How to Start a Career in Food Photography (Even Without a Portfolio)

Breaking Into Food Photography: How to Get Started Without Experience

Starting a career in food photography is exciting—but it’s rarely easy. Like many creative industries, commercial photography comes with its fair share of hurdles. One of the biggest? Getting clients to trust you with paid work before you’ve built a portfolio.

It’s a catch-22 many aspiring photographers face: you need work to build a portfolio, but you need a portfolio to get work.

So how do you get your foot in the door when no one’s knocking?

One of the first shots I did for my portfolio before I got into food photography. Looking back, the bowl was a bit too small—so the garnish looks huge and there’s barely any soup!

Build Your Portfolio—Even Without Clients

Your portfolio is your strongest selling tool, and there’s no rule saying it has to be made from paid work. In fact, many successful food photographers started by creating their own shoots from scratch.

Here’s how you can start:

1. Cook and Style Your Own Food

If you enjoy cooking, this is your best starting point. Prepare simple dishes that look great on camera. Think colorful salads, breakfast bowls, baked goods, or plated desserts. Focus on lighting, plating, and composition.

2. Buy and Stage Ready-Made Food

Not into cooking? No problem. Purchase ready-to-eat meals, pastries, or beautifully packaged items. Set up scenes at home with good natural light, some props, and neutral backgrounds. Supermarkets, bakeries, and even coffee shops are great sources.

Bought these kebabs just for the shot. Fun to look back—what a mess! The meat’s badly cut and dry, salad’s all over the place, lemon’s awkwardly shoved in, and yep… wrong glassware too!

3. Create Series-Based Shoots

A consistent portfolio builds credibility. Try focusing on a theme—like brunch foods, Asian desserts, or coffee setups—and shoot a series around it. This creates cohesion and showcases your ability to shoot in a consistent style.

Learn the Basics of Light, Angles, and Styling

Lighting can make or break your food photography. Prioritize your work using strobe lights and learn how to diffuse it for soft, even lighting. Experiment with top-down, 45-degree, and side angles to see how different dishes respond.

Invest time in learning food styling too. Clean edges, minimal distractions, and careful placement of props can elevate your shots instantly.

Find Your First Opportunities

You don’t have to wait for clients to come to you. Here are some practical ways to create your own opportunities:

1. Collaborate with Friends

Know someone who runs a home bakery, food blog, or cafe? Offer to shoot a few dishes for free or in exchange for a testimonial. These real-world setups will strengthen your portfolio and give you practice in handling live shoots.

I used to eat at Lots Gourmet in Changi for years—long before I started my photography career. The owner knew my family well,
so when I decided to try food photography, I asked if I could shoot their menu. Did it for free, just to get some experience.

2. Reach Out to Small Businesses

Local cafes, restaurants, or food startups often need professional images but may not have a big budget. Approach them with a short, polite email, include a few sample images, and offer to shoot a few dishes at a discounted rate. Keep it simple, and highlight the value they’ll get from quality photos.

3. Post Your Work Online

Create an Instagram account or website dedicated to your food photography. Post regularly and use local and niche hashtags like #sgfoodphotographer or #singaporefoodstyling to attract attention from food businesses in your area.

Keep Practicing and Learning

Every shoot is a learning opportunity. Whether you're working with a friend or staging your own meal, treat each project professionally. Learn from each experience, improve your post-processing, and slowly build up your portfolio with varied work that demonstrates your skill.

Final Thoughts

Starting out as a food photographer without experience or a portfolio is challenging—but absolutely doable. By creating your own opportunities, shooting regularly, and showcasing your best work, you’ll gradually build the trust and credibility needed to attract paying clients.

Remember, every great food photographer started with just one image. Make yours count.

Looking to Level Up Your Photography?

Follow our blog at https://www.waikayphotography.com/blog for practical tips on improving your craft.