THE DARK FACE OF FOOD STAGING

You know what makes me laugh even after all the years of being a food photogrpaher? When a food company I work for sends me photos of ‘pretty’ instagram food and wants me to emulate the same thing for their platform…you know the ones, perfectly formed lines of dark chocolate….too good to be true smooth soups…cream that doesn’t melt at all…sauces that stay solid when drizzled and not dispersing out etc.  Well guess what? I WORK WITH REAL FOOD. I will never stage my shots with fake food…but hang on, what does that even mean?


I’m going to let you in on a few little tips and tricks that your see on social media now more than ever which the fake food stagers know about but is not apparent to everyone else BUT here I am sharing it all on this platform because we all need to be more transparent.

And I want the clear message to be sent to any food company I work for in the future to be this: I WILL NEVER WORK WITH FAKE FOOD TO MAKE A PHOTO LOOK PRETTY. Food is food and we already manipulate it enough I think…the below is what no fake food stager wants you to know…

1. Motor oil is a syrup substitute that doesn’t absorb into pancakes and waffles 
2. Glue is a milk substitute that doesn’t make cereal soggy
3. Dish soap creates longer lasting foam in fizzy drinks
4. Corn syrup and food coloring can create ice cream that doesn’t melt
5. Super glue repairs tears in bird skin
6. Browning liquid can be made to shoot raw birds without roasting
7. Shaving cream is used as whipped cream that doesn’t melt!!
   

….SO REAL food staging for the win me thinks…who’s with me?!!