remington – photographer

Laurie Ruben – photographer

Lisa Golden Schroeder – stylist

Sources of Supplies For Styling Food Photography:

Trengove Studios – For more than 20 years, Trengove has supplied the still and movie industries. They have a range of models, props and styling products. Personal favorites are their acrylic ice cubes and slashes. If you have sticker shock over these pieces of hand-sculpted plastic, remember that many of their items are available for rent.

Set Shop – This New York institution is a good source for all kinds of photographic expendables and other supplies. For food photography, check out their Special Effects section.

The Styling Store – This online-store is run by Jim Rude, a food stylist from Milwaukee. You’ll find a wide range of powders, gels and coloring agents used by stylists as well as a great selection of specialized tools.

Journals & Magazines On Food With Great Photography

Bon Appetit – A classic that’s been revitalized (mostly) through photography.

Food & Wine – Great writing. Superb photogrpahy.

Gastronomica – The one on this list you’ve probably never heard about. A quarterly journal of food and culture. Deep content. Intermittent, but high-quality, photography and illustration.

Gourmet – The classic magazine on food has a new spirit and a fresh look.

Saveur – My favorite magazine on food. The photography in Saveur has inspired a new generation of food photographers.

Online Workshops For Learning Food Photography and Styling

Photo Styling Workshops offers a range of online workshops. Look for Lisa Golden Schroeder’s class on Food Styling that starts on September 9th.

One-on-One Training For Food Stylists

Jacqueline Buckner One-On-One – If you are $erious about learning the craft of styling food, you can learn from one of the best.

Other Cool Resources For Food Photographers

Slow Food USA – the international food and lifestyle movement takes root in the US.

Sites For Stock & Other Food Photography

Eat-Me – stock food photography site in Australia

Foodpix – the food stock photography site at Jupiter Images

Professional-looking Food Photography – the Flickr group has more than 4,000 members. If you’re a fan of Flickr, this group might be worth your time.

Stock Food – the world’s largest international collection of stock food photography

Stay In Touch With PixSylated

Don’t want to miss the next installment of PixSylated? Get the new posts automatically by RSS or email. You’ll find links for each near the top of left column.

In Learning Food Photography – Part 1, I reviewed all the books in print (and a couple out-of-print) that cover photographing food and styling food for photography. [Click here if you would like to read that article first.] Being visual creatures, most photographers learn better by doing and hearing rather than by reading. So, in this installment, Part 2, I’ll cover a range of workshops, seminars and conferences on food photography. I’ll also run through a handful of professional associations for food photographers and stylists. In Part 3, I run through a number of food blogs, online resources (including some great YouTube videos on food photography) and sources of supplies for food shooters and stylists.

Workshops / Seminars / Conferences on Food Photography:

International Conference on Food Styling & Photography
June 13 – 15, 2009 / Boston University
This biennial event will be held again at Boston University. It is only conference created solely for food photographers and stylists. Attending the 3-day event is a great way to meet stylists and photographers from around the globe. If you are serious about your craft as a food shooter, consider this a must-do. For details on the 2009 conference, click here to be put on their mailing list. To read about the inaugural conference in 2007, click here.

Lou Manna is a Manhattan-based food photographer. He literally wrote the book on ‘Digital Food Photography‘. Every other month or so, Lou teaches a one-day workshop in his studio. Tuition is a very reasonable $250. Scott Kelby, over on Photoshop Insider, wrote an extensive (and glowing) review about his experience in Lou’s workshop. Check out the “Workshops” tab on Lou’s blog for upcoming dates. To sign up for the September 14 workshop, click here. To sign up for the November 9 workshop, click here.

Photoshop World is the bi-coastal, semiannual, 4-day extravaganza of all things Photoshop. Organized by NAPP, Photoshop World happens right after Labor Day in Las Vegas and somewhere on the east coast during the spring.  A perennial favorite is the Lighting For Food Photography session led by Joe Glyda (Friday, September 5, 12:00-1:00pm). For Joe’s bio, click here.

Associations For Food Photographers and Stylists:

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) has more than 3,000 members spread across 45 countries. The IACP has a professional interest section for food photographers and stylists that coordinates the seminar content on photography/styling for the annual IACP conference. Joining as a member and attending the conference is a great way to meet other food photographers.

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the organization that everyone who earns money with their camera should join. ASMP has nearly 40 local chapters around the country and a number of special interest groups – including a small, but growing, group of food photographers. The group hosts a Yahoo! forum that is open to anyone interested in food photography. If you are new to food photography, a shout out on the forum is a good way to locate photographers and stylists in your region.

