Foodtography School Review.
In 2020 I followed Foodtography School because I wanted to learn more about food photography. Spoiler alert: Now I am a full time food photographer with assignments from The Walt Disney Company and Marel Advanced Processing for example. The course offers a very versatile curriculum, lifetime access and a Facebook group where you get feedback on your work. But let's pick apart why I have zero regrets of doing this course and scroll on for a discount!
All links in this article are affiliate links. This means you get a 15% discount and if you purchase anything through my link I will get a part of the sales, at no extra cost to you.
background and why i doubted. the course
I studied Food Technology and Food Innovation and Design, but this wasn't enough food for me haha. During my first course I started my Instagram and a blog, where I posted recipes and some food photos. I took simple photos with my phone and that was what I posted basically.
During 2020 I was doing a Graphic Design minor and I also wanted to up my photography game. I remember coming across stories from @rainboweatery where she told all about Foodtography School. Honestly I was a little scared to invest this much money into food photography. At the time I was three quarters through my second Bachelor and after this I planned on getting a "grown up job". Was this really something worth investing in?
What sealed the deal for me.
Ok, so I like to dig a little before investing. Something I would recommend you to do too, but that’s probably why you are here. I talked to alumni, read reviews and was baffled at the results of previous students. I came across some people saying that you can find all the tutorials you need for free on YouTube. And yes, there are some great tutorials, but honestly Foodtography School covers exactly what I wanted to learn and I didn’t need to spend time to find the exact tutorials I was going to need.
Plus, I really like that you have assignments and you can share the results in the Facebook group. It is a very active group and even after you finish the course you can ask lots of questions when you get stuck for example. Let’s get more into the course!
What does the course look like?
The course consists of 7 Units packed with knowledge. In these units Foodtography School not only focusses on the photography skills you need, but also on the business side. This is the versatiliy I was talking about earlier. It's all nice to make mouthwatering photos, but what price can you ask, how do you reach out to brands, how can you make food photography into your business? This is all covered in the course.
The course is fully online and is hosted through a platform where you can download workbooks, sheets and keep track of your progress. Per subject within the unit Sarah (a.k.a the founding mother) has a video with her giving you a class on the specific subject. You also get to put everything in practice with assignments and there are several styling sessions where you get to be a fly on the wall watching Sarah work, which I think is very valuable.
One of the assignments is about finding photos of which you like the style. At the time I felt completely incapable of making such pictures and the colours which I saw in the images I liked where far from the branding colours I had picked. But step by step you get better and gain more confidence in creating the images you want. You learn to sculpt the light, your setup and editing so it looks like how you want it to.
What you'll need.
A camera. For this course, you will need a camera and if you are even a little serious about photography I highly recommend getting one. You don't need to invest lots of money. I had bought one before for school and I spent about €500,- on a Canon M3 which I used for about 4 years and literally took over 10.000 photos with. I now have a Sony A7 III, but I still sometimes grab the Canon M3. Honestly, your skills are more important than the camera, but I do recommend getting a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. The latter has my preference as they are less bulky. The course also includes a PDF "What's in my camera bag" with some more explanation on cameras and specific recommendations for different budgets. Find it in Unit 1.
A place to photograph. You don't need a studio, artificial lights or a big space to do this at all. Sarah explains more about it in the course, but you will only use free daylight. You also don't need to spend big bucks on background or reflectors. I started out with some hand-painted backgrounds (still my top choice honestly) and a white foam board from the craft store as a reflector.
A laptop/ phone/ tablet. To access the course!
the things i love.
The course has lifetime access! The is a lot of information and I certainly wasn’t able to apply it all at once. So I go back every now and then, repeat units or parts of them and continue learning. Plus, since I did the course, it was revamped and in such a case you also get access to the new and updated one. This also means you can follow the course at your own speed.
The Facebook group: It is very active and every day I see people getting their questions and dilemmas answered. As a solo entrepreneur it feels very nice knowing there is a place you can turn to for specific advice. The course runs worldwide and that means you also get help from people who understand the market you are in.
The versatility. When diving into Food Photography you will learn that it is much more than just snapping a photo of what you are about to eat. In the course you can find information on all kinds of subjects and I love having all that info in 1 place.
The downsides.
You don't get personal feedback from Sarah herself. She is active in the Facebook group, but of course she doesn't have time to reply to everyone in the course. I would say this course is not for you if you want 1-1 coaching. But you do get feedback from lots of food photographers in the active Facebook group.
It does cover some basics as to pricing, but as the course is quite focused on the American market, you might have to figure it out yourself. The Dutch market for example is very different and a lot of brands I've come across do not have a big budget (yet). You can ask for help in the Facebook group though.
The course only talks about photographing using daylight. In case you live in a dark grey country like the Netherlands, you might need a tripod to use those longer shutter speeds. But many Dutch food photographers struggle with the short days in the winter months and eventually also use artificial light.
Maybe this is obvious, but I am going to mention it anyway. This is not a quick fix. Foodtography School gives you the tools to get started properly, but you will have to put in the effort and the hours to actually get better. But this is true for every single course.
Progress.
Did all the photos I made after Foodtography School look good? Absolutely not! But a good photo wasn't the result of luck, but of knowing what I was doing. First I could take loads of photos and only a few (or most of the time, just one) was good. Now I can make loads of photos and none or just a few are terrible.
Honestly, as you start Foodtography School I hope you will be making terrible photos too. I think this means you are practising, looking for what works for you as a food photographer.
I mean, what am I doing with on the left?!
Where am I now.
At the moment it has been almost 3 years since I follow Foodtography School and I am a full time photographer now. I have worked with/ am working with big brands, but also with start- ups. Fun fact: I recently refreshed my brandbook. I also dug up my course moodboard and it was so close! This year I also plan on following Advanced Foodtography School and I am already so excited for it.
Discount/ Affiliate.
I am currently an affiliate of Foodtography School. This means I have a discount code for you (MIEKEATS15) and that if you purchase anything through my link, I will get a share of the sales prices. It is no extra cost to you.
FAQ.
Is this course also suitable for absolute beginners?
Definitely! The course starts with unit 1 which covers subjects like “Understanding your camera settings” and “How to set up your food photography scene”. One note: if you don’t have a camera I would recommend iFoodtography School instead.
I have some experience with food photography, would this course still suit me?
Foodtography School has an Advanced course as well! This covers more in depth information on for example advanced placement principles (like the golden ratio), advanced editing and so much more. It is a course on my wishlist, because it seems such a good next step!
Other usefull articles on Food Photography.
How to make your own backgrounds: Easy and much cheaper than buying some. (coming soon)
Everything I use for my food photography (coming soon)
