Food Styling for Photographers

CHAPTER TWO

shot. Create a shot that will stir emotions, tell a story,

make mouths water, or make the viewer wonder how in

the world you did that.

When you sell food via photography, the goal of the

stylist and photographer is to make the viewer want to

buy that food. Th e guidelines for photography taken

expressly to sell food have changed during the past 20

years. Today’s commercial food photography shots are

much tighter on the food. Th e mood of the shot is created

by lighting and by insinuated atmosphere. Now, that’s a

great term, “insinuated atmosphere.” When you look at

a picture, you should get a quick read of what’s happen-

ing before you have time to blink. Th e shot tells you a

story.

Are we selling this cake?