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The art of styling food with Lola Faura Praxedes

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Few arts are as delicate and delicious as the one of the food stylist.

It's hard not to fall in love with Lola Faura's photography. All it takes is one quick glance at one of her projects on her profile and you instantly want to run for the fridge – or Uber Eats, way more dangerous for your wallet. A lover of travel, photography and just her job in general, Lola has worked with some of the biggest food brands out there, and it really shows.

For this Member Spotlight, we are getting to know a talented professional who can't wait for the borders to be unrestricted again. Delicious pics incoming!

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How did you get into the industry?

After completing Le Cordon Bleu’s High Cuisine & Pastry Chef Diploma, I started working in Marketing for KFC Spain, developing their pipeline of new products. It was there that I found out about the beautiful profession of Food Styling and fell in love with it. I loved the detail put into making each burger, the glycerin droplets placed on the tomato to make it look fresh, the precise placement of each ingredient, even introducing the sauce meticulously on an exact spot with a syringe!

It was a whole new world to me and I was simply amazed by how a quality image could boost a product’s sales.

It was then that I decided I wanted to be part of those beautiful creations and so I started asking everyone in the industry about the steps I should take to learn this profession. I soon realised that I had to travel to Australia. Sydney is where the best food stylists in the world are based and so I got a visa, packed my things, and went to learn by their side! It was without a doubt the best experience in my life.

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Where are you based now and who do you work for?

I am currently based in London, UK, and am available to travel and work remotely. I have worked for brands such as Uber Eats, Westinghouse, KitKat, Kitchen Aid and Hungry Jacks (Burger King) among others. With them, we produced TVCs, out of home, packaging, cooking shows, magazines and catalogues.

If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?

Something food-related for sure. I don’t think I would ever be able to be in a completely different industry. I love food and spend my day searching for pictures & inspiration.

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Can you explain your creative process?

The first and most important step is always to speak to the client. My goal is to really understand what they like, what they don’t, their priorities and goals. With that information I start to investigate and, always following the brand’s guidelines, I create a mood board with my recommendations on props, composition, use of product, and brand integration (if these haven’t already been defined).

Once the style and sketch of the image is approved, I will start my search to select the best ingredients and props for the shooting. Sometimes even having to go to more than 5 different shops to find all the ingredients that will be needed. On the days prior to the shooting I will also do tests of the product and send the images to the client to check it meets their expectations and that way ensure everything runs smoothly during the shooting.

How has technology affected the way you work (if at all)?

Nowadays it is possible to do a shooting remotely and have the client giving his feedback from the other side of the world. This, as simple as it may seem, is extraordinary and opens all horizons to content creation worldwide.

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What’s your secret to staying inspired and motivated?

I’m always searching for inspiration and love creating my own portfolio work with photographers. It’s when we do our own work where we get to be more creative and explore new techniques, that is without a doubt what motivates me the most!

What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of?

I guess nothing really compares to ones’ first job. It was only something small, a catalogue image for Woolworths showcasing their Banana Breads, but just seeing my work published for the first time was one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

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How do you recharge away from the office?

I don’t! Ahah. I am trying to, and it is an area that I’m working on; hopefully one day I will be able to completely disconnect. I guess my problem is that I really love my work and thus it just never feels like work as such. 

What advice would you give to other aspiring creatives looking for work?

Surround yourself with experts, learn from them and build things together. It’s the most enriching experience ever! 

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What’s your one big hope for the future of the creative industries?

International travel freedom. There are so many creatives around the world that it’s frustrating that at times like these we can only work within restricted areas. I would love to travel and work with professionals from all around the world, and can’t wait for everything to recover in order for borders to re-open.

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