Back in 2020, I launched the Pro Tips blog series to spotlight creative minds across the food content world. Over 70 contributors joined the first few episodes. Then in 2024, more than 85 brilliant creatives stepped up to share their know-how - no gatekeeping, just pure gold!
Now it’s time for a new season. New faces. A sharper focus. This time, it's all about food styling.
Each post will zoom in on a specific styling challenge or technique - explored through hands-on experiences, practical advice, and real talk from people who actually do the work.
I reached out to creators I admire across the globe. The kind of folks whose visuals make you pause mid-scroll and wonder, how did they do that? 45 contributors joined this season. Some are familiar names from past episodes. Others are new voices you’ll be glad to discover. From passionate hobbyists to full-time professionals - some running styling-only businesses - this group reflects a wide range of backgrounds, market-specific perspectives, and personal flair.
They all got the same set of questions, but they only answered what truly resonated with their journey. So what you’ll find in each post is a kaleidoscope of ideas - thoughtful, honest, and highly actionable.
As the proud host of one of the most extensive ongoing collaborations and free educational efforts in our field, I’ve had the privilege to read through every tip before you do. And let me tell you - there’s inspiration here even the most seasoned pro will want to take notes on.
Let’s kick off the new season of Pro Tips - starting strong with our favourite food styling hacks!
What are their favourite food styling hacks?
Before you scroll any further, grab the leftover chocolate eggs from the long weekend and get ready to dive into this inspiring read!
" To create little droplets on glasses or fruits for example, I use a little spray bottle with a mix of water and glycerine. The combination of these two will make the droplets stick. "
Maaike Zaal - cocktail-, food- & product photographer
© Maaike Zaal
" I prefer not to use oil when I need to add shine; the oil can easily add up and you end up with food that is too greasy or too shiny and too much oil cannot be taken away. Instead I use water or water coloured to match the item that needs shine. It will dry away and you can keep adding more as needed.
My styling pack includes amongst other things, triangle shaped make up sponges. -They are easy to cut into desired shapes for lifting, propping, securing and building.
I always carry a box of dry mash potato mixture: if I have a plate that is too big or deep for the food, I make a batch of very thick mashed potatoes and use it to make a dummy base for the food. This can be especially useful when I want ingredients in the soup or stew not to sink into the bottom of the dish.
Do lot's of homework and study what food photography looks like in different countries, also keep track on trends to better be able to deliver different styles. It is surprising how even close by markets (e.g. within Europe) can have such different aesthetics when it comes to what is considered delicious food. When working commercially, know your product: find out which different markets and media the picture will be used in, the target audience the product is intended for and study the product's Brand Guidelines. Work proactively with the Art Director, client and photographer. "
Meri-Tuuli Väntsi - food stylist, chef, content creator
" I create fake white wine and whisky with diluted soy sauce, and when I use herbs as garnishes, I give them an ice bath and have extra to replace the wilted ones. "
Jella Bertell - food blogger
" I love making fake ice cream. As you know, ice cream has a lot of kinds, the soft one, the super creamy one, etc. I can use a lot of ingredients like food colouring, whipped cream, butter, fondant, even conditioner and cornstarch. Depends on how you want the final result to look like. "
Natasha Maria Putrianti - food stylist
" I love to use a large turkey baster when styling beverages. This allows me to change the liquid lines without disturbing the glass, garnishes and styling. I can add some liquid from my turkey baster my having a pitcher with the liquid on the side or I can take some out of my styled glass from the middle of the glass without disturbing anything. For tabletop styling, i always put in a felt insert into my napkin so it raises utensils (that tend to be heavy and "concave" into the napkin.) Love to use a tea diffuser for confectionery sugar to have a "light, concentrated" touch when dusting a dessert with the sugar. Mini computer keyboard vacuum is perfect to pick up some crumbs, dust or light confetti from tabletop projects, instead of using a can duster, which can be too aggressive for some shots. "
Bonnie Aunchman - commercial photo stylist
© Bonnie Aunchman
" A little water spray to keep veggies fresh goes a long way, an upside down bowl or plate inside a bowl to hold soup or smoothie bowl toppings, attention to detail. "
Lenka Selinger - photographer & food stylist
" I am always surprised how often I use my Searzall on my blow torch for adding a touch of heat to things. A little extra toasting to bread, melting cheese, making things crispy, even just a hit of heat to add shine onto chocolate chips or ganache when you want it shiny. "
Joanie Simon - photographer
" One of my favourite food styling hacks is to use sponge wedges for angling cutlery, dishes or props within a food scene. "
Krissie Oldroyd - food blogger
" For winter hot chocolate photography, I often don’t put any liquid in the cups if they are in the background and sometimes even if the cup is front and centre. Just an empty cup filled with paper towels and then a lot of marshmallows on top. "
Julia Konovalova - food photographer & food stylist
" Here are some of my favorite food styling hacks to make your dishes look more appetizing:
- Fresh herbs - Use fresh herbs as garnish to add color and a pop of freshness. A sprig of basil or a sprinkle of cilantro can elevate a dish instantly. I like to spray them with water or at times glycerin and water mixture to make it look fresh , especially if you are shooting for a long time .
