From the earliest days of the camera obscura and early fixed images to daguerreotypes, dry plates and the emergence of modern camera film and digital cameras, so much of the history of food photography is about the equipment that was used to make some of the most iconic images of all time. Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) knows his photography history, but much more importantly, he is also excellently versed in the photographic present, which helps to make him one of the leading professionals in his field.

Precey has long attracted widespread praise as a food and drink photographer. All manner of advertising and packaging agencies, as well as food and drink brands and stores that contact him directly, have praised his commitment and working methods, in addition to the photography itself. For example, CADA Design Group’s Head of Design has described him as “a pleasure to work with”, while Gerard Murphy, Business Development Chef at Kerry Foodservice, has said that “He really understands how to bring the food to life on the menu.”

But such consistently strong results, both in large format print and for the web, would not be achieved without the right equipment. Of course, the exact definition of the ‘right equipment’ for professional food photography has differed somewhat down the years. Nonetheless, in the early 21st century, you should at least expect your chosen food photographer to have the most up to date, sophisticated and effective equipment so that he can capture food and drink in a way that truly makes the viewer salivate.

Of course, not all techniques in food photography are necessarily the most technologically sophisticated, although the days have long gone when white glue substituting for milk in photographs of cereal was  a common practice – these days, heavy cream may be used to ensure that the cereal does not become soggy too quickly. Other simple, but nonetheless proven food photography techniques include spraying food with water so that it continues looking fresh, enhancing the colour/brownness of cooked meats and poultry with various browning agents and in the case of cold beverages, applying dulling spray to give the effect of condensation on the outside of a glass.

Graham Precey knows all about how the simplest techniques and props can make for the most compelling digital photography of food and drink, with his own studio storing a series of props and backgrounds. But he also has a fully working kitchen with a freezer and refrigerated storage, which helps to ensure that the food looks absolutely immaculate the moment the camera hovers over it.

Furthermore, Graham’s actual cameras are of the highest standard, with his Sinar and Canon digital cameras, together with Elinchrom flash and daylight, instrumental in making him one of the most  in-demand purveyors of food and drinks photography. Contact him at Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) today to learn more about his services.

<ENDS>

Whether you are an advertising or packaging agency, printed publication, website or food brand, it’s vital not to underestimate the importance of truly impactful food photography – or for that matter, the sheer work and artistry involved in achieving those stunning results that can be so easily taken for granted. But what is it, exactly, that makes Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) the best place to look for a food photographer in London?

Our website is, of course, the website of one of the most renowned food photographers working in the English capital today, Graham Precey. As a result, he knows a thing or two about the factors differentiating average food photography from truly great food photography. Naturally, the best food and drink photographer will know all of the tricks of the trade, from choosing the right camera technical settings to knowing how to arrange food and drink for maximum visual impact, including the right backdrop.

But with 21st century food photography being the descendant of traditional still life painting, a good London food photographer will also have their own vision of how food should be presented in order to get prospective customers salivating. At the same time, this presentation should be in line with the specific needs and demands of the client. It is his ability to achieve all of this, time after time, that has given Graham Precey such renown among a wide range of respected organisations.

Margaret Mo-Yuen Eldridge, Art Buyer at GyroHSR, has described Graham’s food and drink photography as “consistently excellent”. For the Head of Design at CADA Design Group, Darren Callcott, Graham is “pro active, creative and always willing to help throughout each stage of the project process”, while Nick Paterson-Jones, ByInstinct Creative Director, has spoken of his “great work, huge experience and a flexible approach”. It should go without saying that any good London food photographer should receive highly positive testimonials like these.

The long list of other clients for which Graham has provided food, drink and packaging photography, which includes McDonald’s, Marks & Spencer, Subway, Closer Magazine, Hook Norton Brewery, Bulmers, Diageo and more, vouches for his considerable reputation in these fields. But no photographer can work in isolation, as he also requires the most suitable, fully functioning digital photography studio.

Sure enough, Graham Precey can offer precisely that to his commercial photography clients, with his London studio featuring Sinar and Canon digital cameras as well as Elinchrom flash and daylight. Not only that, but he can also access a comprehensive range of backgrounds and props, as well as a fully working kitchen, freezer and refrigerated storage. Of yet further convenience is the free off street parking that we can offer to every one of our clients.

Does your current London food photographer combine all of these characteristics, at a competitive price? If not, never hesitate to give Graham Precey, at Precey.com (http://www.precey.com), a call or email to discuss your exact requirements.

