The pros and cons of being a food photographer.

Speaking about photography, there are certainly many interesting aspects to discuss, ranging from knowledge about cameras, photography techniques, the latest camera technologies, and not infrequently discussing how a photographer can capture stunning photos. This time I will discuss "what are the interesting and not-so-interesting things about being a food photographer." Because I think there are still very few photographers sharing about food photography, I think it's not wrong for me to share a little of my experience when shooting food photos for a local restaurant in my city.

In my opinion, being a food photographer has its upsides and downsides. Here are the pros and cons of being a food photographer that I will present to you:

Pros:

1. Flexible schedule
   As a food photographer, I can manage a flexible schedule, of course, adjusted to the client's schedule. However, most of the time, I don't need to wake up early like when shooting weddings. Typically, when doing food photography sessions, I choose the time from noon to late afternoon, and I also usually adapt to the restaurant's holiday schedule.

2. Everything under control
   During a wedding photo shoot, there are many things that we cannot control, such as guests capturing moments with their smartphones, which can be disruptive. On the other hand, when taking food photos, there are no disturbances at all. We can be creative according to our imagination, changing the position of the food as we wish without being disturbed by others.

3. Relatively short working hours
   For food photography sessions, the working hours are usually relatively short. I usually spend about 2 hours for a food photo shoot for a local restaurant in my city. Of course, I have briefed them to prepare the food beforehand. However, for larger-scale restaurants with a lot of food to be photographed, I usually divide the photo session into several sessions. I do this to ensure the best possible results, and I don't like to rush because rushing can lead to mistakes in observing details that I might overlook. It is also important to know your weaknesses when shooting for an extended period.

4. Free food
   This is the thing I like the most about being a food photographer. Some local restaurants in my city usually allow us to eat the food that has been photographed. Usually, after completing the photo session, we will have a meal together. Although some restaurants do not provide their food for us to eat, I think that's also reasonable.

Cons:

1. Food props are expensive
   Some clients I've encountered are reluctant to spend money on buying props. Although I usually share the cost, many of them still refuse.

2. Clients don't understand food styling
   I usually explain this at the beginning, that photographing food is the job of a photographer, and arranging food is the job of a food stylist. Most of the clients I meet think that arranging food to look beautiful is also the photographer's job, even though their job descriptions are very different. Although there is no food stylist in my city, I usually take on this role, and of course, I charge an additional fee for it.

3. Clients consider food photos to be easy and cheap.
   As a photographer, we know how difficult it is to reach this point, but there are some people who do not appreciate our hard work and say, "Oh, just taking a photo like that, why is it so expensive?" I often encounter this when dealing with clients who have no understanding of photography; they underestimate the work because, for them, we just press the shutter button and there's a photo. In reality, it's not like that; we've studied for years about exposure, lighting arrangements, and more. So that we can reach this point and produce good works.

Here are some photos of food that I took during a job for a local restaurant in my city.

The photos above were taken before a tragedy occurred: my flash unit malfunctioned and refused to fire when I pressed the shutter button. Fortunately, I had a backup light source, a continuous light. I know that the characteristics of these two types of lights are very different, and to make matters worse, I forgot to bring a Bowens mount for this continuous light, resulting in a noticeable difference in lighting for me. Although the client did not complain and still liked the results, personally, I found it quite challenging to switch lighting. It was only here that I realized that I do not like the continuous light, and now I have sold my continuous light but haven't found a buyer yet.

Personally, I find the light from a flash unit stronger compared to continuous light, and I like how the flash produces light. This is very different from the light produced by continuous light. Even when using the same softbox, the final results are still different. Here are the photos taken using continuous light.

How do you all think, which is better, photos using flash or continuous light? Personally, I prefer photos taken with flash. Fortunately, the client likes the results of my photos. Thank you to all of you who have visited my post. Don't forget to show your support.

Warm regards from me.