#21 – Lessons in commercial food photography with Abhishek Khanna

 

Abhishek 

my food lens podcast episode

Are you just starting out and wondering…

What does it take to turn your passion into a business? 
If commercial food photography is for you? 
What gear do you need?
What does it take to work with big brands?
What goes on behind the scenes in commercial food photography?
What are the challenges?

Pursuing a passion for photography

Incredible self-taught food stylist and commercial food photographer, Abhishek Khanna is going to take us on his own career journey from a call center to photography, now with a portfolio full of prestigious clients.  His  journey seems simple, like it was ‘meant to be’, but in reality moving from a corporate to a creative life, his pursuit of passion is a story of courage and dedication. 

Building a career in commercial food photography

Abhishek abundantly shares the highs and lows of building a career in commercial food photography and how the industry  has changed over the last 5 years. He gives us such an open and honest insight into how he started, the equipment he (never!) had and how he invested back into the business as he started to upskill and grow his client base. Also how social media led him to his first client – UberEATS and how he ensures a high-end quality client experience. 

How to start

The biggest takeaway from this episode is that if you are starting out you should build a portfolio from the get go. Collate everything you have into one place so you can use this to secure your first client. 

An image by Abhishek Khanna
https://www.abhishekhanna.com/


Here’s what the episode includes: 

  • Abhishek introduces himself and how he got into food photography
  • He shares how the shift from a corporate to a creative career went for him
  • Abhishek talks about the challenges of starting a new photography business
  • We discuss what gear he used, how he upgraded and what he uses today
  • We talk about finding clients and marketing yourself as a food photographer 
  • Abhishek shares inside knowledge on the commercial world of photography
  • We chat about who and what is involved in a shoot, how long it can take and whether there is an overlap with food styling. 
  • Hear about the key considerations when photographing Indian food (Abhishek’s speciality!)
  • We talk about balancing brand guidelines and art direction with his own creative style
  • Abhishek shares challenging projects he has had and what he’d like to change about the commercial photography industry
  • We discuss any struggles he has faced and what he has planned for the future
  • Hear Abhishek’s number 1 advice for someone who is starting a food photography business

 

You can see Abhishek’s amazing portfolio on his website: https://www.abhishekhanna.com/

Or follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abhishekhanna/

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/abhishekhannadotcom 

Behance –https://www.behance.net/abhishekhannadotcom

If you’re listening on Apple podcast or iTunes, I would absolutely request you to, please rate, review and subscribe on itunes/Apple podcast. It will help this podcast reach more listeners and grow bigger and better. I’ll be so grateful.

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Previous post #22 – Gender bias in food photography and what we can do about it #BreakTheBias
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