Keeping gear and props organised is a constant challenge for food photographers & stylists, where even a small oversight can lead to wasted time and missed shots. Whether it’s hunting for that perfect plate or struggling to find a lens filter, disorganisation can disrupt your creative flow and add unnecessary stress to your shoots.
To help you stay on top of your game, 81 seasoned creators (and myself) are offering you practical solutions to common organisational pain points. This episode is packed with pro tips on everything from optimising your workspace to efficiently storing and accessing your gear, ensuring that you can focus on capturing the perfect shot without fighting agaist clutter.
If you are hungry to learn about another subjects, make sure to check the previous episodes of my Pro Tips blog series here.
What is their pro tip for organising their gear & props?
Before you scroll any further, get comfy, grab your favourite notebook and pen, then get ready to dive into this inspiring read!
"Color coordinate everything."
Shiela Cruz - CPG photographer and stylist
"Have a lot of money to be able to buy shelves and other storage devices or have a good husband who makes it! Lots of internal shelves and you should have a separate cabinet where you can only store these."
Anita Zsirmik - food blogger, content creator
"Different boxes for everything and a lot of space."
Sophie Depetris - photographer, food stylist
"Keeping them safe! Make sure all your gear is in a place that cannot easily be bumped and if it does it is cushioned. Gear is super expensive, so we need to make sure it's in a safe dry place."
Anja Burgar - commercial and editorial food photographer
"I have found wired shelving to be helpful with organizing props and also organizing them by color. You are able to see everything you have. My gear such as my backdrops and tripod are next to the shelf ."
Kristina Cadelina - food photographer, blogger
"Just keep order. Separate them by category to have a better overview of your selection."
Mikkel Jul Hvilshøj - photographer
"Always keep your props in the same order / place, makes finding stuff in a hurry much easier!"
Mika Levälampi - photographer
"
- Categorize Your Gear and Props: Begin by categorizing your gear and props based on their type and use. For example, create categories such as cameras and lenses, lighting equipment, props, and accessories. This initial categorization sets the foundation for a more organized system.
- Designate Specific Storage Areas: Assign dedicated storage areas for each category. Use shelves, drawers, or containers to create clearly defined spaces for cameras, lenses, lighting gear, and props. This helps prevent clutter and makes it easier to locate items when needed.
- Aim for a cohesive aesthetic in your prop collection. Choose items that share a similar style, whether it's rustic, modern, vintage, or eclectic. A cohesive collection ensures that your props complement each other and contribute to a consistent visual theme in your photography."
Melissa - photographer, blogger
"Accept that it's going to take some time on a regular basis to stay on top of it - and yes, no one is going to pay you for it! But it's well worth it compared to getting in a complete mess and losing things that you suddenly really need for a shoot."
Jason Wain - photographer, videographer
Photo by © Jason Wain
"I'm terrible at keeping things organise, cannot help you there :D Probably I'm the only one who knows where what is."
Kamile Kave - photographer
"While I may not be the best to provide advice on this topic, organizing your gear and props by categorizing them into separate areas such as linen, cutlery, and so on is a good approach. By grouping similar items together, you can easily locate what you need when setting up for a shoot."
Sari Spåra - entrepreneur, food and wine photographer, recipe creator
"For my gear, I like to categorize them into sections lenses, camera bodies, cables, strobes, and softboxes. When it comes to props, a good strategy is to organize them first by color, and then by size and shape."
Peggy Cormary - photographer
"Try to keep similar things grouped together and roughly sorted by colours. Also don't be afraid to cull your collection from time to time. Especially if you are working from home with limited space."
Snorri Guðmundsson - photographer, recipe developer, product development manager in the food industry
"For the moment, I only care how to keep them safe from my cats and children, and available when needed. I'm planning to buy some new cases for the lighting, but that is an investment that waits for its best moment."
Milena Ugrinova (Mim) - food and product photographer
"I have a shelving unit with several shelves and drawers. I also have a handy system for storing my backdrops. I'm just looking for the perfect solution for storing unfolded softboxes. So if anyone has any ideas..."
