Sustainable Food Styling
I try to be sustainable with not only the baking elements of my blog but also the styling elements. In this post, I'll explain my favorite tricks for making food look bomb without destroying the planet.
Use what you have
Textiles, plates and utensils
The most sustainable option in any scenario is to use what you already own. I still style my shoots using rags, pans, dishes and silverware that I owned for years before starting my blog. Solid or simply patterned towels, white plates, worn pans and all types of silverware are great options for photos.
Backdrops
Finding the best backdrops in your home or studio space can take some experimentation. Coffee tables, floors and benches make for great backgrounds. These surfaces are also great because, unlike countertops, they can be moved to utilize the best lighting. One of my favorite backdrops is my piano bench. It's an unlikely candidate, but I love that I can easily move it to the window for the best lighting.
Lighting
The "use what you have" rule also applies to lighting. Shooting with light from the sun will always be more sustainable (and more beautiful) than using artificial lights. For the best lighting, I like to shoot on partly cloudly days in direct sunlight or sunny days when the sun is shining slightly higher than the window. This gives photos the perfect soft lighting effect.
Buy Used
Textiles
Your second-best bet is to buy or borrow used materials. From my experience, it can be difficult to find kitchen towels and napkins at thrift stores. However, I have had a lot of luck borrowing textiles from family and friends. If I know I have a shoot coming up that I want to theme red, I’ll simply ask around to see if anyone has a red towel I can borrow. Usually, someone has the perfect prop.
Plates and Utensils
Thrift stores are usually swimming in high-quality plates and utensils that are really inexpensive. Although buying from thrift stores can result in a mish-mash of utensils, I actually prefer having a variety of styles to choose from for my shoots. Unique vintage pieces are also really eye-catching in photos, so don't be afraid to buy something that's out of the box.
Backdrops
One of my favorite backdrops was made by yours truly out of a used wooden pallet board. I detached the boards, moved them closer together, nailed them down and sanded them. Making backdrops out of pallets takes some muscle work, but the result is gorgeous. You can also make backdrops out of thrift store finds, like old stone or wooden cutting boards, doors, coffee tables or wall hangings. Almost any smooth surface can be a backdrop with a little DIY.
Lighting
Buying used lighting kits from photographers who are upgrading their equipment is a great option for beginners. Ask your friends, look on Craigslist or hit up your favorite thrift stores to try to find used lighting kits near you.
Buy Sustainably Certified products
Textiles
My favorite sustainable textile certifications are organic certified and Oeko-Tex certified. Organic textiles are made using textile crops that were grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, while Oeko-Tex certified textiles are free of a variety of harmful substances. Both of these certifications keep harmful chemicals away from the land, water and air and the people who produce these products.
Backdrops
Buying wooden backdrops that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, Rainforest Alliance certified, or made from reclaimed wood are all great options. Both the FSC and Rainforest Alliance certifications mean that the wood was harvest from forests that plant and cut down trees at sustainable rates, while reclaimed wood is made using repurposed or recycled wood. Buying sustainably sourced wood can help mitigate climate change, improve air quality, preserve ecosystems and help our environment in loads of other ways.
Lighting
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights use about 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lights. This means that LED lights can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and reduce waste from burned-out light bulbs. Luckily, LED lighting kits for both beginner and professional photographers are super easy to find at photography stores and even some department stores.