How to Start a Profitable Food blog

The food blogging phenomenon first emerged in the early 2000s. Until then, most personal blogs would only feature the occasional recipe or food-related post. But the idea of an entire blog just for recipes, restaurant reviews, food stories, and more was still brand new. Some pioneering food blogs popped up between 2001 and 2006, including Smitten Kitchen, Simply Recipes, and The Pioneer Woman. These early adopters helped establish the format for the food blogging genre by sharing homemade recipes and food photos on their sites. They brought an informal, conversational style to food writing that resonated with home cooks and propelled food blogging forward as an emerging medium in its own right.

Starting Your Food Blog

First, you need to choose a defined niche and target audience. Select a specific cuisine, dietary need, or angle that sets your blog apart. Research the niche to ensure there is demand but not too much competition.

Examples of targeted audiences

College cooking

Easy recipes for college students cooking on a budget, in dorms/apartments, with limited equipment.

Kitchen gadgets

Product reviews and recipes focused on instant pots, air fryers, slow cookers and other trendy kitchen gadgets.

Meal prep

Recipes and tips for prepping healthy meals in advance for the week. Useful for athletes, fitness buffs, busy professionals.

Clean eating

Focus on unprocessed, whole food recipes and tips for clean eating lifestyles.

Fruit and Vegetables For kids

Focus on how to add extra fruit and vegetables for kids.

Batch cooking/freezer meals

Specific recipes optimized for making in big batches and freezing portions for later. Helpful for busy families.

One pot/pan/skillet meals

Easy dinner recipes using just one cooking vessel to minimize cleanup.

Pressure cooker recipes

Takes advantage of popularity of Instant Pots and electric pressure cookers.

Camp cooking/backpacking

Outdoor recipes tailored for campsites and backpacking without standard kitchen tools.

Specific diet

Diets like paleo, Mediterranean, low FODMAP, etc. Gives followers of that diet new recipe ideas

The key is picking a niche with a clearly defined audience looking for specialized recipes and content around that topic. Staying laser focused helps attract the right readers.

Next, put effort into developing excellent recipes and high-quality food photography. These are the cornerstones of a successful food blog. Experiment in the kitchen to create original recipes. Invest in a good camera and lighting to make your food look delicious.

Camera Ideas

DSLR cameras

A digital SLR camera is a great choice for food photography. Popular models like the Canon EOS Rebel T7i, Nikon D3500, and Canon EOS 80D capture crisp images and allow you to use different lenses.

Mirrorless cameras

A mirrorless camera is a type of digital camera that does not use a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a traditional DSLR camera does. Instead, mirrorless cameras use an electronic viewfinder or the rear LCD screen for composing and previewing shots. They are a lighter and more compact option, mirrorless cameras like the Sony a6400, Fujifilm X-T30, and Canon EOS M50 provide DSLR-quality photos without the bulk.

Point and shoot cameras

While not as versatile, point and shoots like the Sony RX100 VII, Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III, and Panasonic Lumix LX10 offer convenience and portability.

Smartphone cameras

For starting out, you can use a smartphone like the iPhone 11 Pro or Google Pixel 4. Add-on lenses and rigs improve capabilities.

Key features to look for In A Camera

Interchangeable lenses for flexibility

Articulating LCD for food styling from different angles

Macro capability for detail shots

RAW/uncompressed image format

Full manual controls over exposure and focus

My Number one Choice for Photographing Food

Use a digital SLR (DSLR) camera, because they have better sensors. They have features which make food blogging easier such as

Interchangeable lenses

DSLRs allow you to swap different lenses like macro, zoom, wide angle, etc. This flexibility lets you use the best lens for different food photography needs.

Large image sensors

DSLRs have bigger sensors than point-and-shoot and smartphone cameras, resulting in higher image quality, better low light performance, and shallower depth of field.

Manual controls

DSLRs provide full manual control over camera settings like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. This level of creative control is critical. Incorrect white balance can result in unsightly blue, yellow, or orange color casts that detract from appetizing food photos. Correcting the white balance allows for more natural coloring in the food across a variety of light settings.

Accessories

Overhead Mounts

Copy stand

This is a stationary vertical camera stand with adjustable arms that allow you to position the camera directly overhead pointing down. Often used with DSLR cameras.

Overhead rig

This is a horizontal overhead camera mount that lets you suspend your camera above and get top-down food shots. Can accommodate DSLRs or smartphones.

Tabletop tripod mount

Mini tripods with flexible, articulating arms can be mounted on a table and bent to hang a camera over your food setup.

Smartphone rig

These holders clip onto a table and grip your smartphone's camera in place above the food. Low cost option to start you off

DIY setups - You can create an overhead mount by arranging clamps, arms, and other camera gear over a table. Or simply use a ladder above the food!

Creating your own DIY overhead camera rig for food photography is totally doable with some simple equipment. The basis is a lightweight tripod with an adjustable articulating arm attached to the top. This arm allows flexibility in positioning your camera overhead. Mount the camera securely to a ball head on the end of the arm so you can adjust and lock in the angle pointing straight down. For added height, the tripod can be placed on a table or other elevated surface. Use sandbags or clamps if needed to weigh down the tripod for stability. Alternatively, the articulating arm can be suspended from overhead mounting points like a shelf or ladder. With the ability to carefully position your camera directly above the food and control the camera remotely, this DIY rig lets you achieve consistent top-down overhead food shots on a budget. A bit of innovative DIY spirit, combined with the right articulating arm and tripod, can produce a fully functional homemade camera setup tailored for overhead food photography angles.

Benefits of an overhead camera setup:

Consistent top-down angle without shadows

Ability to shoot photos and video from directly above

Allows for optimal lighting of food and table below

Can position camera further away for wider shots

Helps capture food styling and plating details evenly

Any type of mount that allows you to easily and securely position your camera vertically above the food can enable beautiful overhead food photography.

