BLOGS
life behind the camera. No textbook… just from my experience and years learning through doing.
Food and Beverage Sessions
In this post we are at Sofitel Hotel, working within the Sabrage Lounge & Bar and La Maree Restaurant. I’m going to use this as an overview of my process when photographing food and beverage. While there’s no textbook approach, this is what generally appears along the way - based on my time behind the camera.
What does it look like behind the camera?
On the tails of a series in Auckland’s CBD, collaborating with the NZ division of ACCOR HOTEL GROUP, here’s a few behind the scenes images and the results that were selected as deliverables.
In this post we are at Sofitel Hotel, working within the Sabrage Lounge & Bar and La Maree Restaurant. I’m going to use this as an overview of my process when photographing food and beverage. While there’s no textbook approach, this is what generally appears along the way - based on my time behind the camera.
Reflections create an artistic detail at La Maree Restaurant - Sofitel Auckland. Photo: Chris Holloman Photography
THE BEGINNING:
Here’s how it worked. Accor Hotel Group Experiential Marketing Manager, Youjin Choi, created an incredibly thorough brief that included a vibrant mood board to support all the details within. With this, prep for the session was made quite simple. I knew what and how I’d be photographing this property and the approach I might take to achieve the results.
Every session requires fluidity. Having the ability to adapt and pivot on the fly is a critical part of efficiency and profiency (whether it be technical or situational) . This is why clients will hire you - this is why they’ll return.
SIDE NOTE: Often, I can be tasked with overseeing the session without the client’s creative team present. Yet another reason to have all available details well thought out. Here is where I directly coordinate with chefs, a culinary team, shift managers, etc. More often than not, the teams are well prepared and ready on shoot day. However, it always pays dividends to arrive earlier than scheduled and offer a courtesy recap of what the day will look like. This allows for crew to make any adjustments they find necessary OR even pivot the photography session to meet their needs. Compromise on a hardline vision if you can but never sacrifice quality. Again, this is the skillset you bring to the table as a professional. Help your client get to their destination as simply as possible with excellent outcomes.
Back to the session at Sofitel…
THE SHOOT:
Arrival time allows for a short window to review the gameplan, walk the room, and fine tune our approach to each of our objectives. This is the equivalent to a mic check and reviewing your speech before walking on stage.
Once things are solid, I start my set up. I get most of the gear staged so I can grab at will should a shot require a different piece of equipment. This saves time if a delicate plate is only moments away from needing replacement. I try to accommodate this time frame (it’s more common than not).
Typically, I’ll photograph tethered to a laptop. With instant feedback from the camera, it’s a beneficial approach to review and make micro adjustments to lighting and camera angles. Small variations in the camera’s position to the subject can make all the difference - especially when considering necessary compositions for text application and various cropping ratios in print, website and social platforms. When the situation allows, a tripod allows me to step away from the camera but not lose my framing.
The series for Sabrage and La Maree required fast pacing and lots of variations of set up (lighting, etc). Communication was a constant, ensuring we were inline with that original brief and meeting the visual goals of the creative team. While I often contribute to this, I always keep my place, providing a solution to the brief when required and supporting the client. If something doesn’t work, I find a workaround until there just isn’t one. For any newcomers reading this, never quit on the idea… always keep thinking it through (time allowing), as the outcome can sometimes be incredibly rewarding - even a surprise.
With the session wrapped up and the room full of high fives and fist bumps, the calm re-enters the space and the exhales can be heard across town. The bullseye got obliterated. A solid collaboration is something worth celebrating - No TALL POPPY syndrome to fight, just good old fashioned appreciation for all involved.
THE EDIT:
I apply a general ‘look’ to the images after culling out those that are unusable or not meeting the brief. This new grouping, known as PROOFS, are provided to the client to review and make selections that I apply final editing time to.
This is where the separation beings, and forgive my commentary here. PLEASE take time to edit photos with purpose and intention. While not all is perfect at the time of capturing the photo, such as a tablecloth wrinkle, scratches on glassware, dust on a bottle from static in the air, skin blemishes/imperfections (I’ll address this in abother post), some things just require editing to resolve - so take the time to do so. I’ve spent a maddening amount of hours over the years meticulously editing out specs and spots. It’s inevitable. The alternative of leaving them in the deliverable image would’ve been unacceptable. Why do I still see it throughout marketing materials, especially at larger scale? Baffling. I encourage more effort to refine images in this area.
Still with me? Now that I’ve got that out of the way, Sofitel was not exempt to this kind of editing. There was some minor detail work to address (when using cutlery that’s in service and potentially scratched or marked)… same for glassware. Nonetheless, the results were acheived and the edited photos delivered.
I upload, I share the link and I address any changes that the client requires.
THE END.
FINALLY:
Happy photographer and a happy client. Remember, they can become your advocates if you do your work to the best level - and don’t forget that their experience in working with you speaks as much to their likliehood of returning as the photography you’ve delivered.
An immense amount of SPECIAL THANKS to the team at Sofitel and to YOUJIN and ELLA, our model and new team member of Accor.