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#28 – What is success in food photography with Reethika Singh

Jun 21, 2024

podcast episode – What is success in food photography with Reethika Singh

How do we define success as Creatives?

If I were to ask you today, are you successful, what would you say? How do you measure success? Is it about the number of followers or engagement online? Perhaps it’s the brands you’ve collaborated with?

Success is defined as ‘the achieving of the results wanted or hoped for’ and these results will differ from person to person. What sparks our joy might not be the same for another photographer.

So how do we see the bigger picture when it comes to our success? How do we create success that leaves us feeling satisfied and secure as creators?

A model of success

To me, my next guest is a symbol of success. Reethika Singh is a skilful artist and Creative, running a thriving food photography business, working with many prestigious brands.

As a photographer, food blogger and content creator, she has achieved so much (including winning a prestigious award!), yet she remains grounded, genuine and extremely humble.

Inspired to improve and succeed

Listen to Reethika’s unique perspective on measuring her own success, how she continues to motivate herself in food photography and who her biggest competition is (it may surprise you!).

Reethika shares her journey from graphic designer to an award-winning food photographer. We hear how she moved from baking to shooting following chronic health issues, her thoughts on social media and what changed for her when she won the Saveur Blog Awards Editor’s Choice for Best Food Photographer.

Seeing the bigger picture

The biggest takeaway from this episode is that success as a Creative is much bigger and not as complicated as we think. We are running our own race, one which is within us, with our own milestones and results. If we can find inspiration, improve our art and continue to grow, that is what true success means.

Here’s what this episode covers:

Reethika introduces herself and tells us an interesting fact people might not know about her
She shares the background to the career shifts she’s made and what lead her to food photography
We discuss her simple, yet powerful props that make the food the center stage and how she chooses which ones to invest in
Reethika tells us how she stays inspired and driven in her creative journey
She shares what changed for her after winning a prestigious award, Editor’s Choice of Best Photography in the Saveur Blog Awards in 2019
We talk about if and how Instagram has shaped her photography business and how Reethika copes with the pressure of social media
We discuss how to define success as a food photographer

Success is unique for each of us

We have to look at the deeper meaning of success for us to understand what will motivate us as food photographers and Creatives. It’s about reconnecting foundationally and defining our individual milestones which lead us to our own forms of joy, happiness, validation and inspiration.