#23 - The highs and lows of 10 years in food photography with Rachel Korinek (@twolovesstudio)

Have you noticed that a basic food photographer can have a thriving business 

and 

Have you also noticed that a brilliant photographer may not really be making enough in their business?

This is more common than you might think. 

Photography talent is very different from business acumen. They’re both completely different skill sets and just because we are good at photography doesn’t automatically imply we’ll have a profitable business.

Yes, it begins with us falling in love with photography. That step is a must to be able to even start a business, but once we are in it, the real game begins. 

Just like any other business, the reality of running a photography business is more than meets the eye.

It might look like all we have to do is take photos for clients, but that’s not what a successful photography business is only about. 

In this week’s episode, we continue our conversation with the NYC based Italian food photographer, Fracensco Sapienza, to learn more about the unseen realities of being a full-time food photographer.

This episode is hot & fiery as we dive into pricing, scaling your business, how to make it bigger by working less, client work, pitching to big brands, how to meet the profit and success we dream of when we set up a business etc.

If you’re thinking of moving to full-time photography or wanting to grow the business you already have, become informed about the path ahead and empower yourself for success. 

Just because there are challenges, doesn’t mean there aren't ways to overcome them. Being aware of those challenges and having realistic expectations is a large part of meeting success in our business. 

What looks easy on the outside is way more complicated on the inside. 

But there is no stopping if we decide that a photography business is what we want. Just like we build careers in the corporate world, it takes time and effort to build a career in the business world too.

And just because we are artists, doesn't mean we are destined to live the image of the “starving artist”.

Let’s be successful business owners and passionate artists.

Learning from someone else’s struggles and being prepared for curveballs puts us in a strong position to live the dream we so badly desire.


Submit a voice question HERE and be featured on the podcast 

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

 Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/87-the-hidden-realities-of-being-a-professional-food-photographer-with-francesco-sapienza-part-2/

Download free resources
The 5 steps to visual storytelling https://myfoodlens.ck.page/b0ea86cef6

The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/

Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Have you ever been in a photoshoot and felt something was off, but you couldn't quite figure it out?

Most of the time, it's because of one big reason – light.

But instead of tackling light, our tendency is usually to start fussing with props and backdrops and composition, thinking that is the problem when actually sometimes all it needs is a tiny tweak in the light.

But here's the deal – to tweak the light, we’ve got to know what to tweak. We’ve got to understand light.

In this week’s podcast, I'm sharing all about one of the most dynamic lighting direction for food photography – Side Backlight.

Yep, this kid of lighting is my absolute personal favourite and I share all the reasons why it is so powerful. In this episode I also talk about where this light might not be the best fit because that is part of understanding light. Not just where it works but also where it doesn’t so that not only can we create this awesome light, but also know what to do if we get stuck.

The lighting techniques for food photography are not the same as other forms of photography. A solid grasp of lighting in food photography not only streamlines our photoshoot workflow but also propels our skills forward. Understanding various lighting techniques allows us to harness the unique strengths of each type of light, tailoring them to create the mood we want and make the food hero look like a million bucks.

Infact, it is the #1 skill every food photographer needs - a good grip on lighting techniques & the ability to troubleshoot when needed.  

I personally think that side back light is a superhero, it is mine atleast & once you begin to use it, I’m certain this lighting style will totally wow you.

Don’t be at the mercy of available light. Create light the way you want and take your photography to the next-level.

​ Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

 Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/86-side-back-light-when-to-use-avoid-it-in-food-photography/

Download free resources
The 5 steps to visual storytelling https://myfoodlens.ck.page/b0ea86cef6
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

What do you think it takes to be a successful commercial food photographer?

Excellent camera skills?

High level of Creativity? 

Crazy passion for photography?

Expensive photography equipment? 

What if I told you, none of the above are deal breakers to be a commercial photographer.

It takes more than camera skills, creativity and passion to run a photography business.

Most of us get into food photography because we love food or have a passion for photography but running a successful and profitable photography business is a completely different game and definitely not a piece of cake.

In this week’s podcast we are getting as raw and real as it gets.

We are peeling back the layers & sharing the truth of being a commercial food photographer with our guest, Francesco Sapienza, a food photographer based in NYC.

He’s worked with huge names like the New York Times, Smithsonian Books, Rizzoli publications, Whole foods market etc. and is sharing how to build a photography business in a competitive market and the challenges to expect.

We talk about the different kinds of projects under commercial food photography, how to transition from part-time to full-time photography, the secret ingredient to set up a business, how to add & price your services, rejection in business, whether to get an agent, how to market yourself in a competitive market etc.