Maaike Zaal - food- and beverage photographer
"Review your props regularly. If a prop has not been used for 1-2 years there's a chance you no longer need it. Try selling it and replacing it with something more in line with your current style and needs."
Jane Coupland - food photographer, food blogger
"I always do a check sheet before each shoot and after each shoot. Even include lens caps. I have lost so many of these over the years"
Matt Wilson - photographer
Photo by © Matt Wilson
"Open shelving, not too deep so things don’t get lost at the back!"
Jules Wilson-Haines - photographer, stylist
"I've recently bought a dedicated prop cupboard that I love, I can now see everything clearly, so I can sell or take to the charity shop items that I no longer need. Before, everything was tucked away in boxes, so I lost track of what I had."
Sandy Wood - photographer
"Since I do not have much space, I keep everything well organized: folded, rolled up and piled in their proper boxes. My camera gear is stored in its bag, tripod and stands are folded and neatly stacked."
Andrea Köver - food photographer
Photo by © Andrea Köver
"Keeping my props clean and organised by colors, really simplifies the workflow."
Anna Ilieva-Alikaj - photographer
"When it comes to props I like to have things that mean something, so I’m very selective in what I buy and keep. And the camera and tripod don’t take much room. Have a dedicated space. It can be a plastic box that fits under your bed (that’s all I had to store all my props in the beginning), a few shelves, a cupboard… Anything that allows you to put everything in one place without stressing out of any unsightly mess, which is essentially valuable when you’re tired.
As far as the backdrops go, stick with vinyl when you start. You can store them flat in a zip-up folder (I’ve got one from black velvet styling) that goes under the bed or sits against the wall."
Natalia Ashton - nutritionist, photographer, author
"My props are on a shelf in my office organized by dishes, cups, bowls, small dishes and other things. I recently purchased a photography backpack that included a few additional storage boxes, and bags that really helped me organize my equipment before I leave to a shoot. I also have a rolling bag for my lighting."
Robert Alvarez - photographer
"I use open shelving so I can see at a glance what I have. Keep your backdrops in colour groupings also."
Leeanne Mason - food photographer, photo chef, food stylist, content creator
Photo by © Leeanne Mason
"Gears: Place in a less humid area. Props: Organise them by colour and sizes."
Victor Chin - food photographer
Photo by © Victor Chin
"Keep the empty boxes your gear comes in - it's still great protection and who knows you might re-sell in future and original packaging can up the price slightly."
Emilie Dorange - photographer, designer
"Have a dedicated studio space, even if it’s just a corner of a kitchen. This way all your photo things are together and you don’t have to hunt for them around the house. It makes the work a lot easier."
Julia Konovalova - food photographer, food stylist, content creator
"Im an organised person generally. I keep my stuff tidy at all times. After photoshoot I don't leave my studio until it's cleaned up. I keep my props in general transparent plastic boxes so I can see what's in them when I look for something. All my soft boxes and stands are drilled up on the wall so easy to clean the studio floor."
Tibor Galamb - photographer, director
Photo by © Tibor Galamb
"I love my Pelican case. This hard as rock case can be customized to fit your gear. I use it at home to keep my equipment secure and organized. When it is time to head to a photoshoot, I pull out the handle and it turns into a rolling case and is ready to go."
Mary Turner - commercial food photographer, stylist, chef
"Keep everything in the same place and return items to where you found them. Sort them in a way that makes sense for your workflow."
Emily Miller - food photographer, recipe developer
"Have dedicated spaces in your home (or studio if you have one) for both your gear and props. Don’t spread all the items throughout your house as this will make it more difficult to locate what you are looking for when you’re looking for it. I have 2 Ikea shelves that hold all my props except my glasses (which are in a specific cupboard in my kitchen). Everything is organized by color and type of prop: bowls together, plates together, utensils together, napkins together. That way it’s sooo easy to find props when I look for them!"
