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Look at you stepping into the new year with a smile!

Well, I hope you’re smiling because it's the time of the year when fresh starts and new beginnings feel a lot easier to make. 

I don’t know about your goals but a big goal for me last year and the year before was to not quit food photography. Yep!

 It was my goal to do what I’m doing in spite of things not going my way.

It was a tough one no matter how easy it sounds.

And a big part of trying to achieve my goal of not quitting was to be able to recenter myself and constantly remind myself of why I do what I do. Over and over again.

A shocking realization in the process was that my love for food photography alone was not big enough to keep me in it. There had to be something more, something that would pull me out of the trenches every time I was sinking.

And there was one thing that did exactly that over and over again. It was a huge part of bringing a sense of purpose and a higher meaning to my creative life. It kept me from giving up.

In this week’s episode I’m sharing how to find that higher meaning and purpose in food photography. 

I share why we all need a higher purpose and need to make our photography journey more meaningful, how my entire way of thinking changed once I discovered this purpose, how a small simple step can change your life and others too. 

If you feel that you don’t need that sense of purpose, that is exactly how I felt. 

But when I was on the verge of giving up and leaving food photography for good in 2021 that higher purpose grounded me. It saved me from making a decision I knew I would not be happy about.

We as humans are always seeking meaning and also logic in everything we do. As passionate as we might be, as creatives we battle self-doubt, judgment, insecurity and sometimes, the feeling of not being seen as an equal to someone with a hot-shot corporate job. 

We work hard on our skills and business, but I think we work harder on our mindset. We work harder in trying to navigate the tough road of a creative life and an even tougher path of entrepreneurship.

If there is a way to make it a tad easier for ourselves, a way for us to navigate this tough path with more strength, resilience and joy, then why not try it.

I’m sharing an easy and simple way to create a deep-rooted sense of purpose in your creative lives. I can guarantee that once you find it, you’ll never see food photography the same way and no one around you will either. 

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/79-how-to-find-a-higher-purpose-make-food-photography-more-meaningful/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

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Few years ago I received an enquiry from a brand for a cookbook photoshoot. 

They had seen my work and wanted to know more about my process and also my rates for the project. 

I shrieked. I mean who doesn’t want to shoot a cookbook. Almost every photographer dreams of it. I did too. I was excited reading that email.

But there was a minor problem. 

I had never done a cookbook shoot before. I had absolutely no idea what the process looked like and how I was supposed to charge for it. 

I mean it wasn’t a magazine, it was a cookbook. They’re both print media but are they really similar in process and pricing?

My head was spinning.

And so, I reached out to my dear friend in the industry, Diana muresan. Diana food photographer, stylist, blogger and educator, was also an experienced cookbook photographer & she came to my rescue.

I bombarded her with questions and she answered each one of them patiently and with complete transparency. 

In this week’s podcast we continue our conversation with Diana Muresan about cookbook shoots and she shares all the tricky details. 

We talk about pricing the project confidently, credits to be included in such projects, curveballs to expect and how to cater for contingencies, how to keep such projects profitable and whether cookbook photography is lucrative enough.  

So, when I received that client enquiry, I had made a rough estimate of $5000 for the project but after my conversation with Diana, I realized how far off that was from what the project fee should have been. Based on the brief, it was easily a $12000 project.

But I would’ve never known had I not spoken to someone about it.

Imagine if I would’ve been hired for $5000 only to realize too late what the project fee should have actually been. Can you imagine the jolt to my confidence, passion and my desire to do a good job on the project? Leave all of that, imagine how unappreciated and unvalued it would’ve made me feel.

We never want to be in that situation.

If we run a photography business, it is always a good idea to know about the different kinds of projects in the industry, what it takes to execute them & how to quote for them so that if there is ever an opportunity, our decision to take it up or leave it is based on our interest it instead of our lack of knowledge about it. 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/78-how-to-take-a-cookbook-shoot-from-start-to-finish-with-diana-muresan-part-2/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Ever dreamt of shooting a cookbook?

How would you feel seeing your work in print?

How would you feel if you opened a cookbook and found your photos on large pages staring right back at you?

I don’t think I’ve ever met a photographer who didn’t want to see their work in print, who wasn’t excited by the thought of photographing a cookbook and creating memories not only special for the author of the cookbook but also for themselves.  

That feeling is pretty priceless, I’ll say. 

And while that feeling might be surreal, the overwhelm of taking on a cookbook project is real. 

