With the eruption of video content across social media – from TikToks, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts – is there still a place for photography?
The quick answer is: yes!
Photography works very much in tandem with video content. For every reel, there must be a striking cover for the grid, and having a balance of video and stills across social media can positively impact an account’s engagement, reach, and audience. But for an agency, like Eat PR, photography seeps into many of our services. For example, we need great photographs for our client’s ads, MPUs, e-shots, press releases, magazine features, and case studies – for print and digital! So, photography remains a valuable skill and service to have.
Granted, it’s true, anyone can take a picture these days. Thanks to our phones, the majority of us carry a camera wherever we go. But it takes a certain eye to really capture an image. For us, that eye is Taylor Maddock. Ahead of World Photography Day we sat down for a little Q&A so he could give us a snapshot of what it’s like working as a photographer in the foodservice and hospitality industry!
So Taylor, tell us: what drew you to photography?
It was never meant to be a big part of my role but I’ve always loved snapping content. When I was 15 I used to create by own low-budget sport documentaries, and that involved a lot of filming as well as capturing stills. I always knew I wanted to pursue marketing, so this side passion of mine tied in quite naturally. Once I started my business, there was a big demand for professional imagery from clients for their social media, so I could bring my skills to the table and offer them as a service. It’s snowballed from there!
How did you start working with Eat PR & Marketing?
A good friend of mine recommended me to Eat PR and the rest is history as they say! It’s always a pleasure working with the team and I always look forward to their shoots. I actually did my first project with Eat PR a year ago this month! It’s insane to think there was a point where I didn’t work for them.
How is food photography different from working with other subject matters?
You have far more control over the shots you want as it’s a more of a controlled environment – so lighting, composition, the shot and the subject, are all much easier to manipulate. The edit is also different as you’re trying to bring out different colours and a different feel.
Do you have any rituals to set up a shoot?
So many! I didn’t realise how methodical my routine is until I sat down to think about this. The main ones that come to mind for setting up are:
- Pre set up: It all starts the day before really, with checking everything is charged, memory cards and hard drives are good to go, all the tiny screws, cables, cloths, lights etc are all present and accounted for and packed for the next day. I like to do gear checks about a million times the night before, the morning of, once the gear has been loaded into the car, even during the journey sometimes (as Claire has seen first hand), on location etc . Luckily (touch wood) I’ve not forgotten anything yet!
- Set up: Again, check cards a million times, do a few test shots where we will be shooting to nail down the right camera settings. I also like to put all of my gear on ‘stand-by’ mode so that if anything comes up quick to shoot it’s all ready to go! Oh and of course to sort out lights where they’re needed!
- Post set up: Living by the shot list to really internalise the shots and style you’re going for is a must. There are often things to avoid or be conscious of in working kitchens so seeing those with your own eyes actually bring the shot list to life a bit!
What’s the best thing about working with foodservice and hospitality clients?
I have been so lucky to get to go some amazing places and meet some awesome people, from the Langham in London with chefs that have been on Netflix, to a chicken shop in Luton set up by two brothers in their grandad’s old shop, to up the side of hill in the Welsh countryside chasing Michelin-star chefs around with a camera! It’s so varied and I’m super privileged to call it my job.
A bonus – of course – would have to be getting to try some amazing food too!
What are the main challenges with photographing food and drink?
How the state of the food or beverage can quickly change. There’s a short window to get it just right. But working with hot and cold food is also vastly different – some food is steaming whilst cold food, like desserts, or frozen drinks, can melt and begin to lose its structure. It just needs some critical thinking and planning to smash it. People are always so patient as well which definitely helps in getting the perfect shot.
Any advice for people who haven’t done food photography before?
Make mistakes and try and make them when you’re not getting paid – A cliché I know but genuinely the best way to learn in my opinion is by making mistakes. They could be super small ones like not dust blasting your sensor to huge ones like forgetting memory cards (touching wood again here!) but you will likely not make the same mistake twice. I’m so glad I made lots of mistakes when I was first starting out – I’m even more glad that mistakes weren’t on client work!
Learn your camera – whether it’s a phone or a ‘proper’ camera, get to grips with all the things you can and can’t do with your current kit. It will force you to get creative with your methods or at least show you where you need to develop. It’s a great way to build up your portfolio too.
Have fun with it! – Another cliché I know but this kind of work should be fun and I think that can get lost sometimes. Yes, of course it needs to look good and you need to be professional but it’s a creative job and whether that’s air fryers or fine dining it should all be fun and creative.
Lastly, what’s your favourite thing about photography?
For photography in general… it would have to be freezing a moment in time – the idea that you can just stop time for a second and leave the person looking at the image to figure out the context for themselves is so cool. It all gets a bit floaty but I think it’s really fun.
Food photography would be getting ‘the shot’ – where you know you’ve hit the nail on the head and really conveyed what you set out to do.
Love it, thanks Taylor!
If you want to chat to the Eat PR & Marketing team about how to utilise video and photography content across your platforms and media channels, then please get in touch: info@eatpr.co.uk.
Claire Dukes
Senior Account Executive