- Drizzle and dots - Use sauces or dressings to create artistic drizzles or dots on the plate. This adds sophistication and draws the eye.
- Use of textures - Combine different textures on the plate. Pair creamy elements with crunchy ones, like a smooth sauce with crispy fried onions.
- Negative space - Don’t overcrowd the plate. Leave some negative space to allow the dish to breathe and look more refined.
- Varying heights - Use various elements of different heights to create visual interest. Stack food items or use small bowls or ramekins for dips.
- Simplicity is key - Sometimes less is more. A simple, well-composed dish can be more striking than an overly complicated one.
- Chilling plates - For cold dishes, chill your plates beforehand to keep the food looking fresh and appealing for longer.
Prepare everything in advance and have it visually organized. This will help you create a cleaner, more appealing setup quickly. Experiment with these hacks to find what works best for your food styling and photography! "
Nisha De Silva - food/beverage photographer & stylist
" Some food styling hacks I use the most are for drinks.
- Milk - I add only half and fill the rest of the glass with water.
- To create an alcoholic beverage, I use sparkling water and pour it into a pretty glass with lemon or limes and sugar the rim or use a drop of food coloring to give it color if needed.
Some hacks for soups or food that are in bowls- I put a smaller bowl into a bigger bowl upside down and fill it with the soup or other food to have it fill in better. "
Kristina Cadelina - food blogger & photographer
" Shaving cream as whipped cream (the old school Gilette men's stuff). "
Nikki Jones - photographer
" Details are important so I like to keep a pair of giant tweezers and a microfiber cloth handy for adding, removing or moving bits of food and cleaning up smudges. Toothpicks and makeup sponges are also helpful tools, especially when stacking things! "
Kirby Mekler - photographer & food stylist
" My favorite food styling hack? Well, most of all I love my makeup sponges. They are fantastic not only for makeup, but also for food/drink photography. Thick and soft you can cut them into small pieces when you need to straighten an object, especially in a flat lay photography, or in levitation one. Or in any other case where there is a need to create space between the different levels (es. Sandwich). "
Anna Ilieva-Alikaj - photographer
" Using mashed potatoes as ice cream. Always makes me feel like I conquered the melting process! "
Hadeel Magdy - food stylist & photographer
" I have a tons of material which involved in each of my project. But, the first qualification of them is: edible, until there is no edible option. For example, I do not use blue tack to secure the cutlery. I use homemade playdough, which made by flour and etc., to do that job. The reason behind that is: I want all the leftover food after my food styling project, still safe to eat - at least for stray animals.
Another example, I prefer use baby potatoes for my soup styling job. As they are edible, had the natural demographic (when you arrange them ). You can use them more than one time, and they are always ready immediately without a need to process them - like a jelly which mostly people used. When you finish your project, they are still edible or still potentially grow if you throw them to the pot of soil. Nothing goes to waste. "
Fatula Waluyo - food stylist
" I'm all about fixing things up before we start working. I’d say blue tack and all kinds of sticks are my besties on set! 🥢 "
Irina Lopik - photographer, prop stylist
© Irina Lopik
" I use ice cold water to make vegetables more fresh. For example a bit wizened carrot and cucumber become just as great as freshly cropped when you soak them I'm cold water.