There are so many questions about cookbook photography projects that fill our minds that most of the time, the intimidation of the process itself stops us from signing up for a cookbook project, in spite of wanting it so badly. 

In this week’s episode, Diana Muresan, commercial & editorial food photographer, stylist, blogger and educator based in Canada, who has worked with cookbook authors, national and international food brands and marketing & PR agencies, shares the A-Z process of a cookbook shoot.

In our conversation we cover everything from -

Landing a cookbook project

Questions to ask before quoting for the project

Pricing for the project

The styling & photography skills needed

The team setup required

…and basically the entire shebang of taking a cookbook shoot project from start to finish. 

I don’t know if you feel so but I think that cookbook shoots are a bit of a mystery because they aren’t talked about much or discussed as frequently as commercial food photography projects.

Even if there is a mention, there aren't enough details to be able to get a good grip on the entire process. A holistic picture of what this sort of a project entails is somewhat missing in our industry conversations. 

This episode gives complete insight on what a cookbook project looks like at every single stage. 

If you’ve ever wanted to photograph a cookbook or wondered what it is to take on such a project, this episode is for you. 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available https://myfoodlens.com/77-how-to-take-a-cookbook-shoot-from-start-to-finish/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

I don’t know which camera to buy.

Is this lens worth the cost?

Should I go for flash or continuous lights?

Deciding on which camera equipment to buy is never easy. It almost always comes down to our budget and whether it’s worth the investment. 

Have you ever bought a piece of gear and found that it wasn’t really worth buying, didn't improve your photography or was too inconvenient to use? 

We’ve all spent money on equipment we didn’t really need & we’ve all dreamt of certain equipment we wish we had in our collection. 

Photography is an expensive craft and we need to be extremely careful where we invest.

In this week’s podcast episode, I’ll share one of the best ways to save time and money while investing in photography equipment. 

Sometimes we wish to upgrade our gear, sometimes we need to replace it and sometimes we are intrigued by a new technology in the market.

If we can strengthen our selection process, it can actually save us dollars but also headache, frustration and stress.

Here's a simple practice, no matter which stage of the creative journey you’re in, that can be a huge game-changer in our photography investment and skills improvement.

The photography equipment we own depends a lot on our personal preferences, our workflow and the kind of work we create either for ourselves or for our clients. It takes many factors for a certain equipment to work for us and take our skills to the next level. 

One wrong choice can set us back hundreds and thousands of dollars. It can also set us back in our confidence and in feeling skillful - that’s how important it is to make our equipment choice wisely. 

There is a way for us to make an informed decision which has a 100% guarantee of working for us. If you’re wondering if that's really possible, I want to tell you, it absolutely is.

Spend your money on the right equipment, save the headache of decision-making & become a more skillful photographer in the process.

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at  https://myfoodlens.com/76-how-to-save-time-money-when-investing-in-photography-gear/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

A few weeks ago someone on social media commented on one of my posts saying that in their opinion they didn’t believe that food photography could ever be a full-time career, that it could be profitable or be taken up professionally.

I didn’t say much to this because we are all welcome to have our opinions and unfortunately, this is a common opinion about our industry.

But between you and me, I completely disagree.

In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing in the world that cannot be a full-time profession, it all depends on us. 

And food photography, c’mon, we have so many success stories in front of us who are leading a thriving career in food photography.

But I can also understand why someone might feel that food photography cannot be a full-time profession. I mean, do food photographers make enough money?

Do you? 

The answer is Yes and No. 

I know many successful food photographers who are doing well financially because of the way they’ve shaped their creative career but I also know several who are struggling to make ends meet and questioning whether it was the right choice.

If you fall in the latter category, I have something for you today. 

In this week's podcast episode, I’m sharing 3 simple yet big reasons why you might not be making enough money in your photography business. 

I’ve included immediate actionable steps that you can take today to change the way you might be bringing in revenue in your business.  These might seem obvious but they’re highly overlooked and not applied, resulting in the frustration of pursuing a career that we dearly love but cannot sustain financially. 

The good news is that we can change that. 

This episode is for you if - 

You’re not making as much as you’d like in your photography business

Or

You’d like to make more than what you do right now

Or

You’re curious if you’re missing anything in your business workflow even though you’re pretty happy with what you’re making 

Money is not what got us into food photography so how can it be the reason to take us away from it. At the same time, we need to be practical. We've got to pay rent, our child's school fees, bills,  and we deserve a comfortable life too…

And if food photography is not bringing us that joy both emotionally and financially then it’s time to relook at the way we are driving it. 

