The tools and equipment I use for food & product photography

When I'm working, I'm carefully crafting every image to highlight your product, tell a story, and engage your audience. Achieving this consistently isn’t just about skill - it’s also about the tools and equipment I use. From camera to props, each piece of equipment in my studio plays a role in delivering polished, commercial-ready food imagery for brands and agencies.

Camera body

At the heart of my studio is my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. This full-frame DSLR is reliable, captures rich detail, and reproduces colours accurately - crucial for food photography where subtle shades and textures make all the difference. Its dynamic range ensures that both highlights and shadows are beautifully retained, so every dish looks vibrant and appetising.

Lenses

I rely on two main Canon lenses depending on the shot:

24–70mm Zoom – versatile and perfect for overhead flatlays, wider environmental shots, and scenes with multiple elements. It allows me to work efficiently while maintaining beautiful composition and perspective.

100mm Macro – for hero shots and detailed close-ups, this lens captures texture and colour with stunning clarity. It creates the shallow depth of field (bokeh) that makes ingredients and dishes pop.

Lighting

I primarily use artificial Godox flash lighting to maintain consistency across shoots, no matter the season or weather. I also have a continuous Godox light for video. Controlled light ensures that your products always look their best, delivering images that are polished and ready for immediate use on websites, social media, and in marketing campaigns.

Tethered workflow

Shooting tethered is a crucial part of my process. It allows me to review images in real-time on a large monitor, ensuring every frame is perfectly composed, well-lit and aligned with the client’s vision. This workflow improves efficiency and speeds up post-production, meaning faster delivery of high-quality images for your brand. I use Tether Tools cables - the iconic orange cables that snake around studios everywhere!

Editing and retouching

I use the Adobe Creative Cloud: Lightroom for colour correction, consistency, and batch processing, and Photoshop for retouching, polish and final refinements. This combination ensures that every image meets commercial standards and maintains a clean, professional finish - exactly what brands need for marketing and advertising.

Support gear

A sturdy Manfrotto tripod is essential for stability and precise framing. It allows me to experiment with composition while keeping the camera perfectly still, resulting in crisp, sharp images every time. And a sturdy industrial c-stand safely holds my precious camera high above the scene for tack-sharp flatlays with no camera wobbles.

Backdrops, props & linens

Beyond camera and lighting, my studio is stocked with and ever-growing collection of curated surfaces, props and textiles:

• Backdrops & surfaces: hand-painted boards, stone, and neutral textures that complement the product without distracting from it. Where possible I love using NZ-made - CM Props and Backdrops is one of my favourites, and has a fantastic range of colours and patterns

• Props: I love to mix modern and vintage ceramics, glassware and cutlery to enhance the story of the food - and I've been collecting for decades! For modern NZ-made ceramics, I love The Alchemist's Table and Nicola Shuttleworth (I've even made a visit to her Wellington studio).

• Linens: natural fibres and subtle textures that add interest, depth and a pop of colours to every scene.

These choices are considered and intentional - every item is selected to elevate your product and reinforce your brand aesthetic.

Why equipment matters for brand food photography

When I shoot for commercial food brands and agencies, it’s not just about making food look nice. Every tool, lens and surface contributes to producing imagery that is:

• Consistent: every shot fits your brand style

• Accurate: colours, textures and details reflect your product authentically

• Ready-to-use: images can go straight into marketing materials, websites and social campaigns

By combining professional equipment with curated props and styling, I deliver food and product imagery that truly elevates your brand.