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Freelance Food Photographer's Guide: Tips & Tricks to Simplify and Speed Up Your Shooting Process

Shooting plan

Before shooting, we make a shooting plan for each recipe where we spell out the details of the cooking process. For each stage of cooking, we list ingredients and their amount, necessary bowls, spoons, knives and other implements, as well as the cooking time. In order to avoid any distractions we always have a short plan placed near the shooting site.

Having all the Ingredients in one place

We place pre-prepared products on a tray to have them within reach during shooting and to be able to keep the camera on all the time. In case of a challenging recipe, we divide products for each stage between several trays and plates.

Keeping all the products fresh

Some of the ingredients can lose their appetizing appearance because they will be added last. We think in advance on how to avoid that, so that we don't have to interrupt the shooting process to prepare the ingredients once again.

For example:

Then, let's say, following the recipe we need cold milk (or any other ingredient). We measure the necessary amount, pour it into the measuring glass or the bottle that will be used for shooting, and place it in the fridge. It is essential to mention those cold ingredients in our plan not to forget about them in the cooking process.

Non-stick oil spray

Non-stick oil spray is a true helping hand when it comes to shooting liquid, sticky or thick foods. We use it to spray our hands (if we're kneading dough manually), spoons, spatulas or whisks to prevent substances from sticking. When we need to add some sauce right out of the bowl, we use the spray as well, so we don't have to scrape it off with a spoon.

Wine corks

Baking pan slipping on the table while we were greasing it with butter or spreading stiff dough is a very common thing in the cooking process. This doesn’t make a perfect shot and we had to shoot the whole process once again. So, to hold it steady on the table and to be able to spread the stiff dough evenly in the baking pan, we use wine corks, cut into several equal pieces and glued with double-sided tape to the bottom of the baking pan.

Unmolding cake/pie

There are a lot of ways of taking the cake out of the baking pan. Still, not all of them look good in a shot. Therefore, we first shoot the process of turning the baking pan upside-down and then stop the camera. It is necessary to do so in order to check if the prepared dish looks good and to make sure that the pan can be removed without damaging the surface of the cake. We take the pan off and check whether the dough is stuck or burnt. If necessary, we decorate the pie and cover it with the pan to shoot the final frame.

Say hello

If you're looking to take your food photography and video projects to the next level, we're here to help! Say 'hello' and let's start a conversation about how we can bring your culinary visions to life. Whether it's capturing the perfect shot or creating a compelling video recipe, our expertise is at your service. Let's chat and make your food content stand out. Don't hesitate to reach out – we're excited to collaborate and create stunning visuals together!