11 Food Photography Prop Mistakes

You’re Making
Not only is food photography expensive because of the photography gear you need to
get started with food photography. But the added cost of getting food styling props
drives most of us to ‘budget options’, which is one of the classic prop mistakes.

That was me when I started. I was bedazzled by all the ‘props on a budget’ blog post
and articles I could read.

In the long run, cheap props let me down. I didn’t know what my style was yet and I
bought a whole bunch of things I thought were cool. But they didn’t mesh well
together and didn’t elevate my photography to the level I wanted to be at.

There is a reason why people have full time jobs as stylist. Curating a collection of
props is an art form.

Since moving to Vancouver, Canada and starting over with my prop collection, I
learned to avoid these food photography prop mistakes and create a prop collection
that matches my style.
Not Writing Down a Plan For What You Need.
I was determined this time to not just buy a million pinch bowls, (can you relate? I
think I have a problem).

My biggest mistake was not having a plan, (or a clue), of what to buy. I ended up with
a whole bunch of ‘stuff’ and nothing I could use. It’s kinda like when you go to the
grocery store and buy food, but you don’t have ingredients that will actually make a
meal.

A sure way to blow your budget and not feel like you have the props you need for a
variety of recipes is to start your food photography prop collection without a plan.

Buying The Same Size Everything.

Remember that pinch bowl addiction? Yep, it’s true.

No matter how cute those pinch bowls are, you can’t plate a salad or a slice of cake
with that.

When you shop, don’t look for ‘cute’, look for specific sizes. That’s how I shop for
pieces now.

Knowing the difference between a pinch bowl, ice cream bowl, a salad bowl, a noodle
bowl and a fruit bowl will help you determine what sizes you need to add to your
collection.
Giant-Ass Cutlery + Flatware.
Cutlery or flatware is hard to buy. I’ve found most of the best pieces from my mother
or grandmother. You’ve got to keep your eyes peeled for these guys.

Vintage cutlery is the best, but beware of giant knifes and folks. No seriously.

It’s one of the most common mistakes I see new food photographers make. Gorgeous
little muffin, giant fork. Delicious slice of banana bread, giant butter knife.

If you don’t believe me, just check out some of your earliest food shots. You’ll see.

There is a reason we have ‘ice cream spoons’ or ‘cake forks’, even the mighty
teaspoon! They don’t overpower or overcrowd our food subjects, which are the hero
by the way.

Bigger isn’t always better.

Sometimes we get stuck with large servers which can throw off the balance in an
image. I’ve cropped into this shot to make these salad servers more balanced in terms
of their size.
Cheap Isn’t Always Better.
Speaking of bigger not being better, cheap isn’t always better.

I’ll bet if you take a look at the food photographers who you most admire, the
professional ones will have professional looking props.

There is a reason why handmade stuff is so expensive. Because it’s so dang good
looking! The prop mistakes I made for years, was always going cheap.

There will always be deals to find, Thrift store gems to seek out, but building an entire
collection on cheapies can make our work look cheap.

I highly recommend saving some budget for gorgeous hand made pieces. Most of the
time you can find really nice pinch bowls for under $15.
Patterns Beware.
Now, firstly, I am not against patterns. They can be really beautiful in both props and
backgrounds. But they can also be one hit wonders.

In that you can’t use them in every second photo on your IG feed. They are just too
memorable. Save patterns for signature pieces that you will use now and then.

The prop mistakes here are that patterns can compete with your story. Or worse, the
food itself.

So please, do buy patterns but make sure they are few and far between. save them for
your signature pieces like platters.

This bold pattern adds a lot to this image. But in order for it to work you have to be
selective about your subject. © Beata Lubas

Buying An 8 Piece Set Is A Waste of Money.

Unless you need to capture a tablescape of a large dinner party, don’t waste your
money buying an 8 piece dinner set just because you like the side plate.

You’d be much better off buying two handmade side plates that are more expensive
per piece. But as you are buying just two, the total cost is much less.

Then you will have more variety in your prop collection which is important to keep
your work fresh.

Most Common Prop Mistake – Bigger is Better

(Mostly).
When in doubt, go for smaller sizes with your props.

There are a few reasons for this. You can fit more into your frame when your plates
are smaller for example.

You also don’t want the food to look lonely on a large plate. Commercial clients hate
that. The plate needs to look full! I’ve been on jobs where literally the direction from
the Art Director, was “the food looks lonely on that plate, where are his friends?”