If you want a real peek into the opportunities and challenges of being a commercial food photographer, this episode is for you.  

Being able to take a good photo is only a small part of a photography business. Photography is the learnable part but there are many more parts that go into making it a profitable business. 

Ever seen an iceberg? We see a small part of the iceberg above water but the majority is below the surface. A food photography business is exactly like that. 

What we see on social media or hear professionals talk about is only the part of the business above the surface. There is a large part we don’t see or hear about. 

In this week’s episode, we’re pulling that large part of the iceberg out of the water so that you can see it in its entirety.

Not to discourage you though but to prepare you. This episode is full of truth bombs that will help you in your journey and set you up for success. It will help you anticipate challenges, identify opportunities and embrace change better.

Submit a voice question HERE and be featured on the podcast  

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

 Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens

 Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/

Download free resources
The 5 steps to visual storytelling

The 10-step photoshoot
Write that pitch 

Is creating compositions a challenge for you? 

I can totally see why. 

First off, for the simple reason that composition is art. It is subjective and everyone’s style is different. So it really leaves a lot of grey area on whether a certain technique works or not.

Secondly, because composition is an art, it is tough to learn it technically. Yes, we can understand guides and placement and general rules around composition but really, we all know that creating composition is like composing music. 

Thirdly, compositions are tough because there are so many choices. Any food can be photographed in infinite no. of ways. 

And because the choices are so vast, it often becomes a time struggle for us. In addition to the time we spend on creating the composition, theres so much decision making that has to be done to choose a composition style for our subject, ending up in taking up more time.

What if there was a way to make that decision faster? What if you could look at a food subject and decide what composition style would suit it best? What if you could save all that time upfront? 

In this week’s episode, we discuss how to know when to create large compositions.

We discuss the 3 categories of food that are worth spending the time to create elaborate compositions, how to use that to your advantage in client projects and how to work smartly to create simpler yet powerful compositions. 

Creating large and elaborate compositions can be really time taking. Oftentimes we spend so much creating a composition for a subject and it doesn’t deliver our vision or look the best it could. 

We are either disappointed or think that we don’t have the skills to envision the result upfront or we start over and recreate. None of these situations are preferable.

Learn a simple way of identifying which food works best for larger compositions can help save time, develop the skill of envisioning the result upfront and also position us as experts in front of clients. 

Whether composition-creation is a struggle or not, here’s a simple way to work smarter with it.



Have a question? Submit it as a voice note to be featured on the My Food Lens Podcast
HERE

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/84-how-to-know-when-to-create-large-compositions/

Download free guide and workbook

The 5-step guide to visual storytelling - DOWNLOAD HERE
The 10-step photoshoot - DOWNLOAD HERE
Write that pitch - DOWNLOAD HERE  

Whether it’s the start of the year or not, we all find ourselves at different points in our journey setting new goals, striving to achieve existing ones, or perhaps even questioning the necessity of setting goals altogether. Regardless of our stand on goal setting, we all have ambitions for our creative journey. 

It could be launching a new project, getting better at photography, growing our business, or simply finding more balance in our lives. 

Whether we set ambitious goals or avoid setting goals altogether to dodge the feeling of overwhelm, we have our own unique approach to move towards our creative aspirations. 

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m sharing what I wish I had done differently at the start of last year and how I’m approaching my goals this year.

Whether you set goals or not, the idea that I’m sharing in this episode can be a game-changer in your creative journey.  
And if you have set goals for this year, this episode will definitely make your goals stronger and more powerful, setting you up for success.

As creatives we want to continue to grow and improve in our journey. But how can we move forward if we don’t know which direction is forward? 

Goal-setting is exactly like that. 

How can we reach somewhere if we don’t set a destination? 

In this episode I’m sharing a goal-setting tip that can change how much you achieve this year.

Making that small tweak in the way you set goals is like picking your parking bay and reversing exactly between the 2 white lines. Perfectly. 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/83-dont-lose-a-year-make-this-easy-goal-setting-tweak-now/


Have a question? Submit it as a voice note to be featured on the My Food Lens Podcast HERE

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Being a full-time photographer and running a business can be very overwhelming.esp when everyone around is constantly hustling. 

Someone is working with food52

Someone is shooting for Delicious magazine

Someone just made $500,000 by selling their online course

Someone is talking about completing 10 years in food photography

We hear them, we look at their photography businesses and go, “Sigh! I’m so behind. Everyone is doing so much. I need to work more, work harder.”

