Some things are better together. Whether it’s music AND dancing, a brew AND a biscuit or a food photographer AND a food stylist – combining forces always creates a sum greater than its parts!

When it comes to mouth-watering food photography, having an expert pair of hands to prep, plate and perfect each dish is THE secret ingredient for getting amazing imagery. If you want camera ready food in every photo, then adding a stylist to your shoot is an absolute no-brainer.

A food stylist is a staple part of a well-balanced photoshoot. Whilst a photographer is busy perfecting the lighting, props and background, a food stylist has been shopping, cooking and prepping the PERFECT photo-worthy feast just ready for snapping.

If you’re looking to raise your food photography game with appetising imagery that screams ‘eat (or drink) me’, then here are 5 delicious reasons why you really should hire a food stylist!

Georgie Glass working behind the scenes with a food stylist at a food photo shoot for Scott Baptie's 'High Protein Handbook' cookbook.

Behind the scenes prepping the food and lighting.

The final photo photographed by Georgie Glass shooting for Scott Baptie's 'High Protein Handbook'. Georgie is a Food Photographer in Manchester.

Final shot for Scott Baptie’s Cookbook, The Ultimate High Protein Handbook.

1. Food Stylists are Experts in Prepping Plates to Perfection

Picture perfect photos take more than just putting gorgeous produce carefully on a plate. Knowing the tips and tricks to make food look really good means having lots of solutions up your sleeves for every situation or style. Food stylists work with photographers from the initial concept and can advise (before set-up) whether we need to adapt the food to cope with the studio lights or if we need to use other (clever) methods to achieve the desired look.

Food stylists are fanatics about shape and aesthetics. They source the most vibrant veg and juiciest fruit plus they have a toolbox of terrific tricks to make everything look extra-delicious. From building the perfect burger using a clever combo of pins and skewers to get the desired height, to knowing the right amount of salt needed to make the foam on a pint of beer extra frothy, if you see an image of food that positively ‘pops’ off the page, you can guarantee that a food stylist was involved in its production!

Georgie Glass photographer Manchester working behind the scenes on a test shoot with Schweppes.

The prep on a Schweppes Test with Daisy & Sean.

2. Food Stylists Can Make Food Look Mouth-Wateringly Good for Longer

Every good photographer comes to a shoot with a well-prepped shot list. Maximising the most out of the session is key so that the client gets their value for money. But a common consequence of a longer shoot is that, often, the ingredients are forced (and struggle) to keep up. Having a food stylist on set 100% saves you time, stress and food failure!

The photographer can set up the shot knowing that a plate of yumminess is being prepared at the same time. If tweaks need to be made with an angle, ingredient, or prop - this can be done simultaneously meaning that, not only is the food staying fresh, but the shot can be taken very quickly after the adjustments have been made.

Food stylists are gurus at stopping veg turning brown, lettuce wilting or ice cream melting using clever hacks. From using fake ice to substituting whipped cream for shaving cream (yep really) to copious other ingenious ideas, food stylists know how to make food look good at every stage of the shoot. Having a food stylist on set means the dish or drink will look good for much longer and everyone can make the most of the photoshoot.

Georgie Glass Photographer finished shot of Schweppes tonic water.

One of the final shots!

3. Food Stylists Support and Troubleshoot Issues on Set

As brilliant as food photographers are, the reality is that it is simply not possible for a photographer to do EVERYTHING – especially on bigger, more complicated shoots. Food styling and food photography, whilst similar in nature, require a different focus, discipline, and attention to detail. Diluting your photographers time and energy from their shot set-up or lighting is undoubtedly going to compromise the quality and outcome of your shoot especially if they’re spending half their time rearranging or restyling the product.

Hiring a food stylist to work in tandem with a food photographer gives you a premium effect that allows you to maximise the time, expertise and output of your session. Food stylists are wizards at whipping up alternative options or dummy dishes so clients can easily approve alternative lighting effects or experimental shot angles with the crew before we dive into the real ‘take’. Their expertise and different way of looking at things means they come fully equipped with the essential ingredients to make a shoot ‘sing’. They support the flow of the photography process ensuring that the highest quality of ingredients is always prepped and ready to be captured.

Photo of a halloween themed snack a jack created as a spider surrounded by halloween props and a bag of snack a jacks. Shot by Georgie Glass photography Manchester

Getting ‘experimental!’ on Halloween with Snack a Jacks

4. Food Stylists Add Value and Help Maximise Photoshoot Success

One of the main reasons clients are reluctant to add a food stylist to a shoot is ultimately down to the additional cost incurred. As budgets continue to get squeezed there’s a misconception that hiring a food stylist is more of a ‘nice to have’ rather than a shoot essential. Yes, there are some situations and shoots that you can probably ‘get away with’ not using a food stylist - but on others you’d be daft to risk it.

One of my top tips is to open the conversation with your photographer from the beginning about what is realistic in order to get the kind of results you’re after. For example, if you’re shooting at a restaurant with a chef on hand, you might be inclined to opt for the chef’s presentation skills and not that of a food stylist – but this might not be wise. It’s worth remembering that the skills required to make something ‘look good’ are very different to those that make things ‘taste good’.

Getting into the nitty gritty of what you need your outcome to be, is the best place to begin. Having a food stylist on set means you’ll get MORE out of your shoot and often have a far better result. The additional cost is a worthwhile investment into securing the kind of photography that properly does the job it’s meant to.

Photographer Georgie Glass with Food Stylist Daisy Hogg and Videographer Sean McCrossan

Me with food stylist, Daisy Hogg and Videographer Sean McCrossan.

Photographer Georgie Glass with Food Stylist Daisy Hogg and Videographer Sean McCrossan working behind the scenes at a restaurant photoshoot.

At a shoot for Restaurant Bar & Grill.

5. Food Stylists have the Freshest New Foodie Ideas and Style Tips

Food stylists, like any experts, are naturally tuned into the latest trends and movements from their industry. This means you’re automatically benchmarking your ideas with people that know what’s hot (or not) and tapping into their fountain of knowledge. Whether it’s including motion or splashes into the mix or selecting the hottest colour choices of the moment, a food stylist is a brilliant addition to boost your creative vibe. They also are a dab hand at bringing fresh ideas to the table.
Whether it’s vintage glassware or unusual surface textures, stylists have a little black book of trends that can help add extra flavour to any shoot.

For example, with the rising demand for more authentic and raw imagery, you might want to consider working with a food stylist that has experience with perfecting casual (less polished) looks, or if you’re looking for insane close-up photography, tapping into a stylist that is an ooze, drip or melt expert makes complete sense!

Photo of just baked cinnamon rolls being broken up and put on a plate.

Shooting a ‘hot trend’ for 2023, Cinnamon Rolls.

Whether you’re shooting imagery for a new cookbook, menu, or ad campaign, looking to revamp your food packaging or even scale up your social media imagery, if you’re in the business of food, you really should consider hiring a food stylist already! Whatever insanely delicious looking imagery you’re after, I’ve a smorgasbord of foodie styling folk I’ve worked with that are tried tested and, of course, totally talented! Why not get in touch and add some food styling into your next shoot!

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5 Reasons Why Hiring a Food Stylist Will Make a Delicious Difference to Your Shoot!