You will, of course, need a platter and large dinner plates for certain recipes, but err
on the side of smaller is better for 75% of your collection when the budget is tight.
This is the same size bundt cake. The cake stand on the left is huge, and the cake
stand on the right is mini. Just feel the difference in these two shots when you
compare the size of the cake stand.

Using White Plates on Black Backgrounds.

Bold statement, I know! (And please take this with a grain of salt. Just hear me out
and if you agree – awesome!).

When you are shooting different moods, it not only comes down to your props,
background and light, but how they all interact to tell a cohesive story.

There are many times where photographers will want to create moody shots, but then
they stick a white plate on a black background. It picks up the light completely
different and isn’t as powerful.
Even if moody isn’t always your thing, have some plates and bowls in your collection
that are darker in tone.

You can learn more about contrast composition techniques in my Composition

Essentials Masterclass.

Matte is Best.
And I don’t just mean my husband Matt, (he for sure is the best!).

When it comes to picking props, you want to think about how they pick up the light
and reflections on your set.

Where possible go for matte props that don’t have shine. Shine can be distracting in
your image and can pick up reflections.

I have a metal cake stand that I adore, but it does pick up reflections. I try to avoid
shiny bowls too. I want my specular highlights to come from the food first and
foremost.
Linens Are Better When They Are, Well…Made
From Linen.
True! Read on.

Linens are just perfect for food photography props. They fold and swirl nicely around
the frame. They are soft and buttery. A Recipe for much more organic composition.

They do cost more than the regular kitchen tea towel, but once you get a few into your
collection, you won’t look back.

Invest in three good linens in neutrals and they will serve you well.

The basic kitchen tea towel just doesn’t play ball.

If you have a hard time styling napkins, check out this post on 5 Creative Ways To
Use Napkins in Food Styling.
Props That Everyone Has Are Boring.
Is that too harsh? Maybe.

But really a gazillion accounts on IG have those same props. And guess what, all the
images looks the same.

There may be some exceptions to this. And I can talk about these more.

I’m stubborn. I don’t like to do what everyone else is doing. So if everyone has a
certain prop, I steer clear. Try to curate your collection with *your* eye.

You probably already know the props I am talking about, as you see them every day.
Just saying!

Prop Collections Aren’t Built in a Day.

It’s a full time job to find props. It’s why I am always on the lookout for pieces. I
have my list of things I need to add and I am working on it all the time.
The risk of trying to build a collection in a week is that you will buy stuff you don’t
love. It’s a good rule, if you don’t love it, don’t buy it.

I have met stylists who have curated collections over 20 years.

And I find that kind of inspiring. It means that I will always be adding and subtracting
things from my prop collection to stay fresh. If I love my props, I will be able to
create better food stories.

Building a prop collection can be hard, but it should be enjoyable. Treat it as a

process, create a budget, write a list and remember bigger isn’t always better, neither
is cheap.

What prop mistakes have you made? I would love to hear them! Drop me a
comment below.
10 Food Styling Prop Tips That’ll Save
You Money
I’ve spent over 7 years in the food photography business and in that time working on
sets and with stylists has given me quite a few food styling prop tips. Tips that’ll help
you spend the right way when it comes to your props and prop collections.

These tips are designed to make you spend money on food styling props that will
better your prop collection. And save you money in the long run.

Get The Basics From The Thrift Store.

That’s just smart. Getting your basic whites from the Thrift Store costs next to
nothing. My whites always come from the Thrift Store. I don’t see much point in
buying them elsewhere. You just can’t beat $0.99.
Thrift Stores will always have you covered for the basics. Less money on the basics
means more budget for beautiful food styling props.
Food Styling Prop Tips – Go With Neutrals First.
Building a prop collection takes time and money. Photography is already expensive
enough before you then add in the cost of food styling props and backgrounds.

To make your collection work better and go further (as we all have budgets and
limitations on space), start your collection by gathering neutrals.

That looks like:

 White
 Off-whites and creams
 Beige
 Greys, light through dark
 Pale grey-blues
 Charcoals

These are the colours that can really work with almost every brief and concept in
some way.

As they aren’t too memorable in their colours, you will be able to use them over and
over without the props seeming like they are a regular appearance.

This is my best food styling prop tips and something I always think about when
adding new pieces.
Think of The Thrift Store as Cheap Rental For a
Charity Donation.
Having access to a prop rental place was crucial for me in my early days. I relied on it
to get signature props for client shoots. It was really affordable and taught me a lot
about choosing props that work together.

