What’s more important than mastering your camera or being a good photographer you ask? It is the ability to see the beauty in the most unexpected places. That is what is going to separate you from another photographer. You can have the most expensive, updated gear but without this inherent quality, it is going to fall flat.
So what are the qualities of a professional photographer? It depends on the niche you’re interested in as every one of them has a different set of desirable qualities. For example, those shooting with models must know how to best interact with them and bring out the right shots and so on.
However, some qualities overlap. Let’s take a look at them today from the lens of a food photographer –
People skills:
No surprises here! Being a professional photographer means working with people – a client, model or even a fellow photographer. Therefore, being a good photographer requires having good people skills. Even in this given scenario where you are a food photographer, interacting with people is unmissable – chef. Client, hand model etc.
In the field, to acquire more clients and partnerships requires networking which also requires this skill. Knowing how to communicate and connect effectively with others is imperative to grow.
When you’re photographing, knowing just the skill is not enough. In this case, for example, being a food photographer requires you to communicate with people hoping for them to cooperate with you and bring about the best results.
Creativity/Imagination:
We’ve discussed it before but I am going to say this again – photography is an art! It requires having a creative mind and a truckload of imagination. The ability to look at something ordinary or extraordinary and find a hundred different ways to express it in beautiful photographs.
Composition, as we know is everything and some of the best compositions are guided by creativity and imagination.
With food photography, this is again very important because you’re the narrator of the story here – what you decide to interpret and display, is crucial.
Patience:
My last blog talks about how one can ensure a smooth photoshoot yet, it is important to remember that no matter how much you try to control every factor, things won’t go your way sometimes. It could be lighting, the client, model or just the camera taking a million shots to get the perfect one.
Here’s my tip from the years of experience I’ve been fortunate to have in this industry – patience and a LOT of it, will go a long way.
Be patient with your lighting, messy setups or shots that take ages to get right. Be patient enough to keep trying until you are 100% satisfied with the result.
Also, be flexible to make the best of any situation you are in. Food photography might require more patience if you require a shot of food with piping steam, or live cooking – keep calm and aim to achieve what you came out for.
Passion:
I realized this early on – what sets me apart from the next food photographer? It is the passion I bring to the table for every single project.
When you’re passionate about what you do, it will reflect in your work. That passion will always make you do that little bit more – work a little harder, push a little farther, and strive to be better than you were before.
Passion means you keep trying because you know you can do better and achieve more. Usually, a lot of people are passionate about food and food photography has a charm of its own. To make your images look drool-worthy, you have to feast on it using your camera.
An eye for detail:
To ensure that all factors work in harmony for your photo, a keen eye for detail is a must. This is important to convey the right message and vision with your click.
The key elements that make up a photograph include –
- Lighting
- Composition
- Storytelling
- Emotion
The tiniest detail can make or break your photograph. Thus, being meticulous is imperative in producing the perfect photograph.
Especially, with photography – what you’re trying to say and what you see are so important. The story is in the smallest details.
I LOVE my days as a food photographer, there is so much fun to be had. Make sure you do have fun, your images will tell. Here are some of my favourite shots, feel free to check them out.
