My First Attempt at Food Styling

I have always been ready to take on challenges and love working on new products to learn different techniques. Styling an ice cream was something I had never tried before until a well-known ad agency in my hometown approached me with an exciting opportunity. They needed a campaign shoot for an ice cream manufacturing brand launching a new flavor. I wasn’t going to miss out on this chance, and I had to make sure that I did everything in my capability to make it a grand success. Since this would make me the first person in my city to specialize in shooting ice creams, I knew I had to get it right.

Food photography, especially ice cream, comes with its own set of challenges. Since ice cream melts more quickly than other goods, it might be challenging to get the ideal photo before it loses its texture and shape. Making the flavour details pop out while maintaining the ice cream's The biggest problem of the project was its smooth, creamy appearance. The agency wanted the ice cream to appear indulgent, fresh, and tempting, so I had to find a way to make it look perfect without it melting too fast under the lights.

Reconstructing an ice cream Creator:@Esha Chandarana

To prepare, I researched various techniques used by photographers worldwide. Many shared their methods for shooting ice cream, with some even creating fake ice cream from scratch to have better control over the styling. The key was to find a substitute that would look like real ice cream but stay intact long enough for me to shoot multiple compositions.

Through my research, I came across two popular substitutes: mashed potatoes and whipped cream mixed with sugar. Mashed potatoes had the right consistency but didn’t look as smooth and creamy as real ice cream. However, whipped cream with sugar changed everything. It gave the ice cream a glossy, fresh look and the ideal texture, enabling me to form the scoops as I required.

Knowing this gave me confidence for the shoot. However, I was unaware that every flavour has unique difficulties. Some Flavors had a different consistency and needed additional ingredients like cornstarch and stabilizers to maintain their structure. Others needed minor tweaks to look more natural on camera since their colours didn't transition well under studio lighting. It took some trial and error, but as I figured out the ideal mix, things began to fall into place.

I took sure to film both the real and fake ice cream during the production.  This allowed me to combine elements later in post-production such that every feature including the texture and melting effect remains realistic. Additionally, I meticulously organised the items and background to match the agency's creative brief. In addition to making the ice cream appear nice, the objective was to present an image that would make the viewer feel tempted and pampered.

In order to reach the end result, I worked laboriously mixing elements of the real and fake ice cream shots during post-processing. I spent the time necessary to get the colours correct, enhance the textures, and ensure it all worked. The client enjoyed the end photographs, and their gratitude was worth all the effort.

This shoot was a milestone in my professional career as a photographer. In addition to giving me the courage to take on more food styling assignments, it opened me more opportunities for commercial photography. What started out as a challenge ended up becoming one of the most exciting and rewarding picture shoots I have ever participated in.

Looking back, I am grateful for everything that I have learned from this project. I have learned to value preparation, experimentation, and problem-solving. Each project comes with a new challenge, but that is the excitement of photography. Discovering ways to overcome challenges, trying out what keeps me going is trying new things and challenging myself. interested.

Every challenge is an opportunity to grow! If you’re passionate about photography or need stunning visuals for your brand, let’s connect.

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