Not That Fancy
How to Capture Stunning Food Photography for Cookbooks – Insights from a Harper Collins Collaboration
Last year, I got an e-mail from a major book publisher and had to pinch myself. The e-mail came from Harper Collins and I almost could not believe it was real. They had gotten a referral from my friend and amazing photographer Robby Klein. They needed someone to photograph the food for the Reba McEntire "Not That Fancy" gift book. I was floored, to say the least.
Harper Collins wanted to photograph 47 recipes and they had a limited budget to do it. Kris got the preproduction going and found us a studio, food stylist, food stylist assistant, prop stylist, and lighting tech. We shot for 4 days. We went at a neck-breaking pace to get everything shot.
The art director, Sabryna, gave us a ton of creative control. We experimented with lighting, composition, and color to create, what I think, is some really stunning food photography. In the spirit of the book, we captured the food in a beautiful, motivated light - trying to think about where and when each dish might be on the table! The goal of good cookbook photography is to get the reader to want to take their book into the kitchen and start cooking.
I can't show everything (you’ll have to buy the book for that) but here are some of my favorite images!
Cocktail photography has always been one of our strong suits at Reactor Media. Our stylist knocked this one out of the park.
Okra is one of my favorite foods. This recipe elevates this southern mainstay to the next level.
These chicken tenders were delightful. You really have to buy the book and test out this recipe for yourself!
The Art of Creative Collaboration
The most fun part of this project was getting to work with the team at Harper Collins. They were able to succinctly tell us their creative vision for the book. They then gave us creative control to come up with some really fun imagery. The key for us was organization. Having the recipes and maniscript ahead of time allowed the team to collaborate and figure out exactly what we would do for each recipe before we got to set. We had a plan for which dish needed to be ready when, and then how we would prop it to tell stories that were relevant to the book and true to the aesthetic of the book.
Working closely with a creative team is my favorite thing about commercial photography. Food stylist help us to make the food itself look stunning. Prop stylist bring that recipe into a place that look amazing. They create cozy scenes or authentic scenes you name it. The digital tech ensures our organization. The producer makes sure everyone is in the right place at the right time with the right equipment. Our lighting designer ensures that the lighting really shows off each dish.
The creative process is about give and take. It is about creating the best possible imagery for the client and telling the story. We are visual story tellers.
Kris stepped in to help on this fried bologna sandwich. He actually smoked the bologna on his own smoker! Our whole team can pitch in to create amazing cookbook photography.
Did someone say strawberry shortcake? This taste even better than it looks.
Saucy ribs are the best! You need just the right about of kick in the sauce.
Streaky lighting makes this chili look amazing.
Bringing Recipes to Life with Stunning Food Photography
The ultimate goal of good cookbook photography is to see cookbooks and inspire readers to bring the recipes to life in their own kitchens. How do you do that? My solution is motivated light, and props that make the scene feel lived in. Lighting, props, and composition all work together to create stunning cookbook photos. Our goal is to capture the essence of each dish. I want people to taste each dish through the page. Having a prop stylist is key to bringing each dish to life.
I don't know about you but, I could use a Margherita about now. I will settle for a photo of one though.
The full crew! 11 Happy photographers and publishers to pull this one off!
Epic burger photos to the rescue. We don't do boring around here.
Fire! That's right Nashville hot chicken makes the world go round.
Key Takeaways for Cookbook Photographers
Build Strong Relationships: Networking is crucial. referrals from fellow creatives can help you land dream clients!
Prepare for high-volume shoots: Cookbook photography for shoots like this involves dozens of recipes and a tight deadlines. This is a massive organizational undertaking. We manage the volume and organization with meticulous production books, shot list, and spreadsheets.
Collaborate with creative teams: You can’t do this alone. This is not a single person job. Cookbook photography is a team sport. Working with a team of art directors, stylist, digital techs, lighting directors, and producers makes the work easy, fun, and great quality.
Make it appetizing: This is honestly the biggest key. We want people to pick up this cookbook and buy it. Then we want them to go make some recipes. The key is stellar mouthwatering food photography.
Conclusion
Photographing food for a cookbook is a rewarding challenge. It requires a blend of technical skill, creative collaboration, and a deep understanding of the recipes you’re bringing to life. Whether you’re working with a major publisher like Harper Collins or an indie author, the goal is always the same: to make the reader hungry and excited to start cooking.
If you’re a cookbook publisher or author looking for stunning recipe photography, I’d love to help bring your vision to life. Feel free to reach out, and let’s create something beautiful together!