Don’t fall for a stranger’s opinion on whether food photography is full-time worthy or not. Your financial freedom is in your hands.Do the work and bask in the success. Here are 3 simple practices to put the rein into your hands. 

​ Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/75-not-making-enough-money-in-food-photography-3-common-mistakes-to-avoid/


Download free workbook
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Would you like more followers on social media?

More likes?

More engagement?

YES?

Almost everyone wishes they had a larger following on social media. 

Infact, there are courses in the market on “How to get 300k followers in 30 days.”

Sounds tempting, right?

Who wouldn't want a larger community? Why not?

But the question we really need to ask is, why?

Why do we want a larger community?

How does it help us or help them?

Will it make us better photographers?

Will it boom our business?

Will it celebritize us in the industry?

Will it bring more clients?

Truth is, having a large following is very minutely linked to any of these. The celebritize part I would agree with but at the core of being photographers and business owners, social media only solves a certain purpose for us.

This week on the podcast we continue our conversation on this hot topic with the power-duo, husband-wife team, Madhushree and Anindya Basu @pikturenama.

Previously restaurateurs, now food bloggers, food influencers, food photographer & videographer, cookbook authors, food writers, together the duo runs a creative agency in India. 

Madhu and Anindya have a stunning social media presence and are driving a successful food blogging and photography business.

..And in this episode they share how it’s been possible inspite of social media changes. 

We discuss whether algorithm changes impact client work, When do the numbers on social media matter, Mistakes creators make, what it takes to create a robust presence on social media & the absolute needle moving effort that improves skills and brings business

There is no denying that social media numbers are important but we need to have utmost clarity on how they’re working for us and why we should work on them.

It is essential to take a step back and look at our clients or our revenue generators to see how much of it is really linked to social media. 

What would happen if our numbers didn’t grow?

What would fall apart?

This conversation with Madhu & Anindya is an eye opener. They’re practical about the  value of social media but at the same time, they’ve taken steps to build a solid foundation for their business that does not get impacted by algorithm changes. 

If you’ve wondered whether it’s possible to thrive as a food photographer with a smaller following on social media or creating less content or being less present, this episode is for you.

It will tell you exactly where numbers matter and where they don’t 

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

 

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/74-how-to-create-a-resilient-food-photography-business-unaffected-by-social-media-changes-with-madhushree-anindya-basu-part-2/


Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Let’s say you have a friend who loves your photography..

..but they don’t really understand the technicalities.

One day you post a moody photo

And they absolutely love it.

So they ask, “how did you create it?”

And you get excited and start telling them all about light and how light creates mood.

But how confident are you about your understanding of light in moody photography?

What if I told you that the most common mistake photographers make while creating moody photography is in the lighting.

And that is majorly because of one huge misconception that has risen from social media. Many photographers teach this technique to create moody photography and those who learn don’t even realize that the technique is not really accurate.

This week’s episode is inspired by that one misleading advice about lighting in moody photography that we see all over the internet.

In this episode I describe the different moods in food photography, what creates mood, lighting basics for creating mood and the biggest lighting mistake we make in moody food photography.

Light is the backbone of photography and it is made up of a ton of subtleties. Having a good hold on these subtleties allows us to take our photography to the next level. 

Understanding brights, highlights, shadows and darks is essential to be able to create a powerful food photo especially, if we want to create a specific mood in that photo. 

When we have a deep understanding of the components of light we can create different moods with exactly the same composition by working on the lighting alone.

And if someone asks “how did you create it?”

We understand lighting for moody photography well enough to be able to answer in the most informed and technically correct way..

… And with full confidence!  

 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

 Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/73-the-1-lighting-mistake-in-moody-photography/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Have you ever bought a course, and then left it for some or the other reason without completing it? 

Have you ever bought a course, completed it but it never really gave you results. Didn’t help much.

Most of us have invested in courses in our creative lives and gone through the pain of certain courses not working out for us.

We buy courses but don't always get the results we expect.

What happens when a course doesn’t work out for us?

It feels like a waste of money.

It feels like a waste of time.

We doubt whether we’re the only ones who didn’t quite get it.

We judge the course instructor thinking they didn’t do a good job. 

It makes us hesitant to invest in another course again.

While there are many mediocre courses out there and any of the above can be true about a course, we rarely invest in courses that are truly mediocre.

We buy courses after careful thought & consideration.

But still they don’t work out. 

WHY does that happen and WHEN does that happen? 

Spoiler alert - it has nothing to do with money.

