Utah Food Photography | Chocolate Chip Cookies

Utah Food Photography

Sharing a little throwback to one of my very first Utah food photography shoots of chocolate chip cookies today! I look back at these photos and chuckle at the food photography tips and tricks I was unaware of. At the time, I didn’t have a clue that replica background surfaces for food photography existed. I assumed I had to buy a real marble cutting board from Crate and Barrel. It felt like it weighed 50 pounds. After using the marble cutting board for this shoot, I thought, “Surely there has to be a better way!” I also assumed the only way to have a soft gray background in my photos was to set up a roll of seamless paper behind the table. Bless.

Styling to Tell a Story

As much as I look at these photos and see all the ways I could have improved them with what I’ve learned since, I also look back at these chocolate chip cookies with a sense of pride. Even though I knew nothing about resources for food photographers or stylists, I knew my photos should tell a story. Rather than shooting the cookies alone, I added a glass of milk and ingredients: chocolate chips, brown sugar, and flour. I styled the cookies on a cookie sheet to give the impression they had just come out of the oven. Though my execution certainly wasn’t perfect, I look back and feel grateful that the most important lesson I was learning through the process was that every photograph should tell a story.

Background Surface Tips

Since taking these pictures of cookies, I have discovered there is an easier way to get background surfaces for photos! I love to use foam core and matte boards from the craft store for solid colors. For getting a marble, tile, wood, or stone look in photos, I love using boards from Replica Surfaces. They are a more expensive investment, but totally worth it for the ease of setting them up quickly and easily.

Food Photography | Chocolate Chip Cookies | Hannah Israelsen Photography