#blogherfood15: visuals: food styling & plating
TRANSCRIPT
FOOD STYLING & PLATING
VISUALS SESSION // 2:45-4:00PM
LIREN BAKER
KITCHEN CONFIDANTE
@kitchconfidante
JENNIFER JANZA FABULOUS FOOD
STYLIST
@fabfoodstylist
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU ARE A FOOD STYLIST
• You wake up in the middle of the night worried that your cat has found a way to get at your blueberry bundt cake that you are shooting in the morning.
• You obsess about the upcoming holiday shoot because it just so happens to be for Christmas and it’s October and you need fresh holly berries.
• You have your family trained in patience as they wait for you to photograph their dinner.
• You find at a dinner party that your fingers are still dyed purple from the food coloring you were working with earlier in the day.
• You LOVE your work and keep going back for more!
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
ANOTHER SIGN YOU ARE A FOOD STYLIST
YOUR HUSBAND CAN’T FIND HIS HAMMER
• There are hundreds of tools in my toolboxes
• Learning the right ones to use for each task can save valuable time
• Which are the most important for every photo shoot?
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
MY ESSENTIAL 15 TOOL KIT LIST• Countertop tool caddy• Paint brushes, all sizes• Tweezers – 6-8”• Cotton swabs• Small spray bottle of glass
cleaner• Excellent Kitchen Scissors• Small offset metal spatulas
– one pointy and one rounded
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
• Disposable pipettes• Small funnel• Small spray bottle of
water• Ruler• Small mesh strainer• Toothpicks• Mini plastic dishes• Crème Brulee torch
MY SECRET FORMULA TO MAKING FABULOUS FOOD
Be a Fabulous Food Stylist+
Make your “Hero” a STAR+
Seduce your Audience=
Fabulous FoodWorthy of oooohs and ahhhhs(Excessive drooling, a bonus!)
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
Top 5 Ways to Learn howto be a Fabulous Food Stylist
• Have a Food Styling Mentor or Coach• Participate in Masterminds and Critiques• Learn How to use the Right Food Styling Tools
and Equipment for the Job• Take Food Styling Classes • Practice, Practice, Practice
MAKE YOUR “HERO” A STAR• When choosing your heroes, make sure you are
choosing the best of the best
• Set your camera angle to emphasize the hero• Compose the plate around the hero• Play with complimentary or contrasting textures• Play with complimentary or contrasting colors
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
MAKE YOUR “HERO” A STAR
• Pick the best of the best. The one with the most “character” and most photogenic.
• Set your camera angle to enhance the look of the hero. Just like people have good sides or look better at certain angles, so does food.
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
MAKE YOUR “HERO” A STAR
• Compose your plate around the “hero”
• All other components on the plate act as supporting elements
• Choose other elements that enhance the “STAR” of your photograph
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
MAKE YOUR “HERO” A STARPlay with Complimentary and Contrasting Colors
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
MAKE YOUR “HERO” A STAR Play with complimentary and contrasting textures
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
SEDUCE YOUR AUDIENCE
• Drips• Crumbs• Bites• Steamy• Melty• Gooey
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
21
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
• Movement
• Negative Space
• Perspective
• Placement of food and
props
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
• Movement
• Negative Space
• Perspective
• Placement of food and
props
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
• Movement
• Negative Space
• Perspective
• Placement of food and
props
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
• Movement
• Negative Space
• Perspective
• Placement of food and
props
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
COMPOSE THE PHOTOGRAPH
• Movement
• Negative Space
• Perspective
• Placement of food and
props
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
SETTING
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
SETTING
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
RELATABLE FOOD
• Aspirational
• Realistic
• Inspirational
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
RELATABLE FOOD
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
EMBRACE THE MESS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
MOOD LIGHTING
MOOD LIGHTING
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
MOOD LIGHTING
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
MOOD LIGHTING
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
STYLING RUTS
• CHANGE is GOOD• Direction of light• Quality of light• Perspective• Props• Movement
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
NO PROP CHALLENGE
TIME + PRACTICE MATTERS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
• Trial and Error• Personal Style• We All Start Somewhere
TIME + PRACTICE MATTERS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
HELPING FOOD SHINE
HELPING FOOD SHINE
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
• Timing
• A brush of olive oil
• A spritz of water
• Ice water bath
MONEY SAVING TIPS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
• Keep Props Simple
• When in Doubt Go White
• Natural Light
• DIY Solutions
MONEY SAVING TIPS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
• Use What’s In Your House
• Invest: Ingredients vs
Props
INVEST IN INGREDIENTS
@kitchconfidante
@fabfoodstylist
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
What have we learned today? What do we need to make a Fabulous Food Photo?
• Learn To Be a Fabulous Food Stylist• Make your “Hero” a Star• Seduce your Audience• Play with Textures• Play with Colors• Try Different Angles• Work to Achieve Good Composition• Create Movement• Learn and Practice different Lighting• Know How to use (or not use) Props • Invest in Fresh Ingredients
@fabfoodstylist
@kitchconfidante
My gift to you
2 free months of online membership at:
The Food Styling SchoolWhere Foodies Go to Learn Food Styling For the Camera
Plus my ebook:
“The Top 5 Food Styling Mistakes Food Bloggers Make That is Costing Them Time and Money”
Redeem by registering at:www.FoodStylingMentor.com/#BlogHerFood15GIVEAWAY
And one lucky person who registers in the next 48 hours will win a ONE YEAR membership