The Culinary Institute of America is the matriarch of culinary education in America. Based in Hyde Park, New York, CIA has branch locations in Napa Valley and San Antionio. Although CIA does not provide education on food photography directly, it is a valuable resource for education and inspiration about food. Their free, daily e-newsletter is a great way to stay up on ideas and issues in the food industry.

DVD:

Photographing Food As Art – Bigelow
This is a quasi-documentary shot near the end of the three-year collaboration between chef Jean-Louis Palladin and photographer Fred Maroon… some 20+ years ago. The result of their collaboration was
published in 1989 as “Jean-Louis – Cooking With The Seasons” – a coffee table book of highly-style food. I wrote a detailed review on Amazon. The bottom line is that the DVD has limited value when measured by today’s standards.

Don’t want to miss the next installment of PixSylated?

Get the new posts automatically by RSS or email. You’ll find links for each in the left column.

PixSylated’s 3-Part Series On Learning Food Photography

• Part 1, Books that deal with food photography and styling.
• Part 2, Workshops, seminars & conferences / trade associations / a DVD.
• Part 3, Site of food shooters & stylists, web videos on food photography, blogs, online resources and sources of supplies

Shooting food is the culinary equivalent of fashion photography. It just happens at a slower pace and smaller scale. Both can be much more difficult than they appear to the uninitiated.

• There’s the issue of lighting. A strobe setup that works when shooting a glamor headshot won’t work when shooting a meal that’s 12″ square. Yet the lighting concepts are often the same.
• There’s the issue of perishability. Just as a waif of a model can’t look like a Cosmo cover 24/7, the food photographer is always wary of his subject melting, wilting, loosing it’s shine or effervescence.
• There’s the issue of styling. Food for photography often is not food for eating. Just as the fashion shooter often lets another professional deal with hair and makeup, a food stylist understands how to primp and massage food for the camera.

Part 1 – Books on Food Photography: If you’re looking for books on nature photography, you can find a herd of them. If you’re looking for books on food photography, you’ll find a scant handful. Here are virtually all the relevant food photography books currently on the market (as both in-print and out-of-print titles).

I’ll start with books that cover food photography from cover to cover. Then, I’ll describe a few titles that only have a chapter or two that relate directly to food photography – but even a single chapter is often worth the cost of the book. Finally, I’ll review a couple of books that deal with food styling more than photographic technique. Even these titles offer valuable insights for the food photographer.

Books on Food Photography (cover to cover):

Digital Food Photography – Lou Manna
This is THE book to get when you’re starting down the path as a food photographer. Lou Manna is a New York-based shooter who also offers workshops every other month or so in his studio. Lou’s comprehensive book covers not only photography, but also such important factors as: how food photography is used (editorially, in marketing and on packaging), the role of the food stylist and the role of the prop stylist. His no-nonsense talk about food photography covers gear, composition, lighting, retouching and how to get in the business. If there was an award for Mr. Congeniality in the food photography world, Lou would be the perennial winner. [Thompson Course Technology, © 2005, 296 pages, 7.5" x 9", $26–$40, widely available]

Lighting For Food & Drink Photography – Steve Bavister
This book is the Holy Grail for many food photogaphers. It presents the work of more than 20 leading food shooters in the classic format of RotoVision books. Nearly every spread presents a seductive, full-page shot paired opposite a how-to description and explicit lighting diagram. The book starts with ambient light shots, then works through one light setups, two light setups and then “sophisticated” setups. This is the book I open when I need a dash of visual inspiration. Although published in 2001 and full of anecdotes about shooting film, the book is more valuable today than when it was published with a cover price of $35. IF you can find it, expect to pay something north of $200 for a good used copy. Amazon lists two copies as being available (but not for long). In my correspondence with RotoVision, they said that they have no plans to reprint or issue a new edition. So, if you’re serious about your craft as a food photographer, don’t hold your breath for a “cheap” version anytime soon.  [RotoVision, © 2001, 160 pages, 9" x 10.75", $200–$250, a rare find]

Note: Don’t confuse Lighting For Food & Drink Photography with RotoVision’s 1994 Pro-Lighting: Food Shots. The earlier book is done in the same, great RotoVision style, but presents many images that by today’s standards are very dated. For the money, say $75 to $100+, I’d buy Lou’s book (above) and the next three books instead.