In this week’s podcast episode I share the #1 mistake when buying a course. The top reason why a course doesn’t help us, why we don’t feel motivated to complete it and how it impacts our faith in our skills. 

Quite often it is neither the content of the course nor the course instructor. The mistake has to do with us. I’ll tell you how I wasted 1000s of dollars just because of this one reason  & share how to save money, make the right choice when it comes to investing in a course and get the maximum results from that decision. 



The cost of a course has nothing to do with the results it will bring us.

There’s no guarantee that a $1000 course will work better than a $100 course. It depends on us. If our selection is not based on that one solid criteria, whether it's $1000 or $100, both courses will be a waste of money and time.

We have so much to learn as photographers, it is a time-consuming and energy demanding passion.  We need to make sure that if we spend time and energy on learning something new, it should inch us towards our photography goals. 

If it leaves us confused, frustrated or exactly where we were, that course was definitely not the right choice.

There is a way to always know which course would be the best choice and where to make your investment. Don’t make the same mistake I made for years.

 
Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/72-the-1-mistake-to-avoid-when-investing-in-a-course/

Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Instagram has gone through such massive changes in the last year that we food photographers & bloggers are finding it difficult to love it like before.

Some creators are thriving.

Some have left the platform.

Some have distanced themselves.

Some return only for the community and conversations. 

It has impacted almost all of us esp. those who depended on Instagram for collaborations, influencer work, driving traffic to their blog or getting discovered by clients. 

While we feel robbed of the joy we once felt sharing our work on the platform,  our businesses have also been impacted.

It’s not easy navigating through this phase of social media. It doesn’t really inspire us to share our work on it anymore like before.

Tell me you feel so too.

This week’s podcast is ultra-special because we have not one, but two special guests - husband-wife, Madhushree and Anindya Basu @pikturenama.

Previously restaurateurs, now food bloggers, food influencers, food photographer & videographer, cookbook authors, food writers, together the duo runs a creative agency in India. 

While many creators are struggling in this social media climate, Madhu and Anindya are buzzing with their thriving food blogging and photography business..

..And in this episode they share how it’s been possible inspite of social media changes. 

We talk about the impact of social media on the creative industry, how to diversify your business, how to promote your business outside of social media, get discovered by clients, a powerful practice to grow your business while staying unaffected by Instagram algorithms etc.

As creators, we love connecting back to a community on social media and as business owners, we love how social media gives us access to potential clients and showcases our professional work.

There are so many reasons for us to feel frustrated given how it has changed but hearing Madhu & Anindya will not only give hope but also leave you with fresh ideas on how to navigate through this phase.

It’s time to embrace, adapt and pivot because it is totally possible to still find joy in sharing our work and also have a thriving business in spite of Instagram’s mood swings.

Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/create-resilient-food-photography-business-unaffected-by-social-media-changes/



Download free guide and workbook
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/
Write that pitch https://myfoodlens.ck.page/writethatpitch

Love the episode? Send me a text & tell me.

Do your photos spark an action?

Do your photos leave an impact?

Does your photography solve a problem?

And how can photos spark an action in the first place? Is it even possible?

How can you tell if they do?

I can almost hear you saying, "Isn't food photography all about making mouths water?" 

Truth is, creating delicious photos & making a viewer drool is just the first step.

And it's not enough.

The real purpose of a food photo comes into play after making the viewer drool.

It is that next step that determines how impactful our photo is.

And creating impactful photos is critical if we want to take our photography to the next level and work with clients.

It’s almost a non-negotiable in food photography, whether hobby or business.

And to be able to create a photo that influences and warrants action, we need a powerful photography process in place.

This week’s podcast episode is a fun one. I’m sharing my guest interview on the show, The Vine Podcast hosted by Madison Wetherill.

I’m sharing - 

Why you need to create impactful photos

How to streamline your photography process 

When do our photos miss the mark

The exact steps to save time and be efficient in a photoshoot, yet create an impactful photo 

Whether we're passionate food photography hobbyists or seasoned professionals, we want our photos to achieve meaningful results.

We also want to create those meaningful photos without spending endless hours. 

This episode will not only empower you to create purposeful photos in an efficient way, it will also show you how creating impactful photos can help grow your photography business and make photography even more joyful & fulfilling. 

Having a streamlined process that saves you time, enhances your efficiency, and also maximizes the impact of your work, is an absolute win.



 Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

Follow Dyutima on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dyutima_myfoodlens/

Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/70-are-you-missing-a-step-in-your-photography-process/

Download the free guide
The 10-step photoshoot https://myfoodlens.com/the-10-step-photoshoot-guide/