“I love to cook and I love to eat. I also really love to feed people”, writes Karen Thomas on her webpage. This expresses her passion about food and photography – and this passion is evident in each of her stunning food photography projects. Karen is one of the 2022 Hasselblad Heroines and a winner of several awards such as “The Food Photographer of the Year” or the “Tifa competition”. She has also been selected as one of “Shutterturf's top food photographers in London” and was a guest at the BBC Good Food podcast to speak about her achievements in food photography. Karen agreed to give us some insights into her work and how she uses her broncolor equipment:
How did you get into food photography? How long have you been working in this field?
I did a degree in photography at Nottingham Trent University. After this, I spent four years assisting and worked with fashion, still life, corporate, car and food photographers. It was during this time that I chose to specialize in food predominantly.
Do you also work in other photographic areas?
I have done extensive flower shoots for both Waitrose and Marks and Spencer. I’ve also shot big still life projects for various clients including HSBC.
What do you think distinguishes food photography from other commercial photography?
Food photography is often about drawing someone into wanting to eat the food you are shooting (not always, but usually) and this means having a great understanding of what creates that appeal. Getting someone to physically salivate when looking at a photograph is about realizing what makes food tantalizing.
Do you style your sets yourself or is a stylist always with you on your assignments?
I always have a prop stylist to source the props but I don’t always work with them on set. On POS, packaging and editorial shoots I mainly style the shots myself using the props sourced by the prop stylist. On bigger advertising shoots then I’ll always have a prop stylist on set who will dress the shot and I’ll work closely with them to achieve the desired look.
Do you have something like a standard light set?
My go-to kit is a broncolor Scoro power pack with Pulso G and Picolite lamps as well as Siros monolights. I use Softboxes for a softer scene and various light shapers for when I want to achieve a harder light that is reminiscent of the stronger sun. I receive briefs and then decide on what light will suit the scene best. I obviously switch to continuous lighting for video.
How many of your jobs are realized in your studio and how often are you on location?
I predominantly shoot at my studio but I do, from time to time, get asked to shoot at restaurants. It’s fun to work in a different environment and use the styling of the restaurant to build the shot rather than always doing set builds.
Do you work with monolights and/or power packs?
I have a Scoro power pack which I love because it freezes action perfectly. This is amazing for all my splash work. I also have a couple of Siros monolights and Picolite lamps.
Which are your preferred light shapers - and why?
I use the Softboxes a lot (I have 3 different sizes) for a soft, gently lit scene. I also use the broncolor spot attachment when shooting bottles where I need the label to stand out. Standard reflectors with honeycombs are always useful for a stronger light with deep shadows. I’ve recently bought the Picobox for my Picolite lamp which I’m looking forward to using.
What is, in your opinion, the minimum lighting equipment for a photographer who wants to get into food photography?
Some food photographers simply use daylight. I love shooting with daylight myself too but usually more for editorial shoots. For advertising, I usually simulate daylight with my lights in order to achieve continuity throughout the day (and also in winter when the days are shorter it’s a must). Starting off with one monolight, Softbox and P65 reflector will go a long way. You can use one lamp and a whiteboard to bounce light back onto the subject. It’s a simple setup but very effective.
Why do you use and trust broncolor at all?
The fast flash speeds are incredible at capturing splashes and pours, and the consistency of the light throughout the day is great (the temperature of some competitors’ lights changes as the day wears on). The build quality is excellent, and the kit is really durable.
Do you have other "little helpers" beside lamps and light shapers?
I always use white reflector boards to bounce the light back onto the subject and also to flag off areas. I use mirrors sparingly (they can make the subject look harsh if not used subtly). I sometimes use diffusing screens in conjunction with Softboxes to further soften the light for subjects such as bottle shots.
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