Table Of Contente F O O D S T Y L I N G
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F O R P H O T O G R A P H E R S A N D S T Y L I S T S
a guide to creating your own appetizing art
Linda Bellingham Jean Ann Bybee Brad G. Rogers
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Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bellingham, Linda.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
More food styling for photographers and stylists : a guide to
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creating your own appetizing art / Linda Bellingham, Jean Ann
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Bybee, Brad G. Rogers.
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Dedication
To my granddaughter, Audrey, who keeps me smiling
Linda Bellingham
To my parents, Venita and Gene Bybee, and my sister, Jan Deaton
Jean Ann Bybee
To “she is smart, she is kind, she is beautiful too,” Audrey
Brad G. Rogers
Disclaimer
The contents of this book and techniques described herein are intended solely for the purpose of preparing food for
photography and are not intended nor should they be used as methods of preparing foods for consumption.
iv
Contents
Disclaimer iv
About the Authors ix
Acknowledgments xii
Preface xv
Chapter 1 Building your Portfolio 3
Where to Start? 4
My Story 4
Portfolio Basics 7
Building a Basic Portfolio from Scratch 7
Building a Portfolio: A Photographer’s View 8
Building a Portfolio: An Agent’s View 9
Presenting Your Portfolio 10
Planning a Test Shot 15
Our Test Shot: “Living Food” 17
Chapter 2 Beer and Cocktails 27
Beer 28
Cocktails 37
Curaço on Ice with a Twist Garnish 37
Layers of Liquor in a Glass 43
Cocktail with Foamy Top 47
Raspberry Daiquiri 55
v
CONTeNTS
Chapter 3 Styling Packaged Foods 61
Pizza 63
Pizza Styling: Bake Method 64
Pizza on Set 71
The Pizza Cheese Pull 75
Styling Peas and Other Vegetables for Serving
Suggestion Images 87
Chapter 4 Soups 95
Designing the Set 96
Styling a Clear Soup with Solid Ingredients 98
Styling Blended Opaque Soup 107
Chapter 5 Tacos 115
Prepping Taco Shells 116
Prepping Taco Ingredients 118
Chapter 6 Hot Dogs 132
Hot Dogs! And You Thought They Were Easy! 132
Hot Dog Bun Selection 132
Prep Steps for a Hot Dog Image 134
Building a Hot Dog Rig 136
Chapter 7 What’s for Breakfast? 145
Pancakes 146
Choosing Design Elements for the Set 146
Styling Pancakes 148
vi
CONTeNTS
Pancake Batter Prep Techniques 149
Positioning Fruit in Photo Pancakes 152
Cereal 161
Styling a Bowl of Cereal 161
Breakfast Smoothie 168
Chapter 8 Styling Montage Shots 175
General Information about Montage Images 176
Creating Visual Interest in Montage Images by
Adding Risers 177
Montages Photographed from a High Angle 178
S teps in Building the Entertaining Montage for
Central Market 181
Chapter 9 Styling a First Course for the Camera 191
The Process of Planning an Image 192
Prepping and Styling Ceviche 195
Chapter 10 Tricks of the Trade 207
Catching a Pour or Splash in Action: Where to
Begin? 208
Styling for a Splash 209
Protecting the Set during Pour Attempts 210
Establish Communication Protocol 211
L iquid Pour Caught in Action: Landing on Ice and
Other Objects 215
Prepping for the Pour 216
Other Types of Pours 219
vii
CONTeNTS
Drips 221
Styling a Drip on a Spoon 221
Drips Falling from Food 225
Steam and Smoke 229
A Steaming Cup of Hot Chocolate 229
Building a Rig for the Smoke Source 233
Building a Smoking Fake Fire 237
Preparing the Fake Fire 237
Chapter 11 Shooting Food on Location 243
Planning for a Location Photo Shoot Involving Food 246
Some General Information about Location Photography 247
Location Shoot 1 249
Organizing Food for Transport to Location 250
Setting Up a Location Kitchen 253
Location Shoot 2 265
Appendix 274
Index 285
viii
About the Authors
LINDa BeLLINGham
my own catering business. The catering business was a
Ever since I was young, I have been interested in the big success. But a couple years later when the local oil
production of good-tasting and eye-tantalizing food. business took a nosedive, so did the number of clients
A number of instructors in both high school and col- for catered events. I decided to relocate to an area that
lege encouraged me to be creative artistically and to was more economically diverse.
continue down the food path. I graduated from col-
lege with a bachelor’s degree in home economics and After a move to Dallas, Texas, I had the good fortune
education and then taught high school home econom- to meet a freelance food stylist who offered to be my
ics for two years until the first of my two sons was food styling mentor in exchange for assisting her when
born. While spending a few years at home with my she worked. She guaranteed I would be introduced to
young children, I started a gourmet dinner club with photographers and art directors who might have food
friends. I just couldn’t ignore the call to be creative styling work for me. She encouraged me to build a
with food. Later, I accepted a job at a trendy catering portfolio. The combination of being an artsy girl and
business that also housed and supported a branch of having a solid background in food, including food
the Institute of Culinary Arts, where entry-level peo- chemistry, nutrition, and food presentation, made me a
ple were being trained to work in commercial kitch- natural in the world of food styling. My career quickly
ens. My job was instructor at the institute, chef for progressed from assistant, to stylist, to lead stylist in
the catering business, and general kitchen support. the Dallas market.
I also began making desserts at home to sell to local
restaurants. One restaurant owner who purchased my I was a freelance food styling in the Dallas com-
desserts hired me to work as a chef in his upscale res- mercial market for over 20 years. When it comes to
taurants. During the two years I was there, I started food styling, I have done it all, for both film and still
ix
