#BlogHerFood15: Visuals: Food Styling & Plating

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