011: Betty Liu - Food and Wedding Photographer
In this week's episode, Betty Liu, a Boston Wedding Photographer, started documenting her food recipes passed down from her mother. Starting off as a passion project, Betty's blog that was really only meant to be a personal documentation spiralled into a massive following and has her published in some amazing food blogs and magazines, and has also allowed to her to create and host workshops in conjunction with other cool Boston area food photographers.
"I think food styling really comes from you, it's your personal style. I think that is what makes food photography so special and how it really distinguishes from one food photographer from another."
In todays episode you'll learn:
How Betty got her start in photography
What Betty originally went to school for
What she intended to shoot when first getting into food
Why shooting food is a passion for Betty
Betty's process when deciding what to photograph
How Betty comes up with her recipes
Why it could take all day to shoot a single recipe
How Betty is blending her innovative ideas from her wedding work into her food photography
Betty talks about what the most difficult part about food photography
What Betty thinks is the most important part of good food photography
How you can start taking better photos of your food at home without any additional gear
How you can start taking great food photos with your cell phone
How you can get started in food styling
What kind of light to avoid when starting out
Why the styling is equally as important as the photography
What surprising gear Betty uses
Why shes gone against the grain to use lenses and a camera that is practical for her
Why Betty thinks her wedding photography has helped her food passion project
And how having a passion project has helped her professional wedding photography work
Links and Resources
"Think about light. If you want a natural look don't use the overhead yellow lights that you have becaues that might cause really ugly shadows.
"Go next to a big window, turn off all the lights and play with the light."
"A lot of my recipes are traiditonal chinese recipes that are not as mainstream as dumplings. Sharing someone who is not familiar with that technique and enabling them to recreate that at home. It's all about the process."