What You'll Need To Become A Food Photographer

Professional food photography is a great scene to be in. It’s the kind of job that lets you revel in your passion for capturing the perfect image, and you get to be around a lot of yummy, great looking food at the same time. Many jobs may even let you take boxed goods away with you!

To become a successful professional food photographer, however, there are a few things you’ll need to be ready with. We’ve made a list of the most crucial below; check it out if food photography sounds like the best career for you.

The Right Niche

Photography niches can vary even under the same umbrella. In this case, ‘food photography’ can have at least three different pathways for you to follow. 

So, do you want to capture the right shot for marketing campaigns, including online and TV? 

Or do you want to work in the party industry, and be available for anniversaries, birthdays, and weddings? 

Perhaps you want to run a food blog, or offer photography packages out to newly established food blogs who don’t have their own tools?

To choose your niche, these are the questions to think over. They’re not to say you must stick to this one niche forever, but it’s best to get a foothold in one before moving onto anything else. 

An Image Management Program

Food photography, much like any other discipline, will require you to store, maintain, and edit any images you take. If you’re going to create a portfolio of excellent food photos to use to gain new clients, you’ll need to master each step of the process to show your skill in the best light. 

That’s why those new to working in food photography should make use of an image management platform for professional photographers. A program like this will allow you to sort your images by project or client, make edits or notes on the images, and track your deadlines. 

Much like any other project management app you could download, you’ll find it far easier to construct your workload in an approachable way - you’ll just have an image-focused platform to do it on. 

A Tech Suite

Your hardware is possibly the most crucial thing to get right before becoming a food photographer. You need the right camera or cameras, and you’re going to need plenty of lighting, backdrops that help remove the glare and reflections, and you may even want to invest in a green screen. 

If you can pack up this tech suite and take it on every job you do, that’ll ensure you’re able to capture the best image every single time. Technology should make up a big part of the photographer’s arsenal, and you’ll be able to impress clients with your technical prowess if your kit stacks up right. 

Food photography is all about getting up close and personal with food. Have the right tech, software, and passion for the craft on your side and you could become very successful!