This week I interview Luis Gonzalez, a talented food photographer and Registered Dietitian. He shares his tips on how to become a food photographer!
S2 Episode 29 – Food Photography! Ft. Luis Gonzalez, MS, RD
More Information About Luis:
- He has always had a passion for photography
- You can view his amazing portfolio here
- He currently lives in Chicago
- He used to be a food service manager before transitioning into his current FT role in communications
What Are The Main Foods You Photograph?
Luis likes to photograph fruits and vegetables, he says they make really good subjects because of their varied colours and organic shapes. He recently started to take pictures of beverages and different cocktails.
During the interview, I told Luis my favourite picture from his portfolio. I was happily surprised to hear it was his favourite photo too! Click here if you want to see the work of art.
What are the photography services you offer?
Luis does commercial food photography for brands. He works with them when they want to feature a new product on social media, in a cookbook, or on their website. Sometimes a company might hire you to take pictures for promotional materials, there are always new marketing requests that come up.
How do you find opportunities?
Luis says he reaches out and makes connections with brands. He targets social media and sometimes e-mail, depending on the brand. Sometimes he uses LinkedIn for larger corporations that have an active and established profile.
luis also states that word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. “You are going to get a lot of no’s, and that’s okay. You should plan to get 99 no’s and the hundredth one will be a yes.”
Are there any foods that don’t look good in photographs?
In fact yes, there are! Luis states that most brown foods fall flat on the camera and it is essential to add some contrasting elements to help the piece stand out. An example might be adding a dollop of white sour cream to a bowl of brown chilli
He recently experienced this phenomenon after trying to photograph chocolate cake. The brown created a monotonous image, and to break it up he added texture and colour by using fresh raspberries. Little pops of colours and tricks can elevate your image and add depth to make it more interesting.
Ready to hear the full episode and learn how to become a food photographer? Hit the play button below to start the interview!
Did you miss an episode? Don’t sweat it. You can catch up on last week’s episode here: I Interview A Listener!