Essential Food Photography Gear For Food Photographers

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If you’ve ever wondered what’s in a food photographers bag or what they may use on a regular basis, you’ve definitely come to the right place! This is all the equipment I use and some of the things I highly recommend, based on things I’ve read and other food photographers I know. So, whether you’re brand new to this or have been at this a while, this the guide is for you!

spice cake on a white plate with two slices taken out of it

My Stuff:

My Camera: Canon EOS 90D
Favorite Lenses:
- Most Used: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f4/5.6 IS STM Lens
- Good for Close Ups: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4/5.6 IS STM Lens
Tripod:
- Manfrotto MT055CXPRO3 055 Carbon Fiber 3-Section Tripod
- Manfrotto Head
Artificial Light:
- Socket: Foto4Easy E27 Socket Multi-Holder
- Bulbs: Westcott Daylight LED Bulb with Tungsten Cover (I use 2 bulbs)
- Stand: Westcott 750 Photo Basics 6.5-Foot Light Stand
- Softbox: Westcott 2×3′ Softbox with Silver Interior
Reflector:
- Stand: LimoStudio Photo Studio 78″ Tall Lighting Reflector Arm Stand
- Reflector: Neewer 5 in 1 Portable Round Collapsible Multi Disc Photography Lighting Reflector

apple butter linzer cookies stacked with white flowers

What I Recommend

For The Beginner:

This is equipment I’ve owned before, or have known other photographers use. I started out with the Rebel T6i and It’s still, to this day, one of my favorite cameras for so many things! I even still use the lens I started out with.

Cameras:
- Canon EOS Rebel T6i
- Canon EOS T8i
Lens:
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f4/5.6 IS STM Lens
Tripod:
- AmazonBasics 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod with Bag

Tip: If you’re on a tight budget, shop around! Try looking at your local camera store, too! You never know what you might find.

four beignets in wood basket with star anise, cinnamon sticks, copper cutters, two more beignets, and napkin on counter

three apple pie crumble bars stacked on wire cooling rack

Additional Accessories

Backdrops:
- Most of mine are from Replica Surfaces, but making your own can be a lot of fun! I also recommend checking out Amazon for cheaper vinyl backgrounds. I actually started out with a lot of vinyl back drops from Amazon.
Camera Backpack: This is my savior. It make storage and on the go shoots so much easier, trust me!
Sandbags: to hold tripods and stands down. This is super important. A lot of the time, whatever you’re using, whether it’s a reflector or a light, it can be heavier than the tripod can handle. So, sandbags are the perfect thing to make sure your equipment stays put.
Step Stool: trust me, this helps! It has saved me from so much back pain. Especially with those overhead shots!
Diffuser: to soften light. Very important!
Wipes: to keep your camera and all your lenses as clean as possible!