The Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylist s Course Food Styling 1
The Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylist s Course Food Styling Get into Professional Styling The Really Good News So You Want to be a Food Stylist? The British College of Professional Styling 3 4 5 7 Copyright 2016. All course material and material contained herein is subject to international copyright under the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and under United States Copyright Law and United Kingdom Copyright Law. 2
Get into Professional Styling We are pleased to hear about your interest in the world of professional styling. There are many areas of work in this exciting and creative field. Briefly they include: Editorial styling styling photographs for the media, for example fashion magazines, newspaper advertisements and catalogues. Wardrobe styling working on film and television productions. Image consulting providing advice and assistance for clients on how to improve their image. TV styling styling TV personalities, other on-air talent and guests for TV appearances, performances and special events. Even quiz show contestants need styling. Runway styling styling fashion parades and other live performances including the ones held periodically by charities and at your local shopping centre. Corporate styling creating the right look for executives and public speakers. Personal shopping selecting clothes for a client. Celebrity styling styling famous people for photo shoots, television appearances and redcarpet events. Food styling for lifestyle magazine cooking sections, for print media and television advertising and more. In many instances food stylists have to create the look of the food for historical dramas and documentaries in film and television. Retail fashion styling. Prop and set styling. Of course, much of this work intermingles and overlaps and professional stylists often find themselves working in more than one area. Professional stylists are also well paid. Depending on their area of work, their talent and industry recognition they are sometimes ridiculously well paid. And, stylists can and do also achieve their own degrees of fame and fortune. 3
But here is the really good news... There are more jobs for stylists than there are competent stylists to fill them. There is an insatiable demand for professional styling. 99% of advertising agencies, fashion and lifestyle magazines, retail fashion stores, TV shows, business and corporate identities and celebrities in the public eye rely heavily on freelance stylists. Their work is used in magazines, brochures, catalogues, TV commercials, live concerts, TV programming, public relations and by people requiring a particular image. And, if you prefer a sales-orientated career, selling or working with fashion garments, accessories and merchandise you ll find abundant work here too. Make no mistake; you need professional knowledge and skills to succeed as a stylist. However we know the Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylist s Course can provide you with these as long as you have ambition and the willingness to learn. There are no rules to being a successful stylist. You need no specialised skills or qualification other than the desire to succeed. A successful stylist does not have to be gifted. Every professional stylist was once a complete beginner. Success is primarily a matter of knowing how to go about it. See your work on the pages of your favourite magazines 4
So you want to be a food stylist? Although it is beyond the scope of this course, to teach all aspects of food styling we couldn t ignore this fascinating role that is the job of many stylists. In essence, the role of the food stylist is to ensure that food produce used in photographs appears as fresh and appetising as possible. The main difference between how a home cook or chef may present food and what a stylist does is the time and effort a stylist takes to carefully and artfully arrange the food. Also required is the visual know how, and ability to translate the perception of taste, aroma and appeal that one gets from an actual dish, to a twodimensional photograph. Food stylists usually have culinary training; some are professional chefs or have a background in home economics. In addition to knowledge of nutrition and cooking techniques, food stylists must also be resourceful shoppers. As creative professionals, they envision the finished photograph and style the food accordingly. In addition to knowledge of nutrition and cooking techniques, food stylists must also be resourceful shoppers. Your styled work may be shown throughout all types of media, from magazines to posters, advertisements and TV commercials. You might also need to prepare and style the food that s used in stills photography for cook books and magazines, and also for TV commercials and films. It s a job where you need to be able to cook and work with a photographer to get the best shot. Like any stylist, the food stylist needs to have a strong list of industry contacts to source the most aesthetically pleasing (which usually means the freshest) produce available. In preparation for a shoot day, the food stylist will usually have a combination of ready prepared, and on-set prepared food. This stylist needs to be able to juggle their time perfectly to ensure that neither the cooked food nor photographer is ever left waiting. 5
On-set the food stylist s main role comes into play; they need to style their culinary creation, perhaps using other props such as plates and cutlery and work with the photographer to make sure it looks as attractive as possible in shot. Food isn t an easy thing to photograph (especially using lights), as it can melt, dry out or spoil quickly making it no longer look attractive. Can you cut corners when you are preparing food for a shoot? Strictly speaking you can skip some steps, but most food stylists cook as normal. If you, the stylist, know it tastes nice it s a lot easier to make it look good. Also, in certain jobs actors will have to eat the food so it needs to be edible! However, there are times when you can under-cook things so they hold their shape, for example. One of the skills a food stylist needs is adaptability. You need to be able to think on your feet and do something different at a moment s notice. You obviously need to be able to cook, but you also need an eye for detail and to be comfortable working under pressure with new people every day. When styling food, consider both the food itself, the crockery and the props e.g. foliage. There is a big demand for food styling. Think of the many TV programmes with celebrity chefs (who need a food stylist). Photography for a cookery book can take three or four months. The food writer or chef will often send in their recipes and it s down to the stylist to make them. You will also work with magazines, and check whether people will be able to follow the recipes they are going to print. The plus side to gaining experience in this profession is that it is a particular area of styling where assistants are in really hot demand. In fact, it is an area of the industry where you will actually find yourself fought over if you are a competent assistant! You will rarely see the stylist s name featured prominently in any of the dozens of areas where stylists work. Stylists usually work behind the scenes. However, be assured, whenever you see a film, theatre or television production of any description, a celebrity, a public figure, a glossy print advertisement, a catalogue or a TV commercial, you can know a stylist played an important role in achieving the finished result. The many and varied branches of styling are big business. If you wish to get into professional styling, you can now make this an exciting reality. The Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylists Course will help you accomplish all the above and much more. Here at the British College of Professional Styling we guarantee your success. Styling is one of the last of the great escapes. This work offers creativity, independence and the opportunity to be your own boss. You also get to work with interesting people, doing interesting things in interesting places. Plus, you ll also find the work of professional styling more fun than you can imagine. Go for it! Ready to take the next step and enrol in The Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylist s Course today? For your convenience, click here to go directly to our online Enrolment Application. 6
The British College of Professional Styling The British College of Professional Styling is a division of International News Syndicate Limited. Our directors and principals have been involved in all aspects of media work, training and distance education for some 30 years. We are an international training company with students in more than 80 countries and territories. The principles of professional styling are similar the world over. However our Course has been individually revised and designed to suit the needs of students living and working in the United Kingdom. Your Diploma of Professional Styling and your British College of Professional Styling I.D Pass are posted to you when you successfully complete your course. Through online course delivery and email communication, the College is able to assist you every step of the way. The Professional Photo, Film, TV & Personal Stylist s Course is designed as a structured training program. British College of Professional Styling registrar@britishcollegeofprofessionalstyling.com www.britishcollegeofprofessionalstyling.com Director Jan Morris Primary Course Writer Katharine Morris Our sister Colleges include: The British College of Journalism www.britishcollegeofjournalism.com British College of Interior Design www.britishcollegeofinteriordesign.com Copyright 2016. All course material and material contained herein is subject to international copyright under the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and under United States Copyright Law and United Kingdom Copyright Law. 7