The one question I’m always asked as a food photographer is ‘Do you shoot real food or is it fake?’  In the past it was popular to use tricks to help the food withstand the length of a photoshoot by using dummy plastic food, mash potato for ice cream, motor oil as syrup etc. But I always shoot the real thing to keep everything looking as natural and honest as possible.  I find a brush of oil or juices onto meat to refresh it is enough to keep the dish looking fresh.

For my recent Christmas food shoot I picked up a little tip from our food stylist who was brushing the turkeys with mix of marmite, washing up liquid and cooking oil.  Using a small paint brush she covered any pale patches on the turkeys in places were the bird hadn’t naturally brown, to give a lovely even colour all over. Great tip.