Food styling for ice cream photography
As a food stylist, I create all kinds of food on behalf of my clients. From tempting pastries to elaborate salads, and from robust charcuterie boards to extravagant party tables. I am also asked to work on ice cream photography, or ice cream food styling.
It’s all about the most beautiful image. There’s a lot involved: people, location, lighting. When working on ice cream photography, I’m responsible for both the ice cream and its styling. A stylist takes care of the tableware and additional decorations, and the photos are taken by a food photographer. Depending on the type of assignment, the result is published in a magazine, used on television, in commercials, on packaging or billboards, or as online content.
But ice melts really quickly…
I solve this problem by making it from products that don’t melt. As a food stylist, you sometimes have to change your approach and, for example, reproduce products from something other than their original ingredients. This requires creativity. Every assignment has challenges, but ice cream photography is particularly exciting. Ice cream is a delicate product. Its structure is fragile, and it melts under hot studio lights. As a result, there is little time for perfect food styling. Wait too long and your product has simply disappeared – melted away. That’s why every time I work on ice cream photography, I choose whether to use real ice cream or to fake it. How I create fake ice cream is, of course, my “little secret”.
Is ice cream your specialty?
That’s right. I bake, cook, roast, and prepare every dish with love, but ice cream food styling is really my favorite! Well before the rise of Instagram, I was mentored by the master in ice cream food styling, Ton van Groeningen. Unfortunately, he passed away but, in his day, he was the one that made Viennetta great, among other things. That experience really opened up a whole new world for me. I will always be grateful to Ton for all that I learned there. For me, it laid the foundation for the box of tricks that I added to through experimentation in the following years that followed.
Why ice cream?
I love ice cream. I don’t care if it’s sorbet, soft serve, ice cream or ice pops. Ice cream makes me happy. It’s not only good to eat, it’s also nice to look at. The shape of soft serve with all possible toppings, the bright colors, the different textures – it never gets boring. And I can’t get enough of it either. Not of eating ice cream and not of recreating it. Thank goodness, because projects like ice cream photography often require a lot of ice cream.
What can clients expect from you?
I offer my clients knowledge of ice cream as a product, but also knowledge of other materials and methods to recreate ice cream. That makes me, the team and, therefore, the client flexible in the realization of concepts with delicate products, as is the case with ice cream photography. With over 15 years of experience, I dare say that I am distinctive in this regard.
But food styling is also about personality and artistic input. I always give 120% and I have my own recognizable style. For example, I am very organized in my work, while my creations have a certain nonchalance, a playfulness that doesn’t look quite as staged. I think of dishes in my head, but I create them from the heart.
Working together on ice cream photography?
Are you interested in working together? Or do you have a specific question? Feel free to send me an e-mail. Perhaps you are still looking for input and only have a few sample pictures of the atmosphere and style that you like. Or maybe you already have a clear image in your mind of the end result. Both starting points are workable for me.
For large assignments, I am usually approached by an ad agency or photographer, but I am also open to smaller productions. I can (if you wish) also take on the role of producer, taking on an active role in the organization, briefing and coordination of the project, in addition to food styling. It’s all negotiable. If your request appeals to me, I will gladly accept the challenge!
Please contact me and let’s discuss your project