first off - thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience on this forum! It's been almost two years now that I wrote this article, and I'm amazed at how much interest it continues to generate (on this forum, over email, and by way of reporters calling me for comments). So thanks for taking the time to add your wisdom for the benefit of all. I couldn't agree more with you on the topic of copyright ... :-)

There are however a few things you talked about that I would like to address:

1. The food stylist issue. You make the point that it's absolutely imperative to have a highly-paid stylist at hand in order to get good food shots. Allow me to disagree on two points. :-)

A - The original article talks about "simple techniques for the ambitious amateur" - it wasn't aimed at someone who can afford to pay $900 a day to hire a food stylist and an assistant, nor do I think that's really necessary for the level at which most budding food photographers operate.

Having been a chef yourself, you probably know that most chefs are quite proficient at styling their food to please the eye, so even if the photographer has to nip and tuck the dish a bit, they can come up with something that is appealing to the consumer.

B - Not every single town in this country has a readily-available food stylist at hand. I should know - I live in Central Oregon, in a town with roughly 70,000 people, but 400+ restaurants (many of them first-rate). I've yet to come across a professional food stylist. So in practicality, you'll find that you often have to wing it on a food shoot. Therefore, it's beneficial for the amateur photographer to get acquainted with basic styling techniques and props, which this article advocates.

2. Compensation: I stayed away from giving precise numbers on the grounds that while in an East Coast metropolis like Philadelphia, your clients may be willing to pay the roughly $2000 a day for a "typical" food shoot - but no single food photography client in my region of the country has ever been willing to pay even close to such a fee.

Rather, photographers who are trying to break into the industry (like the ones that have left feedback on this forum or have approached me via email) are more likely to start out doing shoots for caterers and restaurant owners, and should figure out first what the market in their region pays, consult with the client's budget, and sensibly negotiate a reasonable fee that will allow them and their peers to make a living, while retaining the client for the long run.

Needless to say, once they've acquired the kind of skill and business savvy that you, Ken, are displaying, they'll be able to compete for higher-paying, national commercial and editorial clients. But I'd strongly caution beginners against throwing a $2,000-a-day quote at a restaurant owner in a small or medium-sized town because they read in this forum that that's what you can charge ...

And lastly - the 10-20 minutes I suggested as time to take the shot *included* styling time. Note it says: "Even with the best-case scenario, you won't have more than 15 to 20 minutes from the moment the food exits the pan or fridge to get your shot." Ideally, of course, you'll indeed be able to take the actual shot in a couple of minutes, as you'll already have your gear and props setup perfectly and you're ready to go the second the plate gets put in front of the lens.

Regards,

- Simone