This week I am kicking off another photography series like I did last year with a number of guest posts from bloggers, photographers and stylists all sharing their best tips and tricks on creating beautiful images. Today please welcome my very good friend and fellow food photography lover Naomi Robinson of Bakers Royale who is going to share her secrets to sourcing great props for food photography.
I’m so excited to be guest posting here at Gourmande in the Kitchen. Sylvie's blog is one of my favorite food blogs for many reasons - one of them being Sylvie's incredible photos.
Given the professional grade photography on Gourmande in the Kitchen, let’s start this off right; I'm a beginner when it comes to photography. So I'm not here to talk about any technical aspects of picture taking. I'm here to talk about the one thing I have managed to do well, despite my protesting wallet - food prop sourcing.
Since I get quite a few questions about my backgrounds and my props, Sylvie and I thought it might be helpful to share with you where and how I find them. My top shopping destinations are eBay and Etsy. I can't say I like one better than the other, nor can I say one is less expensive than the other. What I can say and recommend is checking both sites when sourcing something.
To simplify things I'm going to display photos with the props I'm most often asked questions about. I've included where they were purchased along with the search words I used to find them. Finding the right search words is the difference between having a just few or a lot of pages returned to you for browsing. Now my style is primarily rustic so the words most often used to describe that category, outside of vintage and antique, are primitive and chippy or chippy paint.
Search words: chippy paint bench, farm bench, shabby chic bench (*Note: Make sure to check the size)
Plates: Wilton Armetale RWP | Purchased: Ebay | Search words: pewter plates, Wilton RWP, Wilton Armetale. (Note: While the plates look like, and are often tagged with pewter, they are actually aluminum. Although you can find knockoffs Armetale knock-offs that maybe pewter and not aluminum.
Flatware: Random pieces | Purchased: Ebay | Search words: vintage flatware, antique silverware
Plate: Enamel pie pan | Purchased: Etsy | Search words: enamel pie pan, enamelware
Fabric: Dishtowel | Purchased: Muhs Home
Platter: Brass platter | Search words: brass platter
- Canvas
- Sabre
- Gilt
- Serena & Lily
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One Kings Lane
Naomi Robinson is a self taught baker and the author of the blog Bakers Royale. She’s armed with an abundant reserve of passion and determination for baking and creating. You can find her on Twitter @BakersRoyale and on Facebook Be sure to read the full Summer Food Photography Series:
Styling for Food Photography with Chantelle Grady | Summer Food Photography Series Part Two
Food Videography with Russell van Kraayenburg | Summer Food Photography Series Part Five
Q&A with Food Photographer Jim Scherer | Summer Food Photography Series Part Six
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Cathy Davis says
Thank you for posting this! I only occasionally post recipes but I love photographing them and adjusting the levels and such in Photoshop. I am getting better with my props but have been wishing someone would do a revealing post like this! Thanks so much! 🙂
Now if only I could find the best spot for natural light in my house! 🙂
Erin @ The Food Doctors says
As a new food blogger, I'd really like to thank you for this post! As a follow up, I'd really like to know how you created those "homemade wood board" backgrounds. Fabulous!
I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!
Jeanette says
What an informative post Naomi and Sylvie - thank you Naomi for sharing how to search for and where to find props!
Kim@hungryhealthygirl says
Thanks for the VERY informative post. Your props are beautiful!!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
I am so looking forward to this series Sylvie! Thanks for putting it together. I usually try to get to a thrift shop a couple of times a year but it is tough. I love these tips to narrow down the search on ebay. Naomi is brilliant, I so enjoy her photography and her recipes!
Maureen says
I loved this post. I have so much to learn. The biggest thing for me is where to keep all this stuff. Where do you store all the props without having to live in a tent? 🙂
Amanda says
Love everything about this post. Seriously, I just pinned it THREE times!!!
Ali | Gimme Some Oven says
Awesome post! Naomi's photography and styling is definitely a favorite of mine!! 🙂
Katrina @In Katrina's Kitchen says
I just love Naomi! Thanks for having her. I could look at both if your nlogs all day you two talented ladies!
Magda says
What a great post. Thank you both!!