Being able to move images between Lightroom catalogues is a little hack that not many people know about—but it makes a major difference in organizing and cleaning up your Lightroom. Follow along with the post below or watch the YouTube video. Step 1: Open the Catalogue Where You Want to Import the Photos File > Import from another catalogue Lightroom will default to where your catalogues and backups are—and if you’ve customized this, it will default to the place you’ve set. Otherwise, it defaults to Pictures > Lightroom. Select any catalogue through File > Import From Another Catalo ..read more

It’s no easy task to make a bowl of liquid look appetising. The smell, the flavour… that’s what makes soup so good. As a food photographer, you have to take your viewer on a journey of what the taste is going to be like. Here, we’re going to break down one how-to-style soup, gazpacho, to look incredible on camera. Prefer to watch this blog post? Check out the video on YouTube. The Base: a Red Bowl of Soup When I blended the soup, I didn’t try to get it smooth—I wanted a little bit of texture. I made sure to check the soup as it was blending and stopped once I was happy with the consistency ..read more

Let’s talk about Lightroom hacks! You’ve planned your shoot, captured great images, and now it’s time for post-production. Whether you’re still getting your footing in Lightroom or are a seasoned pro, hacks to make photo editing easier are always welcome. Lightroom is powerful, and it’s full of features that can give your post-production workflow a little boost. Some of them are obvious while others fly a little more under the radar. I’m breaking down some of my fave hacks—the ones you’ll want to use all the time—that can help you use Lightroom more effectively and efficiently.  Lightro ..read more

Photography backdrops are the backbone of our photos. I can’t emphasise how important they are! They can literally make or break our images. When I first started out as a food photographer I didn’t have a lot of money and tried to make my own backgrounds. They were ok, but I soon realised that investing in quality backdrops for food photos was one of the most important things I could do for my food story and composition. I get a lot of questions about the backdrops that I use, and while this is not an exhaustive list of places you can buy from, I’m sharing the photography backdrops I own, wh ..read more

While it’s not always realistic to use composition grids when you’re shooting, guides like the six I’m about to share with you are super helpful when it comes time to crop your images. You’ll find all of these in Lightroom, Photoshop, and Capture One—but not every guide will work for every image. As the photographer, it’s your job to figure out what feels most natural, balanced, and interesting to you. Exploring the visual impact of cropping is an amazing way to improve your image. (And spoiler alert—I have 38 composition cropping guides that you can start using right away!) This is by no mea ..read more

Improving your composition improves your photographs. It’s really that simple! Importantly it’s not about ‘experimenting’ or ‘trying things out’ until you get what you’re looking for. There’s a method you can use to help you get that amazing shot every time—so you’re not taking 300 photos when you could take 10.  Dynamic symmetry is a game changer.  Grid line system touching and intersecting with subjects in the image. My Composition Essentials course will teach you everything you need to know to master composition and create your signature style—but for now, let’s dive into the basi ..read more

Are you thinking about raising your prices but not sure how to go about it? When your work improves to the level where you’re confidently executing quality in a timely manner, you should consider charging more. How do you know when that time has come? Let’s dig into it a bit further. Knowing When it’s Time to Raise Your Prices As you start to improve your business and further your photography and styling skills, two things happen: You get better at shooting and can execute a job in less time Your styling and composition get stronger to produce higher-quality images As you move forward, you ..read more

Most clients pay on time and don’t need you to chase them—but you need to set expectations with them before the shoot. When you start freelancing, you might want to take on every job that comes your way. Consider, though, that clients who don’t pay and make things harder for you generally aren’t worth the extra hassle. If budget is an issue from the outset, think about whether the job is worth the time and effort you might need to spend just to get paid. Setting expectations from the beginning lets your clients know that you’re professional and expect them to act the same way.  Get Pai ..read more

Here we are at one of the trickiest topics: Image Licensing. Pricing for licensing isn’t easy. After all, you have to work out the value of a photo in line with how much your client will profit from it. There are agreed-upon values and subjective values—and then you have to consider what your client is willing to pay. As I said, very tricky. Let’s explore how you should approach licensing. How to Determine Image Value To determine the value of an image—and therefore its license—you need some information from the client: What the image will be used for Where the image will appear—website ..read more

The best way to ensure smooth paid shoots is to educate clients on the work that’s involved. Sure, you’re the expert—but your clients want to know that the amount of work matches their investment. You want to get them the best value-for-money package. Educating clients can be difficult at first—especially if you’re dealing with a heated client who disagrees with your rates. Generally, though, clients are receptive and will be willing to work with you if they like your art. Onboarding and Educating Clients Why You Need to Do it What Do They Need to Know Image Quantity Deposits Copyright and ..read more