But not everyone has that option. And once I moved away from Melbourne, Australia,
that luxury was gone for me too. Renting is another food styling prop tip that I swear
by.

I don’t have the space (nor the desire) to collect a huge number of props. There isn’t
the same rental place I once had access to where I live now (when writing this post).

So instead, I use the Thrift Store almost like an extended rental, just with the proceeds
going to charity. I regularly buy new props and donate back ones that I liked but
didn’t love.
That way I can keep things fresh and it doesn’t cost me a fortune to revamp my
collection.

I need emerald/turquoise props fort this shoot. As I no longer have access to a rental
place, I bought this plate and cup for $6 from the Thrift store.

That’s the same as a rental place would charge, but I’m making a donation to charity.
If I only use it once for this concept, it’s worth it. I’d just donate it back if I had no
further use for it.

Save a Budget For Handmade Pieces.

I coach food photographers on getting where they want to be with their work and
business.

A lot of those times photographers are looking to get their work to the next level but
they don’t know what they need to do.
Part of having better images comes from the ingredients you use. Meaning what you
add to the photo. The quality of your light, your food, your food styling props.

Handmade pieces have more personality. They look amazing.

Save a budget for a few nice handmade pieces. Even if the rest is basics, throwing
those into the mix will really elevate your images.

This was one of the mistakes I made early on. I was horrified at how much these
pieces cost so I didn’t spend on quality. Quality goes a long way.

Invest in quality handmade pieces that you can use over and over.

Make Cake Stands From Plates + Pinch Bowls.

You can get pretty crafty with your prop collection!

I’ve found in the past cake stands are hard to come by. Mostly because you have to
deal with size, width and height ratios for the subject you want to shoot.

You can quite easily make a small cake stand out of a plate and a pinch bowl.
Buy Cake Stands With Removable Bases For
Options.
Your favourite must have cake stand might not always have this option, but it’s
something I look for.

Being able to remove the base can give you options for putting the round part of the
stand straight on the deck. You can also change up the base or even add it to another
plate for options.

And it’s not all about looks. Sometimes you will have to work with a certain size plate
for your cake to fit onto.
 Into a plate.

Three’s A Charm.
Not only is it my favourite number, but it’s also a killer composition technique for a
few reasons. Find out more about using Triangles or the Rule of Odds in my
composition masterclass – Composition Essentials.

Masterclass

Steal My Composition Secrets

HECK YES!

When I go to buy food styling props I usually buy things in pairs or in a set of three.

It helps me push my budget further and I rarely use more than three of the same thing.
You’re thinking, what if I need four plates?

Then I use four, but they might not all match. Which I think creates more interest
anyway.

Buy Small Glassware.

Glassware is one of the hardest things I find in which to collect. Glasses that are on
trend now don’t always look the best in your images.
They are usually super large and bulky. They end up powering over your hero food,
when they are supposed to just be supporting elements.

I almost never buy glassware from regular stores. I always look in Thrift Stores and
Vintage shops. Sometimes Ikea.

Aiming for small, petite, thin glassware gives me many more options in which to pair
and style in my scene.
Glassware is usually pretty cheap at vintage and thrift stores. Most of these were
$0.99 each. Such a steal!

Paint Cheap Cutting Boards.

Find cheap cutting boards at Thrift Stores our at discount shops and paint them.
Simple, but really effective.

It will help you customise your collection a little more. I even will paint props to a
brief. This isn’t quite a prop, but a small wooden stand. I painted it especially for this
shot to be the same colour as the background.

Using a small foam roller to apply the paint works best as it doesn’t leave streaks or
marks that brushes can. (Which can also be a cool look if that’s what you’re going
for).

Have a Few Signature Food Styling Props.

Signature props are ones that really make your story! They are those props that
everyone dreams about.

They are super memorable so if you used them in every photo, your images would all
look the same.

But they are important to have. Keep an eye out for them and using them sparingly
when the concept allows.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on signature props. Just a few.

To make your budget go further, keep a lot of neutrals in your collection so you can
use them over and over.

Do you have a prop tip for our community? I would love to hear it! Drop me a
comment below.
Food Photography Prop Checklist –
Build Your Collection The Right Way.





You’ve read the prop tips and prop mistakes. Now it’s time to use those to build your
food photography prop collection.

But where the heck do you start?

