29/11/2022
Food photography - Taking pictures while you cook
My normal batch cooking day starts around 09:00hrs - 19:00hrs with only washroom break if the client has everything ready; shopping and clearing up space for me in the kitchen because batch cooking takes over the whole kitchen.
Many a times I want to take the before and after pictures but I am always either working with time or against it. They say women are good in multitasking but try cooking and taking pictures at the same time, weuh!
If you want to tell your food story from start to finish you will be looking at two things; slow pace cooking thus running against time or mix up/burn/drop something. One of the two things is bound to happen.
I tell my story mainly in the middle and a bit at the end when there is good lighting. But, what does it entail to take good pictures? Don't nobody lie to you that everyone takes their own pictures, even the YouTubers. You cannot do everything at once.
If I am not pausing my work to take pictures, someone else will do it for me and most of the time, I am not aware they are taking the picture. For me, the essence of a good picture is one I never see coming. Like I never have to pause for one because I am camera shy but due to technology and social media taking the world into a higher notch, I forget all that.
You can either set a camera in front of you and control it with a remote, have someone do it for you as you work or as people are doing it, have a camera attached to you; your head or somewhere. I think you have an idea of what I am talking about.
You don't have to be a professional photographer to take good pictures. They will always know when to zoom in or where to focus and such like photography language, but you who needs to take pics of your work, check for good lighting, set your plate and food right, focus and take as many pictures as you can.
I take two or three images of the same thing. That way I can choose which looks better and edit it. Thank God for smart phones because we can take pictures anywhere, anytime.
'Attach pictures of your work' a client can request. Of course a picture speaks a thousand words but, I believe in work. Like, what can you do? Google is everyone's friend. One click and I have a picture of anything I want, for free. So, take that picture but, what can you do, can you do it?
This post was inspired by a lady on Let's cook kenyan meals who happily wanted to show the world her work through pictures but she ended up sleeping without eating and she was like, 'how do you guys do it?'
On a normal day batch cooking day, I make 9-12 meals. Add prep work, cleaning up and taking pictures in between. Many a times I am slowed down. Sometimes I end up not taking all the pictures due to time or I lose natural lighting.
A good camera and lighting equals quality pictures. But let that not worry you. Work with what you have. So yes, it's a lot of work cooking and taking pictures. Forgive us if we do not give quality pictures or do not zoom in better enough or even have pictures at all. Sometimes we do not have time to take pictures and again, not all clients allow you to take pictures of their food.🤷. Yes! But we seek permission either way.
Not only food photography, whatever work you do, I am sure it takes so much time while taking pictures, right?
