Food Micro Markets
Food Microstock markets have a huge impact on photography and other ‘zine photo markets. recipe sites, food preparation manuals, celebrity chefs, and all types of media from cooking products to cooking schools need these high quality microstock image files. Clean composition and visuals free of artifacts work especially well. Single subject foods in quantity repeated or whole foods and raw foods are especially in demand currently.
High quality, clear subject food photography will find a market. Even coupon and recipe tabs have images of basic foods on them. Breads, cookies, meat dishes, raw foods, dairy, anything that present clearly and in color like fruits and vegetables. Clear dishes show off colors and can balance light in pleasing ways. Visual appeal ranks large in photo images of food. Ethnic foods grouped together, or recipe ingredients grouped together can make attractive images.
This image above was taken to capture fresh bread cooling on risers in a grocery store. This bread was so fresh from the oven they couldn’t even put it in bags yet. Bread is an appetizing thing to photograph, but rarely did I get a shot fo the racks of fresh bread laid out.
But getting a picture of the bread was much harder than it looked. The angles needed to get the best expanse of golden crust intersected with background foods not related to the bread. Too much flash and the shine killed way too much color detail. Too close in, and I lost the side and end finish detail.
Almost everywhere you can buy food, there are large posters advertising food, showing food specials, showing menus and types of serving options, as well as food delivery or special diet food options. Food media needs constant updating, as visual tastes fade. Pricing for restaurants and menu options go out of style. Seasonal options change.
Cooking shows and cookbooks need advertising banners, posters, and magazine ads. While there may be sufficient stock or video footage to work from, perhaps the photo editor or advertising agency needs new graphics or specially designed lighting and composition. Step by step photography for microstock could be sliced fruit, sliced cheese, cracked eggs, poured milk, or fresh fruit piled in a clear blender.
Props used in food photography can be measuring spoons, measuring cups, spatulas, whisks, knives, rubber paddle spoons, salad forks, mashed potato slicers,
The best part of photography with food is that you get to eat the used materials!