I wish that when I was starting out someone would have given me a food photography
prop checklist that would tell me all the things I would need. It would give me
something to work with.

After 7 years on the job, these are the things that I think you need in order to
executive client work. Then there are ‘nice to haves’.
Download The Food Photography Prop Checklist.
Click to get access to this free food photography prop checklist and start your
collection today the right way!
Bowls
When it comes to bowls, you will need a few different sizes. Both in volume and
height.
You’ll want to collect:

 Serving Dishes (extra large)

 Soup/Noodle Bowls (medium to large)
 Ice Cream or Condiment Bowls (small)
  Pinch Bowls (tiny little bowls)

Plates
You’ll also want a variety of plates in size. Neutral colours and subtle texture work
across multiple moods.

Look out for:

 Platters + Serving (extra large)

 Plates (medium to large)
 Side Plates (small)
Vessels
The next group is where I lump a few things into this vessels category. Mostly it’s
props that will hold liquids, (but aren’t limited to). Here, you’ll also want a mix of
different heights, sizes and volume capacity.
You’ll want to find:

 Tea Cups (medium-small hot beverages)

 Alcohol/desserts (medium-small)
 Water glass (medium-small)
 Pouring + Sauces (small)
Cutlery + Serving
Quite easily the hardest to source for vintage and at the right size. I found a lot of my
collection from my Mother and Grandmother, but also vintage, thrift and antique
stores.

When it comes to cutlery look out for:

 Knives + Forks + Spoons (rustic + luxurious)

 Serving Utensils (rustic + luxurious)
 Paring Knife (vintage)
 Teaspoons (rustic + luxurious)
 Ice cream scoop
 Sugar duster (small)
 Pastry brush
 Herb Scissors (small)
Linens
Are fairly straight forward, with linens you need two types. But it’s finding the quality
linens that is the hardest. Always go for actual linen. It’s buttery soft and will work
with you in the styling process.
Napkins can be stiff and don’t style well. They are cheaper than linen, but you get
what you pay for.

Add these two items:

 Napkins (medium + small)

 Tablecloth (large)
Baking
Is my most enjoyed category of food photography. I have a sweet tooth and so I love
to bake, shoot and eat! Food styling props for baking are also best when they are a
little vintage. A little bit of ‘pre-loved’ goes a long way.

Get your hands on:

 Wire Cooling Rack

 Cake Stand
 Baking Pans
 Baking Trays
Other Nice-to-Have Food Styling Props
These props aren’t essential when you are getting started but they are something you
will want to have at some point, as they will likely come up in a client shoot.
Keep an eye out for:

 Cutting Board: Wooden or Stone

 Skillet
 Butter saucepan (small)
  Pie Dish
 Mortar + Pestle (small)
 Trifle dish (medium to large)
 Popsicle molds

Backgrounds
Are probably the most important prop of all. They are the backbone of our shot and
can really make or break a concept. While it’s definitely possible to create your own
backgrounds, it is important to also buy some from the best in the business.

The texture and quality that some can produce is unmatched.

 Light grey marble

 Grey-blue textured
 Dark grey/charcoal textured
 Blush pink
 Textured wood
 Textured white
Where To Buy Food Photography Props.
I know this is your next question and I will leave some tips on where you can go to
find your props.

Finding food photography props takes time and is something you will always be
doing. So get started, and then keep a keen eye out!
  Esty
 Thrift, vintage and antique stores
 Local ceramicists and markets
 Instagram, (there are quite a few curated ceramics accounts you can follow for
ideas)
 West Elm, Anthropologie, Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel
 Target, TJ Max, Homesense
 Amazon

Before you run off and get started, be sure to check out these related posts.

Related: Food Styling Prop Tips That’ll Save You Money.

Related: Food Photography Prop Mistakes You’re Making.

Don’t forget to download the food photography prop checklist!

Are there any props that I’ve missed that are crucial to start a food photography
collection? Or do you have a favourite place to find props? Let me know in the
comments below.
Advanced Food Photography
Workshop: Art of Food Stories
It’s my pleasure to share with you the details of the Netherlands advanced food
photography workshop with Bea Lubas.

This advanced food photography workshop was a stand out for me for a few reasons.
Firstly, the space, the photographers and the content were the best I think we’ve
taught.

Passionate people coming together to learn advanced skills that will help them
improve their food photography, nothing more is sweeter.
Discover the creative process of two professional food
photographers.
Food photography is such an in-depth niche of photography. There are so many little
details to pay attention to.

