Dennis Becker is a food photographer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visit www.tkpinc.com to see more of his work.

Q: How long have you been in the business?
A: I’ve been in the photography business since 1985.

Q: What path did you take to get where you are? Education (schooling), internships or assisting, working your way through prior work/jobs?
A: I attended college in Powell, Wyoming. They offered a photography program focusing on commercial photography rather than fine art. This was my first exposure to tabletop photography. After my first year of school, I traveled to Minneapolis and showed my portfolio at various commercial studios. One well-known photographer told me I had a great eye for composition but a lot to learn about lighting. That was enough of an encouragement and challenge for me to pursue photography as a career, and I decided to jump into the business after finishing college.
    
I started out assisting at a studio that shot product and food. I worked with an experienced photographer who taught me more about lighting than I ever could have learned in school. If I had to do it over, I would assist as many different photographers as possible, learning from each, since every photographer has a different working and lighting style. Assisting is also a way to learn other aspects of the business, such as client relations, and the daily workings and maintenance of a studio.
        
Eventually I left assisting and took an in-house photography job, shooting product for a publishing company. After a few years I realized how much I missed food, so I started to freelance in the Minneapolis area shooting at food studios. This led to a photography position at General Mills. I literally shot food everyday for five years. This really taught me how to light food.
       
After five years at General Mills, I felt it was time to take my career to another level and explore different photography styles with a variety of clients. I started my own business shooting exclusively at Tony Kubat Photography.  I enjoy working with a variety of food clients.

Q: What “ah hah” moment defined your passion for what you do?
A: I think I have that moment every time I produce an image. It’s that moment you know you’ve got the image. It’s when you have gone through the creative process and you just know you’ve achieved the goal.




Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
A: Being on set, creating images is the most rewarding part of my job. The satisfaction of the creative team (art director, food stylist, photographer) and when everyone knows "we got the shot "—it’s a great feeling.

Q: What is your least favorite part of your job?
A: Finding new clients can be a long, delicate process. However, I try to stay focused on promoting my art and ability. Shooting portfolio pieces and experimenting with lighting can keep my creativity flowing, which is important.

Q: Is there anything you particularly like to shoot or style—or that might be considered a specialty?
A: I like to find the shot. I study the food and build around the food. Sometimes you may start with a set and then add the food only to find out that it’s not working. If the shot is not working it is usually the approach, like background or angle.
       
Q: What inspires you? How do you charge up your creative batteries?
A: I’m inspired by nature. It’s hard to beat what nature composes and lights. You just have to look for it. I think a lot of what’s done in the studio is a reflection of what you see in nature.

Q: Do you like to travel? Where do you go? Does travel feed your passion to shoot/work with food?
A: Personal traveling has taken a backseat to raising a family, which occupies most of my time. I gravitated toward food photography because it is so natural and beautiful. It can be very challenging but rewarding. Appetite appeal is number one, and if you have that you are pretty much there. I have learned a great deal about food with all of the food experts I have worked with in my career.

Q: Do you have colleagues you work with regularly that are great collaborators for your work style? Are you able to work with them a lot?
A: I used to have a group of art directors that I worked with frequently on book projects. We had a great working relationship. That made work fun.

Q: How do you handle difficult studio situations? Like an art director who can’t make up their minds, an absentee client or really ugly product?
A: Art directors that I have never worked with are hard to read. Some are hands-on; others want you to do the shot. It’s kind of like driving a car; only one person can do it. You just have to know who’s driving. My goal on a shoot has always been to have the client get a better shot than they expected.




Q: If you needed to make a career change tomorrow, what would you do?
A: I love what I do and would hate to think about leaving photography.  Whatever the “new” career would be, it would have to be creative.


Q: Bonus question: what are your pet peeves on the job?
A: Art directors that don’t come to the shoot and miss out on the creative process. An Art director that wants to do a lot of versions instead of perfecting one idea.