The Tweezer Times

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

Photographer Gregory Bertolini, who specializes in food and fashion, divides his time between New York City and Southern California. Gregory holds a BFA in photography from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and has 29 years experience working with regional and national accounts. He is currently working on his 3rd cookbook for the Macy’s department store culinary program and team-taught a three-day food photography workshop in San Diego in February 2008 (with Foodesigns and Photo Styling Workshops). His work can be viewed at www.gregorybertolini.com. Images below are courtesy of Greg and will be published in the upcoming “Flying Pan” cookbook.

Foodesigns: You really exhibited an extraordinary willingness to share what you know—do you enjoy the teaching/mentoring process?
GB: Teaching is a new venue for me, the little I’ve done has been quite rewarding and fun. I have always enjoyed working with photo assistants, I learn as much from them as they do from me, and the sharing of ideas is something I’ve always done, so teaching seems to be a natural fit.

Foodesigns: From what you shared with us during the workshop it’s obvious that you’ve really developed your marketing skills and been able to tailor your career to create a lifestyle you want. What is your best piece of advice to a budding food photographer about setting ground rules for building a business that would be successful for them?
GB: Lisa, The great thing about photography is that you can tailor the profession to your personality and lifestyle. First, you need to decide what type of life you want to live, then build your business around that life; if you want to work on big international accounts, and dream of travel, then you build your business where that type of work takes place. International cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, or Paris, offer those kinds of jobs but you must have the skills, education, and ability to travel that those accounts demand. If you want a quieter, or simpler life, then living in a smaller city, and working with local and regional clients will allow that lifestyle quality. Second, everyone needs to market themselves. You can be the greatest photographer, or stylist in the world, but if no one has heard of you, you’re going to have a tough time making a living. Third, the photographer who is starting out needs to draw-up a plan, or “road map” of the journey they want to take, then they need to stick to that plan. It takes years of commitment and work for a business to succeed (it took me 10 years). You will need the full understanding and positive support of your spouse, family, and friends. Do not measure your success or failure by a single job, a single year in business, or by other people’s fortunes–and failures. Be tenacious, don’t give up, give yourself simple daily goals and take one step at a time.

Foodesigns: Of all the marketing/promotions you’ve done over the years, which one or two do you think got the most attention or brought you the nicest/best job(s)?
GB: That’s a hard one to answer, as I market several different ways. I advertise in creative directories, I send postcards, and I have an e-mail campaign. Different clients respond to different marketing ideas, so it’s important not to limit yourself. I also target specific clients, whom I would like to work with, it could be a corporation, or an independent art director who’s work I admire. I often take potential clients to lunch, not to sell myself, but to listen to their needs and concerns; I call this “courting” its just like dating, you don’t want to be pushy or overbearing, you want to take it slow and easy. Sometimes I court a client for several months before I try to sell myself. You want to establish a friendship and professional respect first; this is the most effective type of long-term marketing. As for the best job, seeing your photos on the cover of a magazine, or a billboard, or on the side of a truck, rolling down a highway is fun, and a great ego booster. But some of the simplest jobs have been the best—having time to sit down after a shoot to talk and share some wine with a chef or author are definitely the highlights of my career.

Foodesigns: What are your top 5 favorite pieces of equipment or techniques you use when you shoot food?
GB: “The equipment question”… I get asked about equipment quite a bit. First, let me state that I think there is too much emphasis on camera brands and models. Most modern reflex cameras, with a lens that can focus close, will do the job. The equipment that is most important to me is lighting. It can be large expensive studio strobes, or a piece of tracing paper and aluminum foil used to control sunlight. Lighting is the key ingredient of a photograph, and a true professional is a master of light. My lighting kit is quite large, because of the variety of my assignments. It consists of seven cases of equipment and weighs in at about 300 pounds. Enough to fill a mid-size SUV. My camera kit is very small—two cameras and four lenses, and it easily fits under an airline seat. My equipment is just tools; I hold no emotional attachment to any of it. What really matters is the final outcome, the quality of the photographs.
One technique that I like to use, is to come up with a story for the photograph, this gives depth and interest to the scene. Say you’re shooting a piece of cake to illustrate a recipe. What story does that photograph say about the cake? Is the cake for a child’s birthday? Then the lighting should be bright and airy, the camera perspective might be that of the child’s, looking up at the cake from below a table lip. Maybe the cake is a dessert shared by a couple on a romantic evening, then the lighting would be more seductive and dramatic; I may put two forks on the plate, possibly crossed, indicating an embrace. The secret of a good photograph is to engage the viewer. Most of us use tools in our everyday lives, but we live by our feelings and emotions; the same should be true in photography.

Foodesigns: What do you expect from a food stylist (besides ice cream after lunch…)?
GB: A good food stylist always cooks me breakfast (just kidding Lisa!) A good food stylist brings professionalism to the shoot. Most photo shoots are planned well in advance, recipes are tested, color palettes are agreed on, serving dishes and table linens are purchased and approved. On the day of the shoot, the crew shows up and we produce the shot—simple. THEN the compressor on the freezer breaks, causing the ice cream for the shoot to melt; the client announces that morning that he has decided to change the color palette from pastel to primary; the three crates of strawberries that were just delivered have mold on them; and the photo assistant drops the hero plate (it’s always the assistant— never the photographer!) What happens next separates the professional from the amateur. A professional will figure out a way to overcome these obstacles, while maintaining a positive attitude—and the shoot becomes a success. That’s what I look for in a stylist: professionalism, the ability to change and problem solve as needed, and a smile. (Editor’s note: these are the attributes a stylist looks for in a good photographer and art director, too.)

Let me share with you what happened on a shoot two weeks ago. The chef/food stylist chopped the tip of his finger off while prepping vegetables (I have never had this happen on a shoot before). The chef remained calm, he heated a knife on the stove, and pressed the hot knife body against his finger to sear the fingertip and stop the bleeding. He then taped up his finger while the crew cleaned up the blood (lots of blood, counter, cabinets, floor), then went back to work. I offered, then, begged, to take him to a hospital and halt the shoot. But he insisted on working through the day. This was an unusual situation, but things happen. And one more thing…be sure you have liability insurance.

Foodesigns: What are your expectations of a “good” client (besides paying you on time)? In terms of their role during a shoot?
GB: A good client communicates his needs and requirements before the shoot. A good client allows the stylist and photographer to set the speed, tempo and attitude of the shoot. And a good client respectfully listens to suggestions from the stylist and photographer, even if he or she disagrees. You can also turn this around; a good stylist and photographer shows the client and all members of the crew the same equal respect.

Foodesigns: What are your favorite food or food-related situations to shoot?
GB: Desserts and wine. Desserts because they usually are colorful and have height, which are a delight to shoot. And wine, because of its importance in the history of food and civilization (plus the added bonus of sampling the leftovers.)

Foodesigns: You’ve chosen food and fashion as your specialties—how did this evolve for you? (I know some people equate food styling to make-up/fashion styling—we “make up” the food or enhance it so its best face is photographed…does this connect with you?)
GB: Food and fashion photography have a lot in common. They both require a high level of expertise in lighting, knowledge of changing styles and attitudes, and have an emotional attachment to the human experience. I purposely pursued fashion while in photo school, my food photography came about because of encouragement I received from an art director. Food and fashion photography has allowed me to travel around the world, meet interesting people, and make life-long friends. I consider myself to be quite lucky to be able to make a living out of a hobby I started as a teenager.

Lisa, thank you for the opportunity to voice my opinions and observations for you and your readers. If you have any follow-up, or additional questions, feel free to ask. And if your readers have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. (Greg can be reached at: greg@gregorybertolini.com)