What I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Food Photography Business

Food Photography Business

I’m a big believer in the idea that you can learn anything with enough time, effort, and patience.

When I started my food photography business, I looked at other photographers’ work and thought to myself, “I want to create work just like them.”. Now, years later, I realize that I would never create work like them because they are them and I am me. And that’s what I wish I knew before starting my food photography business. Here are other things I wish I knew before starting my food photography business.

You won’t find your style from the get-go. It’s a process, and it takes time. 

You need to be willing to fail. Embrace the possibility of failure. That’s how you find your style—through experimentation and failure. The only way you’ll know what works and what doesn’t is by trying everything, and that means being okay with trying lots of things that don’t work out as planned.

I started out shooting food with my camera on a tripod, on white seamless backgrounds in natural light. I thought that was the only way I could capture beautiful images of food, but as I experimented with different styles, I found myself falling in love with the infinite creative possibilities.

The best clients expect you to dream big, and then dream bigger. Even if it seems impossible, they want you to push the envelope.

They don’t want good work—they want your best work ever. They don’t want what’s acceptable—they want what’s extraordinary.

But how do you do that? Well, there’s a simple answer: You do the work. You show up every day and put in your 10,000 hours of practice to build up your skill set and hone your craft until it’s razor-sharp enough to cut through anything that comes its way.

Clients are hungry for your vision. And they will love the way you see their food.

Your unique perspective and approach to food photography will be what sets you apart from other photographers. Your clients will love the way you see their food, because it’s so different from anyone else’s.

Your job is to focus on that uniqueness and make sure it comes through in every single photo you take. You have a special gift that no one else has—you can capture the essence of someone’s food with just one shot.

The power of your perspective comes from how well you know yourself, how well you understand your own style and how strong a grasp you have on what makes your work special and unique in the world of food photography.

Get weird. Your weirdness is what makes you stand out!

Can you even imagine a world where everyone was the same? Where we all wore the same clothes, listened to the same music and had the same interests? No, I don’t think so.

I believe that being different is what makes us human. We’re not supposed to be perfect and identical—we’re supposed to be weirdos! And that’s why I love you guys so much. So keep being weird and keep being you!

Your quirkiness is what makes you stand out.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard aspiring food photographers say they want their photos to be “stylized,” or “unique.” They want them to look like nothing else on the market. And that’s great! Photographers should want their work to look different and unique, too, so it doesn’t get lost in the sea of sameness.

What all of this means is that your weirdness will make you stand out from other photographers who might have similar styles but aren’t quite as…out there (yup). Your brands will appreciate the fact that you’re not just another black & white zebra; instead, they’ll be able to tell a story about themselves with your unique style and perspective!

My food photography journey has been long and hard, but it’s been worth it.

I’ve learned so much about myself and my craft, and I know that I still have plenty to learn. But with every mistake I make and every success, I’m a little bit closer to the person I want to become: a photographer who can tell a story with photos that make people happy.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level and get super weird, give us a call. We can’t wait to help you grow!

 

Food Photography Business