Creative Food Academy
Your Food Photography
Crash Course
Inside Creative Food Academy, you'll join Em, a self-taught food photographer with a decade of experience and features in renowned publications like Forbes, The Times, Vogue & GQ.
You'll learn the essentials of capturing food and drinks, both on your camera and smartphone. From mastering your camera settings, working with natural light, composition to editing, this course offers everything you need to get started.
Being a self-taught photographer, Em teaches this course in a way she would have loved to learn when she got started - simple, visual and not too technical.
Access 8 modules, a 27-page practice workbook, a settings & exposure triangle cheat sheet, an in-depth 33-page Lightroom training document & 10 photography presets.
Enroll
As seen in
This course is for you
if you are a
- Food Influencer feeling lost in the sea of countless online creators, struggling to make your content pop. You want to develop a consistent style, and land more brand work & audience engagement.
- Restaurant Owner dealing with the challenge of distinguishing your establishment in a competitive market. The digital age demands a strong online presence, but limited experience in creating engaging marketing content and the stress of allocating budgets without guaranteed returns hold you back. You want to do it in-house to save your budget in the long run + create an online presence which leaves a good first impression and is an accurate representation of the customer experience.
- Food Brand Owner who deals with the frustration of not being able to produce visually appealing shots that perfectly capture your brand's essence, which leads to lost market share and dimmed brand value. You want high-quality images which reflect the quality of your brand and in turn brings in more customers.
- Marketing Manager dealing with the pressure to deliver, paired with rapidly evolving digital marketing trends. You are restricted by tight budgets and a reliance on either stock imagery or external agencies, and want to bring fresh, compelling visuals in-house.
- Hobbyist or avid cook who is interested to start learning food photography in a simple & straightforward way without any technical pre-knowledge.
This is also for you if you're
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Continuously taking countless pictures yet never feeling fully satisfied with the outcomes.
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Stuck on Auto and want to learn how to take control over your camera on Manual Mode.
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Overwhelmed with the amount of information on the internet & struggle with the technical parts of photography.
This isn't for you if:
- You are already a professional food photographer: If you have extensive experience and have already mastered the skills of food photography, including advanced lighting techniques, composition, and editing, this course may cover concepts you're already familiar with. It is designed to elevate beginners to intermediate levels.
- You're looking for an in-depth, long-term photography program: This crash course is designed to implement practical and actionable skills in food photography quickly. It's intensive and concise, making it less suitable for those seeking a comprehensive, deep-dive curriculum that spans several weeks or months.
- You're want to learn all about artificial light: This is a beginners crash course focusing on photography managing natural light and not needing much extra equipment to get started.
Food Photography can be challenging for many different reasons:
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Lighting: Capturing the right balance and quality of light to make food look inviting and natural is difficult. Food photography often requires understanding subtle differences in lighting to enhance textures and colors without creating unwanted shadows or highlights.
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Styling and Composition: Creating a visually compelling image that tells a story requires skills in arranging elements harmoniously, selecting the right props, and balancing the composition to draw attention to the main subject.
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Consistency Across a Series: Maintaining a style and technical consistency across a series of photos for a project or brand can be difficult, especially when dealing with a variety of foods and settings.
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Technical knowledge: Understanding and handling photography equipment and software effectively is essential. This includes knowledge of camera settings, equipment, and post-processing techniques to polish the final images.
But it doesn't have to be difficult
Addressing these challenges head-on with the right techniques, practice, and guidance can help turn the difficulties of food photography into opportunities for creating stunning and delicios images.
Here are what Em's students say
Vimmy
I loved the course! I've always had a huge interest in photography and cameras. I wanted to learn food photography for my own restaurant and hopefully be able to offer food photography for other businesses.
I absolutely loved the format and the techniques of the modules. The videos are easy to follow and are extremely well made, especially with the visual references. It makes it relatable for a beginner to follow and very intuitive. I was able to grab my camera and apply the settings and actually understand why the settings need to be this way.
Restaurant Owner, Masala Bowl
Chantelle
I’ve always taken photos with my phone/the auto mode on my camera, so I wanted to learn the basic functions of the camera to be able to shoot manually. My aim was to take more professional looking photos to work with restaurants, with a particular focus on lighting, composition and editing.
The course is very clear and concise. I love that it’s super informative without being too technical. Em has many tips and tricks to help understand and remember the camera functions which makes the information stick even after several modules!
I learned that you don’t need expensive gears to start taking good photos. As long as you get the settings, composition & lighting right, you can easily make a good photo (with some editing from lightroom).
Influencer, @chantelle_pang
Beth's journey:
Before & After
I work in social media and have an office camera, but I’ve never known how to go beyond the basics. I'm self-taught, and hoped this course would help me enhance my skills and take my photography to the next level.
The biggest thing I learned from the course was how incredible photography can be. The camera itself has so many different settings that I would never have understood on my own. Em taught me so much about composition and adding in objects to complement the item you are shooting. The way she taught Lightroom was also incredibly helpful along with the presets, even though I have had some training on it before.
The information provided in the modules were extremely relevant and useful for me. At work, I am fully responsible for menu covers, website images, banners, Deliveroo pictures, etc. So everything I learned was incredibly applicable. I already feel much more confident now that I have finished the course.
