Autumn is a time for new beginnings and my calender is also filling with new projects. After having written some in depth pieces about my everyday work, here is a good example of a menu shoot. Maitsete Tänav in Rocca al Mare shopping center is a restaurant concept where you can find all imaginable temptations. This is only a tiny part of what's being offered.

What to expect when the food photographer arrives? Where should we put them? How much time does it take to shoot 10 dishes? Should we treat them?

Having had time to think during the summer I realized how much I have got to tell about a simple thing called - a menu shoot. The post draws on my 10 years of experience as a food photographer, therefore I had to divide the topic into several parts. The first part will tell about preparing for the photo shoot.

If you’re overwhelmed and stuck at the moment I tell you I’ve been there. In December I used to have no energy for writing year-in-reviews and usually postponed it till January. This year I had it in me already in October. I have some long stories about my journeys and and explanations of my truths, but this is not the topic today. I’ll leave it for laters.

Publisher: Brandbook
AD: Johannes Naan
Client: Rimi Eesti
Food stylist: Kristina Efert

Client: Kidz One clothing store
Brands: Mayoral, Name IT, Coccodrillo, Primigi
Style: Kairit Parker
Models: Elsa, Jesse, Liisbet, Taaniel
Location: KUMU

Well, sometimes there's a need to sell a house when there's not even a hole in the ground. Architects make renders for that purpose. But if you like to give the feeling of how it is to walk the streets of that neighborhood, jog in the forest or do sunset yoga on the beach, then photography can help you out.

Restaurant photography is probably what I do most often. These are usually 1-3 hour sessions for 5 to 10 dishes, sometimes more and longer. I bring my own lighting equipment to the restaurant so it can as well be completely dark.