Creating a Moody Farmhouse Kitchen Photography Backdrop

While my photography style has changed some over the years, one thing I still love to create is a more moody farmhouse kitchen look. But what do you do if you don’t have that type of kitchen to photograph in?

I find that piecing together wood boards with a vinyl surface can create a rustic countertop look as a photography backdrop. In this video, I show you one way to create it to give you ideas for what you can create in your own space. This is a photo I included for my Farm Fresh Photos stock photography membership.

15 Props for Food and Product Photography

In the past 10 years, I went from a photographer who hated the idea shelves stacked with a clutter of props to a food and product photography prop LOVER. I can’t see anything - a cup, a spoon, or even a salt shaker - without envisioning a photo.

I try to be cautious of repetitively using the same items to prop my food and product photos. But there are some that I love so much. I just have to have them around. 

These are a few things that make it to set with me for nearly all my shots with examples of them in food, candle, and flower photos. I hope they give you some creative ideas for things to keep around your set.  

Reused and Upcycled Props for Food and Product Photography

A little while back, I showed a glass on my Instagram Stories that formerly held a candle. I’d cleaned it up to use as a juice glass in my food and product photography prop collection.

I do this a lot - reuse and upcycle everyday things and keep them as props.

When I asked if you all would like me to go through some examples of these items in my prop collection, I got a lot of yeses. So here you go.

In this video, I go through several props and finish up with photo examples of how I’ve used them.

*Also, minor typo. I said copyrighted when I meant trademarked. Sorry, it was too minor of a mistake to reshoot a whole video so I corrected it in the captions.

One Photography Prop Four Ways - Colander

My prop collection is minimal compared to other studios I’ve toured. I carefully evaluate each piece I buy - can I use this multiple times without it looking like the same photo?  

When it comes to something I will use a lot, like a colander due to all my produce photography, I know I’m going to need different types in my collection to create unique photos. For me, that warrants keeping a few extra around and jumping on the chance when I find something a little unique. 

Today I’m showing you the diversity of the three I have and how they can be used to create different moods of photos. I include why I chose them for this look. 

The first is a handmade ceramic colander from Fringe and Fettle. The style and color of this one leads to some comforting photos that don’t have to go too dark and moody. It looks great on white wood with berries. 

This is another handmade ceramic colander from Honeybee Pottery. It’s much larger and the handmade quality allows for use in rustic, farmhouse type looks while the color provides for some vibrance in the shot.

This basic mesh colander is what I turn to when I need to create more of a modern kitchen look. 

This green metal colander is a bit of an outlier for me. I use it when I want to create something a little different, outside of my usual style. This is from a personal single-tone project I did where I kept all components of the photo the same hue. I also added some lace in my light source to create pattern in this one. 

Food and Product Photography Linens

This post contains a couple affiliate links which means if you buy one of these linens from Etsy, I receive a tiny commission.

I admit I’m a little obsessed with linens. 

For my shopping personality, they check all the boxes. They’re less of a commitment than, say, a big piece of handmade pottery. They are easy to store in my prop collection so I have the freedom to go overboard. They make great travel souvenirs because they pack light. 

For my work, they add that special touch to a photo that speaks to our individual styles. They serve as a baby step for venturing out of our comfort zones when we want to add something a little different - in color, in pattern. There are so many textures and colors that can support the moods we aim to create with your photos. 

I have many people ask me where I get my linens, so I’m sharing three spots I love below. 

Lakeshore Linens makes up the majority of my linen collection. I absolutely love the colors, textures, styles, and sizes.

112 James Street is a spot I discovered a couple years ago. I have a few of their linens and I need to order some more! I love the deep, natural colors that are available.

Craft and fabric stores are where I turn when I want to have fun with prints. Look in the handkerchief section. There are usually brightly colored options and they are super affordable so you won’t be afraid to take a chance on a few. 

Want to read more about linens. I wrote a post a while back about 6 Types of Linens to Diversify Your Prop Collection.