"LOVE" and "Defuse your food" advertising shoots

Over the last couple of years I have started shooting more advertising work. It is very different to shooting editorial where the brief is relatively open. To explain further: with editorial the exact props I use and what angle I shoot at is largely decided on the day by me with the help of the others present (a combination of stylist, home economist, art director, cookery editor etc.). With advertising the visuals, i.e. the props, layout of food and angle, are already 90% locked down and it is then my job to meet these precise expectations of the client...and ideally exceed them!

Below is the work I have done for GSK on their "LOVE" and "Defuse your food" campaigns, quite different to my usual style I think you will agree.

BBC lifestyle branding

I have had a busy few months hence the new post hiatus. Not complaining, it is great to be busy, but it means blog and tax returns suffer. Here are some of my favourite images from the last few months and some words on the job.

Client: BBC
I shot these images for the BBC for them to use in the branding of their food channels. We shot an enormous amount of shots in one day with the help of a food stylist. I like the way ordinary ingredients become quite beautiful photographed and lit simply like this. They would make great poster prints, even if I say so myself.

All images © Charlotte Tolhurst

Delicious sticky honey puddings and delights

The images below are a magazine commission shot using flash. It was one of those perfect shoots where the food looked great (thanks Felicity) and it was all sweet recipes. I often find sweet recipes the most enjoyable to shoot because they lend themselves so well to being pretty images. I lit them all from above and think this works particularly well for the last two shots as it helps them look deliciously sticky....which they were.

For the recipes, please click on the photos.

Photo © Charlotte Tolhurst

Photo © Charlotte Tolhurst

Flash vs. Daylight shooting

Just before Christmas I shot a pasta story for Women's Weekly and Coeur De Lion cheese recipes for Richmond Towers PR agency. For the former I shoot with flash in a small room adjoined to the kitchen in the IPC building (named by everyone as "the cupboard"). For the latter I shoot at a daylight location. I thought it would be interesting to show an image from each shoot to show the subtle difference between flash and daylight. To be honest I am now pretty happy shooting flash and at this time of year it is a necessity when we lose daylight around 3-4pm. If given a choice however...I still prefer the subtleties of shooting in daylight as I know I can always rely on daylight to make things look just lovely. Whereas with flash, it is particularly important to have gorgeous props to achieve a beautifully natural image.

Photo © Charlotte Tolhurst

Photo © Charlotte Tolhurst