Murielle Banackissa - food photographer, food stylist, cookbook author and blogger
Photo by © Murielle Banackissa
"My gear goes on a heavy-duty husky cart with a key so I can lock it, i organize it by type: cameras, lenses, accessories, etc and for props I LOVE organizing them by colors :) and materials"
Karen Loza - food photographer and stylist
"I like to keep all the stuff I use daily together and easy to reach. Special and not so often used items can go to the bottom of the shelf."
Lara Virkus - food photographer
"Since my "studio" is my kitchen I have a large cupboard where I have all the props and my gear. I have my vinyl backdrops under the bed."
Ulrica Krii - photographer, blogger
Photo by © Ulrica Krii
"In my studio, the props (plates, bowls) are organised by color so I can pick a color scheme quickly."
Anoeska Vermeij - photographer
Photo by © Anoeska Vermeij
"Hire a prop stylist (then you won't need to store your props!). Keep all equipment in cabinets with doors to keep it dust-free. I keep my cameras, lenses, and electronics in a humidity-controlled cabinet to avoid fungus or damage."
Suzanne Clements - photographer
"When it comes to gear, keep the boxes and accessories that come with it in case you ever want to sell it in the future. It's fun to acquire new things, but a lot of photographers have a moment in their journey when they want to simplify things, get rid of things that don't get often used, and make the most of a few key pieces of essential equipment."
Joanie Simon - photographer
"Having a designated space with lots of shelving and clear containers seems to work pretty well for us so we can easily locate specific props."
Aline Ponce & Mike Hulswit - professional photographers
"There is no recipe for that, the important thing is to make up your own organizational system, something you understand. I store the props that I don't use on my everyday work in big plastic boxes in the storage, organized by themes (Christmas decorations, Easter stuff, baking, antique props, textiles, etc.), and I keep those that I use frequently in my studio shelves."
Susi Bálint - stylist, photographer, writer
"I don't have a lot of props. I have them in a cupboard. The props I (almost) always use only for photos, not for everyday life."
Emese Balog - food blogger
"Utilize clear plastic storage containers for props, enabling easy mobility and quick access, especially for on-location shoots. Arrange props by style and colour to streamline selection. Similarly, employ storage containers for gear, categorizing items like lights, cables, and clamps. Wooden crates prove useful for storing stands and backdrops. For camera gear, prioritizing camera bags with foam support ensures safe storage."
Maxine Lock - photographer
locklickimages.com.au
Photo by © Maxine Lock
"Try and keep them separate from your day-to-day - nothing worse than when your husband drops your favourite plate!!"
Sam Robson - food photographer
"Store them near where you shoot (if you have a dedicated studio or area in the home) so you don’t have to go far to find them. I have a glass-fronted unit with shelves, and try to keep similar items together ie: bowls, plates, cutlery, napkins."
Birgit Mayled - photographer
"So if you know what the client wants, you know most likely how to shoot it, with what kinda light lenses etc. I always bring enough light with me to the shoot, so I can basically shoot anything."
Maurizio Previti - photographer
"Keep frequently used items easily accessible. Store them in easily reachable areas to save time during shoots. Periodically go through your collection to remove items that you no longer need or use. This prevents unnecessary clutter and ensures that your inventory stays relevant."
Alessandra Zanotti - food photographer, food stylist
Photo by © Alessandra Zanotti
"Be tidy. Store your camera body and lenses in sectioned bags. Buy a card wallet to keep all your as cards organised. Put your food styling tools in an organiser box. For the props store them possibly on closed shelves so they don’t get dusty and are ready to be used."
Elisa Marina Orani - food photographer
"Basically I rent it"
Mihails Pavlenko - food and product photographer
"I have a limited collection of props that are subjected to multipurpose use for different shoots and settings, especially for my client work. So my props are all arranged by their purpose in a wagon / cart for easy mobility."
Shwetha Elaina - food photographer and stylist
"I do not have lot of gears, just the camera and tripod so I don't have much to say about gears but for props try to organise them by colors and sizes and usage. For example, you can stack all the white plates or props according to the size, plates separately, glass wear separately, and napkins and other props separately and always declutter and keep the props shelf clean so you can see whats there. :)"
Anjala Fernando - food photographer, food stylist
"I store them as groups. Lights and modifiers in one place, props according to the style, camera and lenses in one place. This makes them accessible and avoids time spent in searching."
