My name is Fanette. I am a French food + product photographer & educator located in Washington D.C. I love shooting images for eco-friendly and sustainable food brands and sharing my knowledge and experience on the business of food + product photography on my blog and Instagram to empower creatives to start their journey.

 

How did you start with photography and how did you learn?

 

I bought my first digital camera when I left for a trip around the world in 2004. I came back with over 10,000 {bad} pictures and a passion for photography. When I got back, I started working for a friend of mine who was running an online retail business. I quickly started shooting the product pictures for his website and Amazon listings. To learn the basics of studio photography, I relied heavily on online education with resources like Lynday.com, or www.creativelive.com. Today I still take a lot of online courses, but I also try to attend several in-person workshops every year and I have been with mentors for the last 2 years.

 

Who are your food photography clients?

 

I have a couple of clients that give me work on a monthly basis. One is a company that locally grows organic salad distributed to local grocery stores, and the other one makes gourmet tea. I also work with a number of supplements/vitamin brands and some natural cosmetics companies.

 

 

How do you start with styling?

 

I usually brainstorm my images before shooting. I plan my backdrop, my props, and my composition and make a few sketches to plan my shots. I usually start with the hero piece, then add the other elements, starting from the biggest to the smallest ones, and then the napkin (I very often have a napkin or some sort of fabric in my shots). I finish with the silverware and the crumbs/drips/spills (I like a messy-dish picture).

 

 

What is your focus with styling?

 

I pay a lot of attention to the color story and the composition. I have recently started working with Bella from @ful.filled and she has been pushing me to focus a lot on the storytelling and creating the feelings I want to evoke in my viewers’ mind when they see an image. It has been really challenging but I feel like it has really allowed me to grow a lot already.

 

 

What backdrops are you using?

 

I am a backdrop hoarder… I have a lot of vinyl backdrops (from mylucie.com and other places), some backdrops that I hand-painted, some reclaimed wood backdrops, some stick-on tiles for my product shots, and I collect textured wallpaper…anything I can get my hands on!

 

What food photography props do you often use?

 

I often have a linen napkin in my images. I have a variety of different colors to fit my set. I also love using cutting boards. For the plates and bowls, I like plain ceramic, usually some sort of white/off white, grey, or pink. I also love to use vintage kitchen utensils like the ones my grandma used to have.

 

 

Which light do you prefer? (daylight/artificial)

 

I work with both. I have a North-East facing window that gives me amazing light but I love the flexibility of working with artificial light. I use a Godox AD400 Pro that I use with a 47-inch octagonal softbox.

 

 

How do you do action shots and what are your settings?

 

I always shoot tethered with Live View, so I usually shoot my action shots using the remote trigger on my laptop. I put my laptop next to me but outside the frame and set the 2 or 10-sec timer. I can focus and fire from the laptop and immediately make sure my focus and exposure are good.

 

Do you work with a speed light/flash?

 

When I shoot product photography, I use a couple of Yongnuo speed lights with strip softboxes. I also use the strip box when I want to create very dramatic, dark food photography.

 

 

What camera and lenses do you use and/or tripod? And which program do you use to edit your food photography?

 

I shoot with a Canon 5d Mark iii. My 2 favorite lenses are the 50mm f 1.8 (nifty fifty) and a Canon 100mm f 2.8 macro. I use a Manfrotto tripod with a ball head. I use Lightroom and Photoshop to edit my pictures.

 

 

Tips & Tricks?

 

Keep learning. There are just so many great photographers out there sharing their knowledge! Just soak it up and keep working on your craft. I recently started blocking off a day per week for personal shoots and it has been absolutely amazing! Both in terms of skills development and creativity! Oh and for the damn napkin (my nemesis), use a spray bottle to dampen it and it will do {almost} whatever you want

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this article and learned a little bit more about me! If you are new here, meet me on Instagram and feel free to sign up for my newsletter, where I share photography, business and mindset tips twice a month!