Running a business is tough. 

But do you know what is the best part about having your own business?

The best part is that your business is your own. It can be anything you want it to be and it does not need to be like anyone else’s.

In this week’s episode, we continue our conversation with food photographer, blogger, professional cake designer, and cookbook author, Tessa Huff, who tells us all about how to create a business  you love without compromising on your personal life.

Tessa has 3 kids, moved countries, shut down a business and started a photography business from scratch only to go on to work with brands like Food network canada. The biggest step she took to set herself up for success was by creating a business unique to her and not influenced by how others were doing it in the industry.

In this episode Tessa tells us her challenge of working with food network, how she continues to work with brands on an ongoing basis, how she wrote a cookbook while balancing a business and family and how to make photography a profitable business.

The advantage of having our own business is that we can make it anything we like. It doesn’t have to look like someone else’s. 

We are unique as creatives, our lives are different from each other so how can our businesses look the same? 

If we can come to terms with this simple concept, it makes it so much easier to create a business around the life we have. Our personal commitments are as important, if not more, than our professional responsibilities. 

Oftentimes, life changes or starting from scratch makes us feel like we’ve fallen behind. But the truth is that there is no “behind” in life.

The biggest advantage of having our own business is that we can set our own pace, milestones, deadlines, processes and definition of success.

If you’ve been wondering whether your photography career will ever take off or are feeling behind because of personal commitments or you’re thinking about starting a new business, this episode is for you. 

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

 
Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/82-how-to-build-a-photography-business-while-balancing-family-part-2-with-tessa-huff/


Have a question? Submit it as a voice note to be featured on the My Food Lens Podcast HERE

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Have you ever taken a photo and thought -

“Ughh! that looks dull”

“Why does my photo look flat”

“That food does not look delicious”

“Why doesn’t my photo pop” 

“Ok, that looks good but I wish it was better” 

“Gosh! I did everything right but there’s still something missing”

Truth is, 90% of the time that missing factor in our photos is the light.

Most of us understand the basics of lighting in food photography but we are forever striving to take it to the next level.

We are constantly working on building a better understanding of light and honing our technique so we can create more impactful and eye-catching food photos.

But what does it take to create next-level lighting in our photos? 

How do we tell whether the light in our photos is powerful enough?

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m sharing simple yet powerful techniques to take the lighting in our food photography to the next-level. 

I share some key considerations that can skyrocket the way we work with light & double the power of our photos by working with light in a very intentional way.

In this episode, we go beyond lighting-101. It’s about thinking about light and working with it the way most professionals and experienced photographers do. 

I’m sure you’ve heard enough times that light is everything in food photography. In fact, I keep repeating that in food photography we don’t need great composition but we always need great lighting.

It doesn’t matter whether we work with artificial light or natural light, whether it's soft light or harsh light, once we have a solid grip on technique, it applies to anything and everything we create. 

This episode will give you insights into what to look for when you feel there's something missing in your photo. It will also help you look at light differently. It will help you get intimate with your light and really create a photo that meets your vision. 

We all want to create next-level photos and one of the most essential ways to get there is to deepen our understanding of light.

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/81-take-your-lighting-to-the-next-level-in-food-photography/


Have a question? Submit it as a voice note to be featured on the My Food Lens Podcast HERE


Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

If you had to uproot yourself and move to a new country, 
you had to shut down your business
And when you moved to the new country with the hopes of starting a new business,
You found out that you had a baby on the way.

How would you feel at that point in life?

Would you be excited at the prospect of building a new life and having a clean slate to start from? 

Or 

Would you be upset that you had to shut down your business and move to a completely unknown country and start building a life from scratch with such a huge life change on the way?

Most of us would be pretty confused or pulled down. I know I would.

And even if I would be okay with everything, willing to start a new business, the news of the baby would make me think. I would be excited but also wonder if it would be a good time to start a new business knowing full well how big mom commitments are.

Why am I asking you this?  

Because this is the story of our podcast guest,  Tessa Huff.

Tessa had to overcome all those challenges that I mentioned above and in spite of it, she built a successful food blogging and photography business for herself. 

Tessa is a food photographer, blogger, professional cake designer, and cookbook author based in Canada. She’s worked with several big brands including food network Canada.  In this week’s episode Tessa shares exactly how she built a business from scratch while taking care of 3 kids at home.

She shares what it takes to uproot yourself and settle in a new country, how to set a niche for your business, food styling and content creation tips and how to set up an organized approach to build a successful business from the get go.