Gouthami Yuvarajan - food and product photographer
"I like to organise my things by type / usage. For example, I'll have all my small plates together, or all my linen together. Then within those categories, I'll organise them further either by colour or aesthetic (e.g. vintage vs. clean and modern). I also have a section for festive / seasonal props that may be for specific celebrations like Christmas or Easter."
Felicia Chuo - photographer
"Oh, this is one thing I need help with! I have a small space that happens to be my kitchen and living room. My props are all over the place."
Anisa - photographer, recipe developer
"I arrange the props according to color and purpose. I put the equipment in one safe place so that it does not get damaged. I keep my lenses in special boxes and my backgrounds in special tubes. I clean all my photography accessories regularly."
Monika Grudzińska - photographer, food stylist
"I have to be honest, I am not good with organising my props at all. With gear is OK as I do not have a lot of gear, but with props, I do once per month a big cleaning and control of my studio shelves."
Alena Prichystalova - photographer, blogger
"I shoot in my home studio/kitchen. Keeping the props separate from my everyday appliances has helped me a lot to stay focused during the shoots."
Veera Rusanen - photographer
"Get a big closet to organize your props."
Sangita Bhavsar - food blogger, photographer, stylist
"Using racks for gears and racks for props. I usually organise the props by their nature. For example all the glasses together, napkins, plates, candles, etc.."
Massiel Zadeh Habchi - food photographer and stylist
"In my studio, I have large shelves and cupboards to sort and store everything."
Carolin Strothe - professional photographer, food stylist, stylist, art director, author
"Sort by type of props: cutlery, plates, bowls, serving dishes etc. I sort my table linens by color so that I can find them easily."
Constance Ibañez - food stylist, food photographer, food event creator
Photo by © Constance Ibañez
"Dust is the enemy so having enough cabinet space and closed storage is essential."
Saara - photographer
"Have a periodical purging of props and gear where you get rid of props/gear that doesn’t serve you anymore. I also like to group them based on colours on my prop shelves. Keeping everything visible/rotatable also helps to organize and keep on tabs of what you have."
M. Aimee Tan - food photographer, videographer, stylist, content creator, recipe developer
"Have a system, I keep all my lighting equipment together, all my lenses etc, that way I know where everything is and can quickly grab what I need. I also have a charge wall that I created from an IKEA peg board, so I can keep everything charged and on hand in the studio."
Lauren Short - food photographer
"Clean up after each shoot."
Marika Cucuzza - food photographer, content creator, recipe developer, food stylist
"A food photographer needs quite a few accessories to be prepared for anything. But it doesn’t matter that you have a ton of boxes at home full with cool cutlery and accessories if you do not know where to find them. I label every box I have, especially the ones I take with me for the photoshoots. It helps to keep my things in order. At home I have a storage cupboard for them. There I try to organize the plates, bowls and all by color and size. I store my gear in a glass cabinet, which gives the right visibility and it can be stored dust-free."
Liliána Tóth - food photographer
Photo © Liliána Tóth
"Lots and lots of cupboards and shelves with doors to keep accessories from getting dusty! I recommend shallow shelves so that you can easily find all your props. I use the very popular Billy bookcases from Ikea and they work brilliantly."
Katarzyna Anders - food and product photographer and stylist, recipe developer, content creator, blogger
"I like to keep everything visible so that I can remember what I gave to work with. Especially with this large amount of props that I've accumulated over the last 12 years in this business, it's important to me to be able to quickly scan all the shelves and immediately start getting styling ideas. I like to keep some of my vinyl backdrops rolled up on my studio walls but not all the materials can take that so I like photograph new ones as soon as I get them and keep a catalog of all the backdrops that need to be stored flat so I know what I have available when I start planning a shoot and discussing styling with clients (also makes it easy to share my ideas with them that way in a mood board)."