Books on Food Photography (at least in part):

Studio Lighting Solutions – Jack Neubart
This is one of those books that you open and think “hey, it’s a food photography book” – because that’s what the first chapter covers in detail. Beyond food, you’ll find great stories and how-to about the creation of solid photography in the realms of product, fashion, jewelry, nature, thematic and automotive. I managed to glean great tips and insights from every chapter. A great value for the price. [Amphoto Books, © 2005, 176 pages, 8.5" x 11", $20-$30, widely available]

Still Life and Special Effects Photography – Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz
As mentioned above, I love the format of RotoVision books. A big, beautiful photo opposite a detailed lighting diagram with just enough words to explain how the image came together. Although this book is a compilation covering a wide range of still life photography, there are many direct and indirect lessons on food photography. For instance, I found that the techniques for making a length of rusty chain look beautiful are equally applicable to lighting bread. Given that it costs about as much as a good pizza, Still Life and Special Effects Photography is another must-have for the food shooter’s library. [RotoVision, © 2005, 288 pages, 7.5" x 10.5", $16-$25, widely available]

Light: Science & Magic – Hunter, Biver and Fuqua
I bought this book for the chapter on shooting glass – a subject that vexes many food photographers. I read it. Then I read the whole book from cover to cover. My recommendation… buy the book for the chapter on shooting glass and just start reading at the beginning. Great material on the mechanics of light presented in pieces that a photographer can digest. The chapter on shooting metal is equally helpful – especially for those holiday shots where you have crystal stemware, china and silver together. [Focal Press, 3rd Edition, © 2007, 308 pages, 7.4" x 9.8", $36-$40, widely available]

Books on Styling Food For Photography:

The first thing I learned about styling food for photography is that I want to be the photographer and not the stylist. For advertising and packaging shoots, a food stylist is the indispensable equivalent of a makeup artist and hair stylist. I need to focus on creating the image and not on how to keep the carrots looking fresh. When you are starting out, you’ll probably have to style your own food or find a stylist that is just starting out as well. Either way, a general knowledge of food styling will be invaluable to the development of your portfolio. Here’s a classic and a new kid.

Food Photography and Styling – John Carafoli
Dare I say that John Carafoli is the godfather of modern food styling? In addition to having several decades of styling experience, having been published internationally and having taught many of today’s leading stylists, John is the co-founder of the International Conference On Food Styling and Photography (to be held again next year in Boston). The current edition of Food Photography and Styling was re-published directly by the author in 2003. Many thanks for this, John. The original edition, published by Amphoto in 1992, has long been out of print. Chapters include: Drinks, Poultry, Steam, Pizza, Ice Cream, Pasty, Special Effects and Shooting On Location With People. While some of the photography is dated by today’s standards, John shares many styling secrets that are as relevant now as they were when this classic was born. Order from the author for $65 postpaid – and ask that he autograph your copy. Sometimes available from Trengove Studios for a bit less (and without the autograph). [Carafoli, 2nd Edition, © 2003, 144 pages, 8.5" x 10.5", $65, limited availability]

Food Styling For Photographers – Bellingham & Bybee
This recently published book is a how-to primer on preparing food for the camera. Bellingham is an Oregon-based stylist. Bybee is a Dallas-based commercial photographer. The detailed content runs the gamut: cold beverages, salads, pasta and sauces, burgers and sandwiches, grilled and roasted meat, vegetables, ice cream, desserts, breakfast and garnishing. My only complaint is not about the information on styling – which is comprehensive and easy to follow. Rather, as a food photographer, I am naturally interested in the sets and photo techniques used to create the hero shots. While there are a number of set shots and brief descriptions of how the shots were created, their small size and limited number suggests that they were an afterthought. Again and again, I wished that Bybee’s comments on her vision and process had been greatly expanded into the ample amounts of adjacent white space. Clearly, the book was written primarily for food stylists. A more appropriate title would have been Food Styling For Photography. Nevertheless, Food Styling For Photographers is an important read for both students of food photography and styling. [Focal Press, © 2008, 249 pages, 9.3" x 7.5", $31-$40, widely available]

Also In PixSylated’s Series On Learning Food Photography

• Part 2, Workshops, seminars & conferences / trade associations / a DVD.
• Part 3, Site of food shooters & stylists, web videos on food photography, blogs, online resources and sources of supplies

Don’t want to miss the next installment of PixSylated? Get the new posts automatically by RSS or email. You’ll find links for each in the left column.