Behind the lens: a day in the life of a food photographer

Food photography is more than just snapping beautiful images - it's a blend of storytelling, sensory detail and creative intuition. A usual day for me begins long before the shutter clicks and continues well after the final image is edited. Here’s a look behind the scenes of a typical day in my life as a food photographer and stylist in New Zealand.

How I plan a food photography shoot

The day begins with a quiet cup of coffee (or two!) and a check-in with my work planning Trello board. Over breakfast, I review my shoot plan (I use Milanote) - usually developed the day before - with mood boards (Canva), colour palettes and shot lists laid out.

I draw a lot of inspiration from the products I work with and the produce that's in season. Planning often involves sketching out rough compositions and selecting props that will tell the story I want to share through food.

Styling & setting up a food photography scene

The next step is prepping the ingredients, using the produce I’ve sourced earlier in the week. I begin styling: selecting ceramics, linens, surfaces, and background elements that suit the feel of the recipe. Gathering them all together, then whittling them down to the final selection. Lighting setup varies depending on the mood I’m going for. Most of the time I work with artificial light, diffusing it with multiple layers of material to soften the shadows.

Shooting techniques for professional food photography

With everything as prepped as it possibly can be, I begin the shoot. I usually test a few angles first - flat lays, 45-degree shots, close-ups - until I find the perspective that highlights the textures and colours of the specific food I'm working with the best.

Timing is crucial. Ice cream melts, herbs wilt (coriander - I'm talking about YOU!), steam fades - so I often need to work really quickly, while maintaining focus and control, and ticking those shots off the list as I go - determined by whether the dish needs to be whole/cut/half-eaten etc.

I use a DSLR camera with a 24-70mm zoom lens for most shots and tether to my laptop to preview the composition on a larger screen which helps enormously with getting that crisp, clear focus.

Lightroom and photoshop workflow for food photography

After shooting, I move to editing - usually in Lightroom, with occasional touch-ups in Photoshop if needed. I aim to enhance the natural look, colour and feel of the food while maintaining consistency with my visual style.

I create different versions depending on the final use: socials, web or print. Each medium has its own formatting needs, and I optimise accordingly.

The challenges of being a food photographer

As much as I try to anticipate every eventuality, not everything goes to plan... ok, hardly EVER goes to plan. A pie might not bake evenly. Props sometimes don’t come together as imagined. I might spill bright red tomato sauce all over a white table cloth in the first frame (speaking from experience). These hiccups are part of the process, and as stressful as it can be, that's when the most important tool in my belt goes into overdrive - problem-solving! I swear it's the fundamental skill of food styling AND photography.

I’ve also learned to be flexible - pivoting from a planned hero shot to something more candid and organic if needed. Sometimes you just have to channel Tim Gunn and 'make it work', and save the swearing for later.

Client delivery and cleaning up after a food shoot

Once everything is edited and saved, I'm ready to share the work with my client. Then it’s time to clean up, reset and plan for the next day's shoot. It's not exactly glamourous - but cleaning up is a good proportion of my afternoons, so it's lucky I find dish-washing quite a zen activity!

How do you food photo?

If you're a fellow creative, I'd love to hear your process! Got a different process, or favourite tool? Drop me a comment or tag me in your BTS food photography on Instagram @semlastudio - I’m always keen to connect with other food creatives.