As I get more years under my belt as a pro food photographer, the more I realise just
how important the creative process is. It’s important to help you create and
photograph the best version of your work.

To stay original and stand out from the crowd.

In our most advanced workshop yet, Bea Lubas and I gathered in a room of 11 other
photographers to explore our individual creative processes.

To allow our passionate attendees to get into our heads as we craft a food story from
the very beginning of concept creation to execution.
We covered:

 The individual creative process of two unique photographers.

 How to find inspiration and build a photo concept.
 Start to finish the creative process.
 How to pivot and troubleshoot the things that don’t work.
 Understand workflow, gear and composition.

Create Beautiful Food Photography – The Photo

Assignments.
As this was a two-day advanced workshop, we wanted to really allow the
photographers attending to implement what they’d learned from day one with hands-
on sessions.

We created two photo-assignments. Attendees were paired into groups and had 90
mins to produce an image that matched the brief they were given.

Attendees came up with their inspiration and concept directions during their
homework session. We then regrouped as a unit and discussed what each
photographer wanted to replicate in their images.

Creative Photo Assignment – Minimal, Masculine

Whiskey.
The masculine, minimal whiskey shot I lead the group through.

Prior to the workshop, we surveyed attendees to see what they most wanted to learn
from each of us.
With my work, it was how I can make a minimal subject look really powerful. Drinks
were something that has come up as difficult to shoot.

So I put together a masculine concept for a whiskey shot. I wanted it to be minimal,

so there were guidelines for minimal prop use.
I decided upon a masculine concept, as I know a lot of photographers who rely on
‘pretty’ things such as flowers to make drinks looks nice. Wanting the creatives to get
into the bare bones of what makes a food story beautiful, (and powerful).

The directives were:

 Minimal props and subjects.

 An atmosphere that felt masculine.
 To be shot with a narrow focal length for a portrait feel.
 Think about the layers that will make the drink interesting.
 Use shadows and negative space as compositional tools.

Here are some shots from the creatives.

Shot by Kaare Sova
Creative Photo Assignment – Flatlay.
With Bea’s work, a lot of the attendees felt that they loved how she was able to use so
many subjects in her images. Yet have them feel calm, interesting and perfect.
The second creative photo assignment was the opposite to the first. Our attendees
were now being asked to forget minimal, and use many props and subjects to tell a
story.

The directives were:

  Compose a flatlay scene with the angle from above.
 Think about props as being a supportive role.
 How layers will add more depth.
 Placement of subjects to feel calm with organic movement.
 Use a 50mm lens.

Here are some shots from the creatives.

When I first shot together with Bea Lubas, she taught me a lot. Even though I was a
professional with many years of experience under my belt, there is always something
new to learn.

We knew the power of discovering the creative process of others and being able to
uncover their secret techniques and workflow. We wanted to give that to our
passionate group.
Advanced Food Photography Workshop Highlights.
I know you’re curious to know what we teach at an advanced food photography
workshop. Here is a little snippet of what we went through during the two days.

DAY 1 – Discover the creative process of two professional food photographers.

Get into our heads as we craft a food story from the very beginning of concept
creation to execution. Experience the little tricks and techniques we use to create
showstopping images for our personal collection and clients. We covered:

 The individual creative process of two unique photographers.

 How to find inspiration and build a photo concept.
 Start to finish creative process.
 How to pivot and troubleshoot the things that don’t work.
 Understand workflow, gear and composition.
 How to explore your scene for variety and mood.
 Question about our creative workflows.
DAY 2 – Hands-on creative and photo assignment.

Implementing the techniques and workflow from Day 1 to create interest and beauty
into our images with more intention. We covered:

 Creative breakdown of our best images.

 Hands-on shooting sessions with a photo assignment.
 Guidance and feedback from Bea and Rachel.
 Troubleshooting roadblocks with other photographers.
 How to incorporate our skills while being true to your style.
 Q+A session.
Attendees watching the tethering session. ©Lucie Beck
The workshop was hosted in Utrecht, The Netherlands by Ans from Studio Tout-
Doux. A big thanks to Ans who was the most wonderful host.
Lucie Beck, a local food photographer from the Netherlands supported our workshop
by helping us organise the location, supplying props and the necessary equipment to
make the day as successful as possible.

If you haven’t attended a workshop with me yet, I hope to see you at a future one.
You can always check out my online training too!