Inside a Food Photography Studio Prop Room

A while back some of you asked about how I store my props. Well, this summer one of my goals is to organize my work area and prop storage. I have plenty of space, as we have a large workshop attached to our home, but it needs a new plan. Lots will be moving into the Etsy shop! I undoubtedly will be borrowing ideas from the prop rooms I have been through, and thought maybe you can get some ideas from food studios, too, and adapt them for your home work space.

For professional food photographers that use their props on a daily basis it is not just a matter of warehousing, it is organizing for accessibility. When you have clients on set waiting for a prop change, and hero food waiting to come out, you need to find options quickly. Proper storage also protects and preserves the props as a business investment, treated like any studio equipment should be.

California photographer Lew Robertson's prop room is an amazing example of an organized, highly functional work area for so many reasons.



Studios tend to organize dinnerware into categories: dishes in one area, bowls in another, platters grouped separately. Then they are subdivided into groups according to color and size. You can see how this makes choosing a plate so much easier, the entire collection can be scanned quickly. The plate storage in Lew's studio is customized with a doweling system that holds the plates vertically. It is not only efficient, but also protects the plates from the damage caused by stacking. The larger dinnerware pieces are up higher (not used as often), more frequently used salads and smaller dinner plates are more eye level, and the white plates that are the backbone of any prop collection are right within arms reach. Very well thought out.





Glassware, too, is sorted by type of drinking glass, pitchers, jars, vases, etc., and can be colorized like the dinnerware. Note how Lew has kept the shelves fairly shallow. The deeper the shelves, the more you have to move from the front to get to the back. Narrow shelves keep everything to the forefront, visible and lessening chance of breakage. The many glass shelves help tremendously to keep light on the props for easy selection.







Did you notice how the fabrics are filed and hung? So easy to find the color, pattern,texture you want to work with. Using hangers saves so much time in pressing material, as it wrinkles much less than if folded and stacked.



One of my favorite features of this prop room is the amount of open counter space to select props and assemble sets. The center island is ideally located, right in the center of everything, and houses napkins,placemats,flatware below in sliding basket drawers. The room has ample light to work in, another big plus.





I asked how they stay on top of keeping the room so neat. Obviously, it was built with organization in mind, but a busy food studio tends to accumulate props very rapidly, and clutter can overtake quickly. They purge the room once a year (what a great garage sale that must be!). This guarantees that props don't get overused and stay in current trend, such a good policy. The truth is, when you shoot food every day you will never have every prop you need, and why we stylists are kept busy sourcing to the specific needs of each job. I have worked out of large corporate prop rooms that never get edited and it is not a benefit to have a lot of props that never get used. On the other hand, I have been in food studios that have minimal house props, and I need to over-prop the job because there is no back up if something becomes problematic on set. That's what I find so appealing about Lew's collection: he has an ample selection to work with, and an impressive prop room that is an asset to his business. So glad he let me share it with you! Follow this link to his website to see more views of this awesome studio.
There's more prop organizing tips to come soon. How about you, keeping the props under control?

A Good Week, After All

As I was driving home from the studio Friday afternoon, I suddenly thought, "This has been a good week." Actually, all things considered, the past few weeks have turned out just fine despite some personal worries and work disappointments. I was reminded of an amusing story Gosia wrote on Majology, of how she took some amazing fresh strawberries intended for dessert and decided to make a pie with them. Her heart sank when she saw the pie was not going to turn out, and the wonderful berries that would have been simply delicious on their own, were now wasted.
The dessert project I started working on in March finished shooting last week, and it turned out great. I was delighted to receive a very complimentary email from the Editor in Chief of the publishing company regarding the styling. so unexpected and so appreciated!
I was also very relieved to hear that the props I sent to Germany for the Plate to Page workshop arrived safely to Meeta. More importantly, I was thrilled to hear that she loved them and couldn't wait to start using them in some upcoming shots! Prop styling is so much about interpretation. With my assignments I'm provided recipes,layouts, and usually some level of art direction. I'm working with a photographer whose style I know or can interpret to a comfortable level. This was a little different challenge for me.
Late last year, when the Plate to Page announced their first workshop, I asked my friend Ilva if they would be interested in having a selection of vintage props available for use during the photo sessions. Ilva was very excited to propose it to the team, and Meeta, Jamie,and Jeanne were all in agreement. Knowing that they had quite a lot of planning and refining of their programme until the spring, I asked that they submit a general theme for the photos. I received that about February, and began gathering the props. I had a table dedicated to the project, adding things in gradually, taking out what didn't fit, trying different possible combinations of linens, flatware, plates. And all the time hoping that this group of photographers who I have never met will find something in the assortment of props that fits their vision,that makes their heart flip a little, something of inspiration. But what if they didn't, what if I were to let them down? I toted that big box to the post office and sent it off with a prayer...or two.
Wednesday morning, my reading list held a new post at What's for lunch, Honey? And oh...sprinkled in the shots were some of the props! The distressed cutting board, flatware with bright red bakelite handles, enamel berry bucket, the little green paring knife. They looked so at home in Meeta's beautiful photos, and I knew everything was going to be fine,truly. The connection was there.
So I'm trying not to think too much about the pies I could have made this month, not dwelling on an awesome opportunity that I had to reluctantly pass up, yet again. If it is meant to be it will return, and if not, then at least I will have still enjoyed the berries.

Paula

On Camera with photographer Stephen Hamilton: Berries