Food styling takes persistence and endurance
MANILA, Philippines - A great food stylist is you. Tools help, but in the end it is you! —Delores Custer
Her years of dedication and the pursuit of perfection is the reason why Delores Custer is an icon in the industry of food styling, making her the most accomplished and highly sought-after by various food industry giants for the past three decades. Her cutting-edge innovation and techniques are second to none, but it is her willingness to graciously share her knowledge and gift of teaching (her first career was as a second-grade teacher) that makes this humble lady truly special. Her ability to adapt and evolve with different trends through the years is impressive and being a stickler for uncompromising quality is one of the many lessons people learned during her recent visit to the Philippines. Well-versed and knowledgeable, she remains earnest and eager to impart and hone her skills. She has set the gold standard in the art of preparing food in front of the camera, but her lecture and book have paved the way for others to easily follow in her footsteps.
As a chef, plating and making your food attractive is essential when serving your guest, but showcasing it in front of the camera is a totally different aspect. As Delores stated, “Human beings have two eyes while the camera lens only has one and therefore the camera sees food differently from the naked eye.” Natural light maybe good for some pictures, but she prefers studio light because it’s easier to control the setting and manipulate the texture for the client’s and viewers’ appreciation. Even angles — whether top, 45 degrees or flat — differ and can ultimately make or break a product that is being advertised. Therefore, preparing the same point of view as the lens is crucial. For choosing plates her advice was to take pictures of the dish, print, cut out and place on top of various dishes to compare if it matches or not. Size does matter and tight close-up pictures can be extraordinary, and using small bowls can produce larger-than-life pictures.
Every decade the consumers’ tastes change, and knowing your market and selling it correctly is key. From the early Eighties up to the Nineties food shots were clean, flawless, and the use of fake products like ice cream dough and sodium bisulfate to create the perfect iced tea was the chosen style, but now print media prefer the natural, sauce-dripping-over-the-cup as the new look. As she said, “Sometimes you follow, sometimes you lead,” so learn to adjust. Have good relations with the people you work with as “nobody wants to work with a diva!”
Food styling is all about organization surrounding yourself with the right people to help you. For every shoot, she analyzes each recipe and visualizes the look, the sequence of preparation, tools needed, the possible hurdles and the remedies because that is the stylist’s job. Being prepared saves time, money, and produces the best results. Assistants are taught to unload the tools from the bag so they know that all the items are present and accounted for. It is not an easy job as the technique and process takes time and you must be patient. It may take hours or days, but minor adjustments can make a huge difference. The Italians call it persistenza e resistenza, which roughly translates to “persistence and endurance.” Food stylist author, teacher, presenter, mother, living legend … Delores wears many hats, is a true inspiration to all and a human being we all aspire to be in our lifetime. Salut!