Family is more important than business, so how do we bring ourselves to be present for our loved ones but also build the business of our dreams? It is totally possible. It takes a different style of working but with determination and an organized approach, it is totally possible.

We often take challenges and life changes as setbacks but the truth is that these changes have the potential to shape a brighter future for us. Tessa’s opportunity to work with Food Network may or may not have happened had she not moved to Canada. 

A life change whether it's moving cities, having a baby or simply the idea of starting a business, tune in to learn how to accomplish everything without compromising on anything. 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/80-how-to-build-a-photography-business-while-balancing-family-part-1-with-tessa-huff/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Look at you stepping into the new year with a smile!

Well, I hope you’re smiling because it's the time of the year when fresh starts and new beginnings feel a lot easier to make. 

I don’t know about your goals but a big goal for me last year and the year before was to not quit food photography. Yep!

 It was my goal to do what I’m doing in spite of things not going my way.

It was a tough one no matter how easy it sounds.

And a big part of trying to achieve my goal of not quitting was to be able to recenter myself and constantly remind myself of why I do what I do. Over and over again.

A shocking realization in the process was that my love for food photography alone was not big enough to keep me in it. There had to be something more, something that would pull me out of the trenches every time I was sinking.

And there was one thing that did exactly that over and over again. It was a huge part of bringing a sense of purpose and a higher meaning to my creative life. It kept me from giving up.

In this week’s episode I’m sharing how to find that higher meaning and purpose in food photography. 

I share why we all need a higher purpose and need to make our photography journey more meaningful, how my entire way of thinking changed once I discovered this purpose, how a small simple step can change your life and others too. 

If you feel that you don’t need that sense of purpose, that is exactly how I felt. 

But when I was on the verge of giving up and leaving food photography for good in 2021 that higher purpose grounded me. It saved me from making a decision I knew I would not be happy about.

We as humans are always seeking meaning and also logic in everything we do. As passionate as we might be, as creatives we battle self-doubt, judgment, insecurity and sometimes, the feeling of not being seen as an equal to someone with a hot-shot corporate job. 

We work hard on our skills and business, but I think we work harder on our mindset. We work harder in trying to navigate the tough road of a creative life and an even tougher path of entrepreneurship.

If there is a way to make it a tad easier for ourselves, a way for us to navigate this tough path with more strength, resilience and joy, then why not try it.

I’m sharing an easy and simple way to create a deep-rooted sense of purpose in your creative lives. I can guarantee that once you find it, you’ll never see food photography the same way and no one around you will either. 

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/79-how-to-find-a-higher-purpose-make-food-photography-more-meaningful/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Few years ago I received an enquiry from a brand for a cookbook photoshoot. 

They had seen my work and wanted to know more about my process and also my rates for the project. 

I shrieked. I mean who doesn’t want to shoot a cookbook. Almost every photographer dreams of it. I did too. I was excited reading that email.

But there was a minor problem. 

I had never done a cookbook shoot before. I had absolutely no idea what the process looked like and how I was supposed to charge for it. 

I mean it wasn’t a magazine, it was a cookbook. They’re both print media but are they really similar in process and pricing?

My head was spinning.

And so, I reached out to my dear friend in the industry, Diana muresan. Diana food photographer, stylist, blogger and educator, was also an experienced cookbook photographer & she came to my rescue.

I bombarded her with questions and she answered each one of them patiently and with complete transparency. 

In this week’s podcast we continue our conversation with Diana Muresan about cookbook shoots and she shares all the tricky details. 

We talk about pricing the project confidently, credits to be included in such projects, curveballs to expect and how to cater for contingencies, how to keep such projects profitable and whether cookbook photography is lucrative enough.  

So, when I received that client enquiry, I had made a rough estimate of $5000 for the project but after my conversation with Diana, I realized how far off that was from what the project fee should have been. Based on the brief, it was easily a $12000 project.

But I would’ve never known had I not spoken to someone about it.

Imagine if I would’ve been hired for $5000 only to realize too late what the project fee should have actually been. Can you imagine the jolt to my confidence, passion and my desire to do a good job on the project? Leave all of that, imagine how unappreciated and unvalued it would’ve made me feel.

We never want to be in that situation.

If we run a photography business, it is always a good idea to know about the different kinds of projects in the industry, what it takes to execute them & how to quote for them so that if there is ever an opportunity, our decision to take it up or leave it is based on our interest it instead of our lack of knowledge about it. 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/78-how-to-take-a-cookbook-shoot-from-start-to-finish-with-diana-muresan-part-2/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch