Expenses can add up quickly when hiring an agency to do professional photography. Chances are, you’d like to save money where you can. So, should you hire a food stylist? Maybe.
Many agencies have the food stylist cost automatically baked into production cost. (Oh, there will be more food puns.) Mad Genius does not. There are a couple of questions Mad Genius likes to ask when considering a food stylist, and if the answer to these questions is yes, then we’ll hire one. Let’s get cooking. (You’re going to either love these or hate them. I’m not sorry.)
Is the Presentation of the Food Critical to the Product’s Success?
This mostly depends on the type of product or service your business is looking to highlight. Let’s just say you’re the marketing director for a college. You’re shooting a commercial trying to increase enrollment for the spring semester, and it features a scene with a few students having a bite to eat in the quad. There’s food in the scene, sure, but hiring a food stylist is probably unnecessary.
In that example, the food isn’t the focus. But if you’re the owner of a restaurant, and you’re hoping to highlight those juicy, delicious burgers, you’ve got a stylist to consider. After all, according to Grubhub data, restaurants that include photos and descriptions of their menu items receive as many as 70 percent more orders than those that don’t. When food is your business, you’re going to want a food stylist on set.
Could the Food Be Considered Less Appealing if Left Unstyled?
Think about a time you enjoyed fast food, and once you get past the guilt, consider the food. How often has it ever looked like the photo? Not typically, if ever, and let’s be real; if the advertised burger looked the way it does when you get it versus how it looks in the photo at the drive-through, you wouldn’t fork over your hard-earned cash. (I’m on a roll. Boom. Twofer.)
Grease makes bread soggy. Ice cream melts. Lettuce wilts. The food stylist is there to do a little movie magic, to keep the food looking mouthwatering. If the food you’re shooting won’t keep for very long, get yourself a professional to feign freshness. (Just don’t eat the food when they’re done… You wouldn’t believe some of the not-delicious things they put on food to make it look tasty.)
After You Hire a Food Stylist
You’ve answered yes to the previous questions, and you’ve decided to hire a food stylist. Now let’s take a look at what spending some extra lettuce has gotten you. (I regret nothing.)
Mo Money, Means No Problems and Mo Value
A great food stylist has all the tools of their trade on hand: silverware, plates, bowls, tablecloths, prop items, and other accouterments. This adds production value to your shoot since you won’t have to source said items outright.
An Expert Eye
Food stylists have all kinds of tips and tricks they’ve picked up through the years. They’re problem solvers. They know how to make coffee look hot and not cold brown water in a cup. Need to fluff a bun and all the different ways to show off the layers of a sandwich? They’ve got you covered. Food stylists generally know how to make food look far more appetizing than it would otherwise be.
Lighten the Load
When you have a food stylist on set, you’ve created a space for your photographer to worry only about taking great photos. The photographer already has a lot to chew on. (Yes, they’re back.) Shot composition, scheduling, and lighting are just a few of the things a photographer would much rather focus on during the shoot. The food stylist is there to take stuff off the photographer’s plate. (You’re welcome.)
With any product, food or otherwise, putting it in the best light possible is always going to lead to greater results. A little extra money spent now can go a long way in solving some big problems down the road. Mad Genius’s approach to food photography is all about making it look so good, your customer wants to take a bite out of the screen, or the billboard, or whatever other medium it is showcased in.
If you’re ready to speak to one of our geniuses about photography, or your needs for a food stylist, just click on the calendar below to schedule a time that works for you.