September's Interview

This Month's Interview is with my friend Monika Jonaite. Monika is a UK Food & Product Photographer. She started her photography career a few years ago, during the pandemic and has since worked with several brands, restaurants and magazines showcasing her talent in food photography, food styling and recipe development. Monika was the first friend I made on Instagram through The Members club. She has always answered my questions, always helped me find my voice and given me advice when I needed it as I was starting my photography career.
​I will forever be grateful my dear friend! 
You can find her on Instagram @foodtography.with.monique

Questions

CC - What inspired you to start your business? 

MJ - 'I was amongst those food photographers who started during Covid times. It wasn't serious at first, and before that, I didn't even know that food photography existed as a job. I have created an Instagram account just for fun to share my daily recipes. Then I saw others doing the same but for a living as food photographers and influencers. And this was how it all started: when I was approached by a brand for photography. It was all so new for me, had only just bought my Nikon camera, and now, when I look back at that image, I find it awful. But that was my beginning'. 

CC- What was the one mistake you've made that taught you a valuable lesson?

MJ - 'I was once in a rush with a with a client's project and I delivered the gallery as soon as I finished editing, it was a very night. Next morning I regretted it because I saw the images with fresh eyes and realised I could of made a few more edits'.

CC - If you were to start over, what would you do differently from the very beginning? 

MJ - 'To start working with brands we don't really need a portfolio or a website. However, I think a website could show others how professional you are'.

CC - What trends should aspiring/established photographers look out for? 

MJ - 'I think every photographer should keep an eye on the food magazines, trends in the supermarkets and food TV shows.'

CC - Can you describe a typical day in your life as a food photographer? 

MJ - 'My day as a food photographer starts the night before the shooting day. I like to sketch my visuals on the paper and write all the possible angles and supporting elements. Then I go to sleep and sometimes I wake up in the morning knowing exactly how I want my image to look like. it's interesting how different photographers approach their work. On top of that, I am a one-man band so I do the scene setup - lighting, backdrops, styling props. If cooking is required, the day begins very early in the morning, and you know, the food needs extra attention for the shooting as food styling is another profession I do for my images. So, firstly, I create the scene without any food and I take a few shots and quickly edit applying my favourite presets, because at this point the composition might change drastically. I always shoot tethered so that I can see the final result straight away and adjust. When the food is transferred to the scene, it is time for the final images. Normally, I don't edit right away unless I need to reflect on what was done. I can leave the composed scene in my studio (of course, the food cannot stay nice & fresh) , but if I need to revisit the scene is still there and I can only make a few tweaks. Another activity I never skip is enjoying food after shooting. Then, I also have admin tasks like replying to emails and pitching to brands. And normally, I edit my images in the evening and review them in the morning before I deliver the gallery to the client'.

CC - How do you grow as a food photographer? Do you have a mentor? 

MJ - 'I believe in CPD ( Continuing Personal Development) and always try to engage in professional activities and enhance my abilities to offer better and improved services to my existing and future clients. I have a variety of professional food photography books, resources and purchased professional courses which I revisit constantly. I am also a member of Foodlight Members Club for over 3 years, where we have a fantastic and interactive community of food creatives and I believe that interaction with others like minded people like yourself, is a must in order to have a successful career and a great motivation. At times, it is difficult to cultivate yourself, but personal projects can really stimulate and push you to learn new things, and the more you practise your skills, the better you will become.'

CC - How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? 

MJ - 'It's not always easy and sometimes I need to work late evenings to finish my edits or I use my weekends for bigger projects. But I do think it is very important to maintain a healthy work-life balance and every creative I know, has got their own daily practices. My morning starts with a hot cup of coffee and a quick walk in the park to get some fresh air and stimulate ideas in my head. Also, I never start a shooting day without having my breakfast'.

​CC - How do you want to be remembered? What kind of legacy will you leave behind? 

MJ - 'As a food photographer, I would like to see to see my images appearing one day in magazines and cook books. My biggest dream is to write and publish my own cook book'. 

CC - What was the hardest business decision in business career so far and what did you learn from it? 

MJ - ' When it comes to the decision making, the hardest is always to put the dot on the final pricing for the client. At the very beginning I had a rate card where I was charging per image and now, in my educated opinion, that is wrong as every client/project is different with its own challenges, styling, editing time an so on. I have also learnt that to start a client's project, firstly you need to build a relationship so a face to face call is very important. Now, I don't even work with clients that are not interested in having the initial call '.  
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CC - What was the defining moment that caused you to decide to do what you are doing? 

MJ - 'I Inherited my love for food and passion for cooking from my mother, an extraordinary woman who spent 35 years in the kitchen as a professional chef. I grew up surrounded by the textures, colours, flavours and aromas of home-cooked dishes accompanied by the professional knowledge of a chef. I 'love' playing with the food and products in the scene'. 

Thank you for your time Monika, it was great finding out more about your journey.