Nikita Singh, a food stylist and writer, shares her thoughts about food styling and what it takes to be successful in the industry.
How did you find success in food styling, which is such a niche field?
I was extremely fortunate to have a good mentor. An incredibly talented food stylist, Bianca Delides, allowed me to assist her on a few big commercial shoots. I gained invaluable experience, skills, and confidence. I’ll always be grateful for her kindness and insight.
What are the skills you think a food stylist should have?
- Patience. On set, there’s a lot of waiting. First, you wait for the photographer to set up lighting then, after the shot, you wait for approval from the client (who’s often approving remotely).
- Attention to detail. You need to see the little things that other people don’t see – Is the plate clean? Is there an oil smudge? Are the greens starting to wilt? Do they need a spritz?
What are some food styling basics?
- When dealing with frozen goods like sorbet, make your perfect scoop and freeze it. It’s impossible to work with if you don’t pre-freeze.
- Always cook pasta at the last minute. Pasta that’s been standing too long can get dry or stodgy.
- Need to assemble a perfectly stacked sandwich or burger? Use skewers.
- Use glycerine and water in a spray bottle to get perfect dew-like droplets.
Sobae Frozen
Photographer: Justin Govender. “The scoops of sorbet were pre-frozen on a baking tray so that they didn’t completely melt in 5 seconds under the hot camera lighting,” says Nikita.
Where do you source for props and what are your most invaluable styling tools and aids?
I love sourcing for props at Hospice and charity shops. You’ll find unique pieces like spoons, glassware, and platters at affordable prices. It’s also great for fabric and napkins, especially if you need just one of each colour. For more everyday pieces, Mr Price Home is always a safe bet.
I always carry a full styling kit, but the most helpful tools I can’t do without are gourmet tweezers and my paintbrush. It’s helpful to keep a few paintbrushes to either dust off some crumbs from a surface, or to add a little dab of oil to meat for a juicy shine. Oh and a good knife! Having a good, sharp knife makes a world of difference.
Are there any food styling books, blogs, guides, or stylists you’ve found inspirational and helpful?
There’s an amazing YouTube channel called The Bite Shot which is helpful for food stylists and food photographers. Photographer Joanie Simon gives honest and practical advice on everything from affordable backdrops to getting the perfect cheese pull.
Find Nikita at https://nikitasinghstylist.wordpress.com/
Instagram @nikitasinghstylist
Cool post 👍🏼 and great tips for me as an aspiring food photographer.
What are your thoughts on messy food styling as it relates food waste? (by wasted I specificialy mean not consumed for sustanance).
I imagine that due to the preservation techniques used, food used on commercial shoots would likely be inedible if certain additives are used to keep the food liking fresh throughout the shoot.
Messy styling while attractive and fun adds to the amount of food that eventually gets wasted.
Just something I was thinking about when considering what my style would be
Hi Justin! I’m glad you found it useful 🙂
I agree food styling can be wasteful. In the past, many food stylists would create inedible food for shoots (like raw chicken covered in molasses. Ew!) However, I have found that modern stylists try to limit food wastage. Bianca Delides keeps ziploc bags in her kit so that she can package food, store it in the fridge, and then distribute it after the shoot is over.
If you add a dab of oil to a piece of meat, it’s still edible so I think it’s all about being cognisant and getting your timing right. It’s helpful to keep ingredients like fresh herbs and lettuce in the fridge until you need it so that they don’t wilt.
For fruits – only cut it when you’re ready to shoot. Even granadillas start to turn a funny colour when they’re sitting out too long.
I hope this is helpful!
Thanks Nikita 🙂