DSLRs can utilize accessories like external flashes, light meters, remote triggers, microphones and more. This expands the capabilities of your shots.

Fast autofocus

the phase detection AF system on DSLRs allows for sharp, accurate focus on foods

While mirrorless cameras provide a lighter weight option, most established food bloggers still recommend DSLRs as the ideal balance of image quality, controls, and versatility for food photography. Popular models like the Canon EOS Rebel T7i or Nikon D5600 offer a great starting point. Investing in a good DSLR provides long-term value for food blogging.

Other equipment like tripods, remote triggers, reflectors and external mics are also useful for capturing high-quality food photos and videos. Proper lighting is critical - invest in items like reflectors, diffusers and flashes. Research the best options for your budget.

Creating Content

When creating content, focus on sharing your unique story and perspective. Add personal anecdotes and your own spin to recipes to differentiate your blog. Optimize posts for SEO by using strategic keywords, that answers the questions your readers are looking for.

Make sure to spend time designing an attractive, mobile-friendly website. Choose a clean layout and branding that reflects your style. Install key plugins and features like social sharing buttons.

Promote your blog through social media, email lists, guest posts and collaborations to grow your audience. Partner with relevant brands in your niche to create sponsored content.

Creating an email list can be a valuable strategy for food bloggers to directly engage with readers, promote new content, provide subscriber-only perks, drive traffic to their blog, gather feedback, and build a sense of community. Aweber make it simple to set up professional email newsletters that allow bloggers to regularly share recipe updates and other content with their loyal audience.

Email marketing helps bloggers build closer connections with followers, notify them about offerings like ebooks or online classes, and ultimately grow their business and brand. Setting up dedicated email outreach provides a worthwhile channel for food bloggers separate from social media to communicate with their most avid fans.

Finally, take advantage of options to monetize your blog through advertising, affiliate links, online courses, ebooks, in-person events and more.

With dedication and consistency, your food blog can become a fulfilling and financially rewarding endeavor. Focus on providing value to readers and enjoy the process of nurturing your blog over time.

So to wrap this up.

Passion

Above all, choose a subject you are genuinely passionate about, whether that's a cuisine, specialty diet, cooking technique, or food-related hobby. Your enthusiasm will come through in your writing and recipes. A topic you personally love translates to more enjoyable, engaging content.

Knowledge

Pick an area you have substantial knowledge or expertise in already, or the motivation to learn extensively. Becoming viewed as an authority depends on providing knowledgeable, trustworthy information readers can rely on. Make sure you can handle the topic.

Have you got the correct photography skills

Assess your skills

Take an honest assessment of your current photography abilities. Analyze recent food photos you’ve taken. Do they have good lighting, focus, styling and composition? Can you achieve a consistent style and quality? Identify any weak areas like under/over exposure, unappealing angles, distracting backgrounds etc. Knowing your skill gaps will help guide improvement.

Learn the fundamentals

If you’re new to food photography, take the time to learn fundamental techniques. Research basic photography skills like understanding exposure, manipulating natural light, using aperture and shutter speed, composing shots, and editing. Learn proper camera settings and lenses for shooting food. Mastering the fundamentals elevates your photos.

Practice continuously

They say practice makes perfect for a reason. The more you shoot, the better you’ll get. Dedicate time to practice photography specifically on food subjects. Experiment with different plate styles, angles, props, lighting and compositions. Use practice sessions to improve the areas you struggle with most. Gaining experience over time is key.

Study other food photographers

Looking at other established food blogs and photographers provides inspiration and knowledge. Analyze what compositions, perspectives and techniques create stunning food photos. Discover what gear and props they use. Glean tips on styling, editing and lighting through reverse engineering. Let the masters guide your skills.

Here are some top food photographers to study from with links to their websites:

Jenny Park - https://jennypark.com/

Known for her beautiful, vibrant style and attention to small details.

Laurie Smith https://lauriesmithphotography.com/

Crafts natural light scenes with elegant, refined aesthetics.

Brittany Wright https://brittanywrightimaging.com/

Creates imagery for cookbooks, brands and publications.

Eva Kosmas Flores https://www.evakosmasflores.com/

Uses bold colors and unique perspectives in her food and prop styling.

Kenji Lopez-Alt https://www.kenjilopezalt.com/

Combines food science expertise with playful imagery for recipes and cookbooks.

Andrew Scrivani http://www.andrewwscrivani.com/

Long-time New York Times food photographer who embraces imperfections.

Matt Armendariz https://mattbites.com

A seasoned, influential food blogger with a clean and balanced style.

Alice Gao https://alicegao.com

Crafts fanciful imagery with whimsical props and very clever styling.

- Gentl & Hyers - https://gentl-hyers.com

The duo behind iconic brand campaigns and editorial images.

Studying the work of top professionals reveals the techniques, aesthetics and approaches that elevate great food photography.

Take a food photography course

Consider investing in structured lessons to level up faster. In-person or online food photography courses can build expertise through direct instruction tailored to capturing delicious-looking food images. Workshops offer hands-on learning and feedback. Guided education makes skill-building more efficient.

Audience

Research the target audience for your chosen niche to ensure there is sizable demand and people actively seeking related information online. Cater content specifically for their needs and interests.

Originality

Add your own unique twist or angle to stand out from the competition. Avoid over-saturated niches and put thought into bringing fresh perspectives.

Lifestyle fit

Consider how regularly creating content fits with your current lifestyle and schedule. Don't overwhelm yourself starting out.

Growth potential

Is there room for expanding into cookbooks, products, services, etc? Pick a focus with longevity versus short-lived fads.

Food blogs if done correctly can be spectacularly successful.