Social Media Manager, Eataly London
Maral's journey:
Before & After
I've always loved baking, pouring my heart into each recipe. But when it came to photographing my creations it just didn't reflect the same. I wanted my photos to reflect the warmth and joy that baking brings me. This course has honestly been such a help in doing that.
The way it broke down things like lighting, composition and camera settings was incredibly straightforward. Since applying what I learned, I've noticed my photos look a lot more inviting.
Introducing
Creative Food Academy
Fast-track to learning Food Photography
Proven roadmap
Navigate through the entirety of food photography, from setting up your shot to the final touches in post-production, ensuring every dish looks as beautiful digitally as it does on the plate.
Step by step workbook
Follow Em's step-by-step practice module and workbook, tailored to guide food photographers through shooting from beginning to end.
Private Community
Join our community of food photography students and our professional team. Share insights, seek advice, receive feedback and grow alongside students passionate about food photography.
Here's what you'll learn
Everything you need to get started in Food Photography
Module 1
Camera Basics
Dive into the core of photography with our Camera Basics module. Here, you'll understand the essentials, allowing you to move away from auto mode. This lesson covers ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture which are the fundamental settings that give you complete manual control over your camera. It's the first step to truly understanding and mastering the art of photography.
Module 2
The Exposure Triangle
Understand the relationship between ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture, and how they influence your image's exposure. This lesson teaches you how to balance and prioritise your settings to achieve the perfect shot according to your end goal. You'll also get a cheat sheet to have at hand on any shoot.
Module 3
Recommended
Equipment
Discover the essential tools you need without breaking the bank. This guide helps you build your ideal photography setup—one that's both effective and budget-friendly.
Module 4
Managing
Natural Light
Discover common mistakes in lighting and how to improve it using proven techniques. Uncover techniques to manage and manipulate natural light using just 2 tools.
Module 5
Composition
Elevate your photography with 9 Composition Techniques. Learn the rules that guide the eye and engage the viewer, from the Rule of Thirds to leading lines. It's all about composition that captivates.
Module 6
Video Demonstration
Experience a hands-on learning approach with Em's Video Demonstration. Follow a practical example of a photo shoot from conception to capturing the final shot. This visual demonstration consolidates your learning, showing you how to apply techniques in a structured, effective manner. This module also comes with a workbook of how to shoot from beginning to end.
Module 7
How to edit on Lightroom CC
Unlock the post-editing power of Lightroom CC. Em takes you step-by-step through the editing process, showing you how to enhance your photos. From basic adjustments to advanced edits, transform your raw images into your own work of art.
Module 8
Shooting on your Smartphone
In today's digital age, your smartphone is a powerful tool. The How to Shoot on Your Smartphone module teaches you to leverage your phone's camera to its fullest potential using the free Lightroom mobile app. Learn tips, tricks, and professional techniques for capturing stunning images, proving that sometimes, the best camera is the one in your pocket.
Meet your teacher
Hi, I'm Em
I'm is a self-taught food photographer with over a decade of experience in photography featued in magazines such as Vogue, GQ, Esquire, Glamour, Forbes, The Times and many more.
Prior to my career in photography, I spent five years in a corporate finance environment. Driven by a passion for photography and travel, I left my job to pursue Catch52, a food and travel blog that has earned accolades and features across several media platforms, including the BBC News, London Evening Standard, The Huffington Post, and The One Show.
Recognising the growing demand for creative visual content, I founded Zodee Media, a creative agency aimed at assisting brands in engaging their audiences through compelling visual storytelling. Within a year, I was able to turn my passion for food photography into a full time career.
But I stuggled with photography for a long time
When learning food photography, I was overwhelmed with the amount of information that was out there and how technical it all was. I ended up learning most of it through my own trial and error to get familiar by simply practicing on my own camera.
As your instructor in this course, I'm here to simplify food photography.
I don't want you to waste the same amount of time I did trying to figure out how to get better images.
My goal is to teach it in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand. Whether you're a complete beginner or someone looking to refine your skills, this course & resouces are here to equip students with the skills necessary to capture engaging visual stories, using my simple self-taught approach and insights gained from years of practical experience.
My photography before
and after...
Let's dig deeper
When you enroll, you'll get these bonuses:
Bonus #1
10 presets
Our collection of 10 Lightroom presets is carefully designed to enhance your food photographs. They cover a wide spectrum of styles. Ideal for getting started in editing and being able to build your own style & foundation from there.
Bonus #2
Cheat Sheet
Printable cheat sheet designed to be your quick reference tool. It covers the essentials of ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture, providing a clear understanding of each setting's impact on your photo and exposure. Additionally, it includes a visual guide to the exposure triangle, helping you to prioritize your settings effectively.
Bonus #3
A Lightroom Guide
With 33 pages, this in-depth Lightroom manual covers all Lightroom settings related to enhancing food photographs, ensuring you gain a thorough understanding of each tool and its application. To reinforce learning, the guide comes with a practice photo, allowing you to apply your new skills alongside our step-by-step editing guide.
Last but definitely not least
27-page practice workbook
This workbook takes you through Em's exact thought process when shooting from beginning to end. It includes a step-by-step guide from concept, setting up your shot, managing light, choosing the best composition, choosing the right settings and getting your perfect shot. Each step summarises everything you'll learn in the course which allows you to put everything into practice and have it at hand for whenever you're shooting.
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