If I have only a little bit of some item that I want to photograph in a bowl, sometimes I add something else on the bottom of the bowl. For example if I want to photograph bread in a bowl, I add fruits -that have about the same color- to the bottom. "
Aino-Kaisa Sihtola - food blogger, vegan cookbook author, chef
© Aino-Kaisa Sihtola
" When styling food, what the camera sees is not the same as what it is behind. There are a lot of tiny tricks like toot sticks to hold in position, napkins to fill the gaps and to add volume... It depends on each setup. But the more important is the selection - the best looking and fresher products. Even if it has to be cooked multiple times to achieve the best result, if it is not fresh, it shows on the photos. "
Milena Ugrinova (Mim) - photographer
" I create fake condensation on glasses when I'm shooting cocktails or other beverages. It lasts a lot longer and is easier to control than real condensation. I do this by taping off the part of the glass that won't have condensation on it. Then, I spray the glass with a mattifying spray, let that dry, and spritz the glass with a mix of water and glycerin. Carefully remove the tape, fill the glass up to that line with your beverage, and you're ready to shoot! "
Audrey Marie Bufalini - photographer
" My hacks are quite plain, toothpicks for burgers and assembling other stacks. One of which worked well was using paprika powder to make really runny and cheap (light) ketchup better coloured and to stay on top of a hot dog sausage. I also put the mixture in a bottle from old mayo with a small hole to work in a very precise way. "
Päivi Leino - photographer, blogger
" My favorite tools are my tweezers, followed by goo (sticky tack), I prefer white because it's easier to hide, toothpicks and skewers, eye droppers and pins. "
Suzy Eaton - food stylist
" Best food styling hack for us when photoshooting new recipes with my twin are first beautiful cutlery and plates. Right plates, glasses and cutlery definitely enhances aesthetic of the food. Then you can think about background, soft materials and additional food styling objects such as flowers. Some of my favourite hack is to make ”wine” with apple juice or water and soya. But most of the time we really photoshoot the real recipes/dishes itself. "
Petra Josefina Väänänen - chef, food blogger, food content creator
" Brush olives with olive oil for a natural shine. "
Noora Väänänen - content creator, food journalist, photographer & stylist
" My favorite food styling hack would be to use shaving foam as a whipping cream. It never melts!! And that's very important when taking million photos haha. "
Kristina Struharova - product photographer, videographer
" When I click raw produce like fruits in a box of cup, I always stuff the box or cup with a few napkins and then add the fruits over it, so it gives the effect of being full. No point buying excess of raw material just for photography. "
Basil Hashmi - still life photographer
© Basil Hashmi
" My favourite hack is really simple; spraying water over fresh produce like fruits and tomatoes to give them a fresh look. "
Anoeska Vermeij - food photographer
© Anoeska Vermeij
" Salt flakes and micro greens are my favorite “final touch” to a lot of dishes, glycerine/water to make food look fresh! "
Karen Loza - food photographer & stylist
" One of my favorite food styling hacks would be: using texture to add depth - emphasizing crumbs, drips, and cracked surfaces. For things like bread, pies, or cookies, I intentionally break slice, or take a bite out of them to showcase their interior textures to help tell the story. I also like to layer fabrics, papers, cutting boards, or plates to create visual depth in a scene to draw the viewer in! "
Austin Claire Hackworth - photographer
" I use a tiny bowl upside down inside my main bowl for soups or curries etc. This helps the toppings stay in place and also works when the quantity of food is lesser but you need to fill the bowl. "
Gouthami Yuvarajan - food photographer & stylist
" I have tried so many different ways to make whipped cream using whipped cream powder, heavy whipped cream, whipped cream from a can, shaving foam and merengue. My ultimate to go method is to put shaving foam into a piping bag with a nozzle, leave some space on the top of the glass and then squeeze the shaving foam onto the drink. If the "whipped cream" has a topping it's best to use heavy whipped cream such as the Dream Whip powder mixed with cold milk or prepare a thick merengue recipe with additional sugar placed into a piping bag and squeeze that onto the top. The merengue and heavy whipped cream should give you enough time to place the toppings on the top of the drink. Use thick syrups poured into squeeze bottles for sauces, tweezers to place the crumbs on top of the whipped cream and a toothpick to hold the heavier items such as gingerbread man or cherries. "
Henriett Braun - food stylist
" For styling salads, start with very fresh ingredients and be choosy when selecting them. I spritz greens with a water mist such as Evian spray to add moisture and freshness. Add a small amount of the dressing last to keep things looking fresh; you can paint it on select leaves with a paintbrush devoted to food styling. "
Emily Miller - photographer, recipe developer, blogger
© Emily Miller
" I like using a small bowl placed upside down inside a bowl of soup when photographing it. This technique helps reduce the amount of soup needed and keeps larger ingredients, like beans, carrots, and more, near the surface to enhance the texture and composition. "
Kata Endrődi - photographer
© Kata Endrődi
" When it comes to food styling, collaboration is key! While I often bring on talented food stylists to work with me on set, I’ve also picked up a few tricks over the years that I love to share. Whether I’m working alongside a stylist or flying solo, these hacks have proven invaluable for creating beautiful, mouthwatering images. Here are some of my favorites:
- Add volume to salads: Keeping greens crisp and visually appealing is always a priority. A little trick I love is placing a small inverted bowl, marbles, or even a paper towel under the salad base. This subtle elevation creates a full, lush look while layering greens around it. Bonus: this method helps reduce food waste, which is all too common during food photoshoots. Less waste, more beauty! This t
- Keep drinks looking cold: Nobody likes a drink that looks warm and flat! To maintain that icy, refreshing aesthetic, I mix glycerin with water and lightly spray it on the exterior of glasses. It creates the perfect “sweaty” glass effect, giving the impression of a drink straight out of the cooler.