<ENDS>

Almost for as long as there has been food, there have been ways of depicting it that seek to bring out its best qualities. One only needs to look at the still life paintings from many centuries ago of artists like Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, to appreciate where today’s food photographer – like Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) – derives inspiration.

These painters were concerned with so many of the aesthetic aspects that today’s food and drink photographers now use to considerable advantage, including composition and light, as well as allegory, which might be thought to have fallen out of favour. That is not to suggest, however, that today’s food and drink photography does not reflect an interest in meaning, with certain foods remaining synonymous with certain social classes, lifestyles and aspirations.

In a time long before photography, some of the world’s most renowned painters were eager to highlight their technical panache and ability to arrange items, in the depiction of naturally beautiful food. The realism of these portrayals of food mark them out as real predecessors to today’s more commercial photography. Then, as now, so much of the point of such depictions was to make the viewer salivate, and feel that they shared a room with the food.

It is thought that food in art dates back to the ancient Egyptian era, when its representation in tombs reflected a belief in its availability in the afterlife. The Romans, meanwhile, had a penchant for decorative mosaics that flaunted the food of the upper class. However, when food photography finally came into being in the 19th century, it was still life paintings that exerted the greatest influence.

Early 20th century food photography was characterised by experimentation with repetition, diagonals, close-ups and cropping. But by the latter half of the century, food photography had largely become full-blown commercial and advertising photography, used by manufacturers throughout cookbooks and magazines.

In the process, there wasn’t always much respect shown for the most natural appearance of food, the ’60s and ’70s being the era in which one would add shine with a toxic product like glycerine, or perhaps keep morsels rooted to the spot with hairspray, or even simulate the ‘straight from the oven’ look with cigarette smoke. Even better known was the widespread substitution of milk for glue.

Back then, in an era of 4×5 film cameras with long exposures, the lighting techniques used resulted in a consistent, rather than imaginative look. Flash and tungsten were in vogue, and in-focus topshots were favoured over all other formats. It’s a far cry from the present fashion for much more natural, albeit still appetising food photography that reflects the skill of the cook.

Today, Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) is a leading London food photographer showing the possibilities of this art form in the early 21st century. Contact him at his studio in the capital to learn more about how he can provide the highest standard of photography for your own organisation’s requirements.

<ENDS>

The renowned London food photographer, Graham Precey of Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) is contacted on a regular basis by advertising agencies that have taken notice of his highly appealing and artful approach to food photography. Certainly, these agencies do not underestimate the considerable work that is invested into getting food and drink photography right.

However, not everyone necessarily has this level of appreciation. The emergence of ostensibly sophisticated smartphone and tablet cameras has led so many complete amateurs to believe, quite mistakenly, that they can easily achieve the same impressive results as the professionals with very little work. But advertising photography is its own art, and the sub-genre of food photography is no different.

Think about it… the right subjects need to be chosen, and the lighting made just right. All of a camera’s technical settings need to be set to perfection, and the end result needs to make the viewer salivate. The food that is photographed needs to look literally good enough to eat. Certainly, the food needs to be carefully prepared, with certain aspects of it showcased in photographic form in order to create as much desire within the viewer as possible.

That is the ultimate objective of any advertising photographer who is seasoned in taking pictures of food and drink, and over the years, the leading advertising agencies have turned repeatedly to Graham Precey, on account of his ability to create more engaging, attractive and effective advertising food photography than anyone else.

Advertising food photography can end up in so many contexts, from newspapers and magazines to online, as well as static advertising like bus stops and billboards. But it all has the same overarching aim – to boost sales of certain foods and drinks. Graham Precey knows as well as any other advertising photographer, that great results don’t happen by accident. It’s why he works so diligently to refine his skills, invest in the latest relevant equipment and set up the most suitable studio.

This commitment to going to every length to satisfy his clients’ needs certainly shows in his fully functioning digital photography studio, where one finds Sinar and Canon digital cameras, complemented by Elinchrom flash and daylight. There is also a comprehensive backgrounds and props section for adding interest to even the most challenging subjects.

Also to be expected in any leading food and drink photography studio is a fully working kitchen, alongside freezer and refrigerated storage, as Graham Precey also knows how to work to maximum advantage. The outcome is truly stunning commercial photography, and with clients also being given free off-street parking, it’s not the only aspect of Graham’s service that they’ll be delighted with.

Contact Graham Precey at Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) today to find out more about how he can cater for your food photography requirements, in relation to all manner of food and drink products. Alternatively, peruse his online gallery at your leisure prior to getting in touch.

<ENDS>