From Shot List to Final Files: My Cookbook Photography Workflow
It seems like it was only yesterday that I was getting ready for my first big cookbook photo shoot. Fast forward just a couple of years, and I’m gearing up for my fifth cookbook production. Wondering what it looks like to put together a cookbook photo shoot? Here’s my general process and workflow for cookbook photography, starting from manuscript and ending with delivering the final files!
How I Read a Cookbook Manuscript as a Photographer
For me, the first step in preparing to shoot a cookbook is reading the manuscript and recipes. As the photographer, it’s hugely important to read the work that you’ll be creating assets to live alongside. Not only will you get a sense of the author’s tone and voice, but you’ll also start to get an idea of the complexity of the recipes and the story they’re telling. All of this will be a huge help when you start pulling together a plan for prop styling and food styling.
Note: I’ve been fortunate to be involved in the writing for the majority of the cookbooks I’ve shot. Getting this extra insight into the books before we start thinking about photography is super special.
Establishing Visual Style With Authors and Designers
Once I’ve read through the manuscript and recipes, I like to get input from the author and the design team. Sometimes, authors have strong opinions about their cookbook photography. Other times, they prefer to give a few notes and then let the photographer take the reins. I’ve worked with both types of authors, and I think each type of collaboration has its pros and cons.
If you’re lucky enough to be in contact with the team of designers who is helping to put together the cookbook, this is a good time to talk with them to see if they have any preferences or recommendations for the photography for this particular book. Depending on your relationship and collaboration with the designers and art directors, this can also be a good time to ask if they’ve started on the design and if they can share any insights with you. Typically, design is done after photography is submitted, but that’s not always the case. Of course, each publisher is different, so be sure to check in with your team.
Creating a Scalable Production Plan for Cookbook Shoots
Here’s where the nitty-gritty planning part of my job comes in: once I’ve read the manuscript and talked about the visual style with the author and any designers, I start planning for the actual cookbook photography shoot. This involves finding a food stylist (or deciding to do it myself, in some cases!), deciding whether or not I need a prop stylist and finding one if I do, parsing out the recipes into shoot days that feel reasonable, finding a studio space to accommodate the photo shoot, hiring an assistant for the shoot, and then digging into all of the pre-production that needs to be done before the set goes live. To be honest, this is where my love of spreadsheets comes in handy!
Production plans for cookbook photo shoots are no joke. These shoots are high-volume and high-stakes, so you want everything to go as efficiently and easily as it can. That involves a lot of planning, all of which happens long before you pick up a camera!
Executing a High-Volume Cookbook Photography Shoot
As you now know, most of the planning and logistics are done by the time you get to a cookbook photography set. All that remains to do is facilitate an extremely complex, multi-day production! Ideally, you’ll just be directing the team you’ve put together and following the well thought-out plan you made. Of course, there are always hiccups and unexpected challenges that arise, but keeping your cool and focus will help you navigate these surprises.
Making sure that the team is well-motivated and well-fed is key on set. Plan for meals, coffee breaks, and a glass of bubbly when the shoot wraps, and print out finals as you go along to remind everyone of the vision for the book.
My File Naming, Culling, and Export Workflow
Setting up a file naming convention is key for any photography project, but for cookbook photography it is especially important. My RAW files from cookbook shoots have included thousands of photos, and it’s easy for one special shot to get lost in the mix if you aren’t careful. Talk with the art director ahead of time to understand any requirements or preferences for file naming and set those up in your image making software ahead of the shoot.
Send the author, the art director, or any other stakeholders the daily shots after each day on set. Have them cull down to select their favorites so you’re not editing hundreds of extra photos that might not get used. Of course, don’t trash anything just yet! Keep all of the files until production is wrapped in case something strange happens.
Make sure to check with the production team about file types for exporting. Typically, publishers will ask for an 8-bit TIFF file, but each publishing house does things differently.
Next Steps
From there, your photography is off to the design and production teams! Sit back and take a well-deserved break.
Want to learn more about my cookbook photography? Take a look at my past work here or book a call to learn more.