- Perfect that glossy look on food: Highlighting textures is essential to make food look fresh and enticing. One of my go-to techniques is brushing food with a mix of oil and water. This simple step adds a gorgeous glisten, ensuring the food appears as delicious as it tastes.
- Angle bowls and glasses for overhead shots: Sometimes, lens distortion can make bowls or glasses look unnatural when shooting overhead. Instead of compromising the shot, I use makeup triangles or putty to subtly angle the dishes. This trick ensures everything looks perfect in frame without needing to switch up focal lengths or drastically adjust the setup.
These little tips and tools keep my shoots efficient and visually stunning, whether I’m collaborating with a stylist or leaning on my own experience. Food styling is an art, and I love the balance of creativity and practicality that goes into every shoot. "
Joanna Wojewoda - photographer
" One of my favourite hack while shooting curries is to use kneaded dough as the base of the bowl, which allows the pieces of vegetables/meat to be visible on top of the curry instead of just sinking inside if it all just curry in the bowl. I also like to give a slight brush of oil to pieces of veggies/meat before taking the final shot - it really brings out the freshness and juiciness of the subject through this added glaze. "
Abhishek Khanna - food photographer & stylist
"
- Brush up some olive oil onto pasta to keep it from looking dry overtime. It creates beautiful specular highlights too.
- Use coarse sea salt and coarse pepper as garnishes as opposed to the fine kind to create more texture.
- If the dish is monochromatic (beige, brown, red etc.), I like to add a pop of color as a garnish like fresh herbs, chili flakes etc. "
Murielle Banackissa - food photographer, food stylist, blogger, cookbook author
© Murielle Banackissa
" There are many techniques, and each stylist has their own approach. I like making the sauce drip off burgers, either with hands holding the burger or without them. To achieve this effect, I work with tubes that channel the sauce and release it at just the right moment using pressure. "
Oscar Sanz - food stylist
" Cooking oil spray to either add shine or mimic droplets of water on waxy surfaces. Adding corn starch to syrups to keep them from moving around the plate in a photograph or to catch a the right "drip" or pour. It is still edible and the food doesn't have to be thrown out after you get your shot. "
Anisa - photographer, recipe developer
" To add bubbles to sparkling drinks I've recently discovered adding a sprinkle of salt works wonders. It's a game changer.
I've also recommend using blue tack/ folded kitchen roll to straighten bottles & glassware when shooting at an angle which can make these items appear to lean. "
Jane Coupland - photographer, content creator, blogger
" Since my work is mostly with restaurants, the biggest (and simplest!) hacks I use include:
- tack for keeping objects stuck together,
- glycerin + water mix for making surfaces look juicy,
- using salt and a wooden utensil to froth beer, or
- simply keeping loads of unscented wet wipes handy to mop up spills and splatters that can occur throughout the process. "
Kera Wong - creative
" I love using simple tricks like adding a light oil spray for shine or propping food with hidden supports to create height and dimension. "
Shwetha Elaina - food photographer & stylist
" I like to use meringue crumbles to have depth and texture in my photos. "
Constance Ibañez - food photographer, culinary event host
" I don’t usually use very extreme tricks because I prefer a natural look in my photos. However, I do enjoy playing with light and shadows, which give a dynamic effect to the images. I also like to use water droplets on fruits and vegetables to make them look as fresh as possible. "
Liliána Tóth - food photographer
© Liliána Tóth
" The use of olive oil that adds a beautiful shine to the food. This ingredient enhances the overall flavour (for savoury dishes) without compromising the edibility of the dish. And I use a milder olive oil for sweets and fresh ingredients such as fruit (without compromising the flavour of these). "
Marika Cucuzza - food photographer, recipe developer, content creator
" I love to use white tack to position things that tend to roll, slide and move around. "
Reka Csulak - photographer, stylist, recipe developer, mentor