Andrea Gralow - professional commercial and editorial food photographer, videographer
"Invest in a dry cabinet. Cleaning them after every shoot. Being a food photographer our hands get greasy all the time, so regular cleaning is a must. Keep it neat and clean, simple."
Indrajeet Nishad - food photographer and stylist
"When stacking plates and bowls, put paper towels or bubble wrap between them to prevent them from scratching."
Julia Wharington - photographer, videographer, stylist
"Efficiently organize your gear and props by categorizing them based on functionality and frequency of use. Invest in storage solutions like bins, shelves, and dividers to keep items easily accessible. Labeling can be a game-changer, helping you quickly locate what you need. Regularly declutter and reassess your inventory to maintain a streamlined and effective organisational system."
Anna Janecka - photographer, food stylist
"Designate specific areas for different types of gear and props. This ensures that everything has its place and can be easily accessed when needed. For example, have a designated shelf for camera accessories, a drawer for small props, and a separate area for larger items."
Darina Kopcok - food photographer, educator
Photo by © Darina Kopcok
"It is strongly defined with available place you have for them. For me it is away from the eyes, away from the mind. If a prop is stored somewhere I don't see it much I will most likely not include it much in my photos. Take your time regularly to sort out through props and remove the ones that are no longer serving your style and needs."
Mojca Klepec - food photographer
"Creating a separate space or wardrobe dedicated to your props and gears is a valuable practice. Avoid mixing the props with everyday plates, glasses...etc. By organizing props based on usage or style, setting up your scenes becomes much more efficient. I used to scatter them around, wasting time searching for items. Occasionally, I'd find a prop a day or two later, but by then, it was too late. Being organized with a designated prop and gear storage space can save you time and ensure everything is readily available when you need it."
Melinda Bernáth - food photographer
"PROTECTION
I keep my props neatly arranged in a closed cabinet with glass doors and multiple shelves. This setup allows me to have a quick visual overview while ensuring protection from dust. My gear is stored in hermetically sealed boxes, each clearly labeled for easy identification and protection. I regularly declutter to maintaining a relevant and well-organized collection."
Anita Zivkovic - food photographer, photography coach
Photo by © Anita Zivkovic
"I have a minimal amount of gear, so I keep it all in one place. My props are organized according to color and shape in open shelves and cabinets."
Terri Salminen - blogger, food culture researcher
"I maintain a sectional cupboard for my props and gear where every item has a place. It comes in so handy while shooting as I know exactly what prop is where saving me so much time!"
Yashaswita - photographer
dashoflime.co
"Since I'm messy, I need to re-organize my shelves on a regular basis. When everything has its spot, it all becomes so much easier."
David Pahmp - commercial advertising photographer
"Keep the common props together and keep the most used props easy to reach so that you don’t take much time gathering them for the photo shoots."
Dina Hassan - food photographer, videographer
Photo & BTS by © Dina Hassan
"My rule is to put everything back in its place and clean the props and scene as soon as I finish the shooting."
Monika Jonaite - food- and product photographer, food stylist, recipe developer
"When I specifically decided to downgrade from a separate studio space to work in a home studio setup again, my ground rule was that the house must stay a liveable space and can never turn into a warehouse (I've been there before when starting out). Thankfully we have a practical floor plan, so I shoot in a designated office/studio, and my props & bulky gear are living in a storage room. If you are working from home, it makes a huge difference mentally and helps separating work/free time if you can leave work-related things behind closed doors.
My frequently used gear, chargers, styling tools and props are right next to my shooting setup/desk in the studio, displayed in a way that is also pleasant for the eyes. I separate my props by type (plates, glasses etc.) and colour (light, dark, colourful), while keeping special items (Christmas, Easter etc.) grouped by theme in plastic boxes.
Keep in mind, that once your collection grows beyond a certain size, the only way it stays manageable is by having some sort of an inventory for both your gear & props. Once you adapt this practice, you must keep it updated: I suggest doing it right away when you have a new addition."
Reka Csulak - photographer, mentor
First studio - Photo by © Reka Csulak
Recent studio - Photo by © Reka Csulak
