We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shilpa Iyer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shilpa below.
Hi Shilpa, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
As with any new venture, the learning curve is always large. I had always been a photography-enthusiast. From travel photos during film photography days to street photos, I had experience with a camera but when I decided to plunge into the world of food photography, I felt my skills I had obtained as a hobbyist weren’t nearly enough to be worthy of being paid. It seemed like all the other food photographers out there were producing such beautiful work that I just couldn’t produce. I dove into online courses that promised success. And even after a lot of hard work over years, I’d always felt that I wasn’t qualified enough to be a food photographer because I didn’t go to school for it. With that constant chip on your shoulder, it is hard to see what you’re truly capable of, as you’re always comparing yourself to your peers in the industry. It wasn’t until a large baking company contacted me, what seemed like out of the blue, and asked me if I was interested in a 2 year project updating their outdated images online with new imagery for their recipes. I recall getting on a zoom call with them for my interview and they said that I was exactly who they were looking for because they saw something in my photography and felt I would be a good fit for their team. It was that moment when I realized I didn’t have to be afraid about my skills or my level of expertise. There is a market for everyone. Never put yourself down and try to feel confident about the work you do. Recognize that there will always be growth and future self looking back may cringe a bit, but that’s a good sign. That shows that we are getting better with time and practice. Realize that it is okay that you aren’t the right fit for every job. Be confident in the skills that you have and find trusted people to have in your corner. Everyone goes through imposter syndrome at some point in time, but self-reflection from time to time will help one overcome this.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a professional food photographer and videographer based along the Jersey Shore. I work on a variety of projects within the food photography industry including editorial work and food branding videos and images. My love for food was largely shaped by my upbringing in food-obsessed Singapore. I was born in India but my family moved to Singapore when I was 9 months old. We were fortunate that this opportunity to move to Singapore came about. While we didn’t know much about the country at the time, my parents recognized soon enough that while physically small, this country was culturally-vast and would eventually contribute vastly to my love of travel and food. A tiny island, located at the southern tip of Malaysia, people from varied backgrounds both from the region and from afar called it home. It’s no surprise that Singapore’s food scene developed into something unique, each culture borrowing spices and kitchen techniques from each other and applying it to their dishes. This resulting amalgamation of cuisines created a food-obsessed nation and my experiences growing up here has clearly influenced who I am today. I’m always seeking new places to travel and new foods to try, which in turn has led me to this career as a food photographer.
I came into professional photography by accident. I have a master’s degree in Hydrogeology and worked for an environmental consulting company for a decade before my son was born. With motherhood taking up most of my time, I quit my consulting job and started a small online boutique from home. I’d always been a photo enthusiast, mainly with street and travel photography, so those skills were soon utilized to create product photography for my site. Being able to present those images in their best light forced me to really practice using a DSLR for full control of my images. I continued doing this for my business which taught me how to become a better photographer. Over time however, I found myself spending my free time photographing my lunches and dinners and posting them on instagram. This resonated with me far more than owning a boutique and after much consideration decided to dive head in, into the world of food photography on a professional level. After several months of practicing my skills on my lunches and dinners, and them on social media, I started to become a bit more confident in my skills. It wasn’t until I was contacted by a large baking company who wanted to see if I’d be interested in working on a food photography project for them. The project solidified the idea that I could be doing what I love (photography) on a subject that meant so much to me (food!) and do this on a professional basis.
As time went on, through the power of social media, more food-related businesses started reaching out to me as well as local restaurants and distilleries to help them capture images for their marketing purposes. My food photography business really took off which I’ve been working on for nearly 6 years now. While I have my own signature style of photography, which draws upon the tropical rainy environment I grew up in, I love that I can create different styles of images based on my clients’ needs. It pushes me to look for ways to make my work stand out from the rest of the crowd. One of the biggest things I’ve learned about myself through my food photography journey is that one should always look back upon experiences that are unique to you and inject that into your art. There is a tendency when one is starting out to emulate your mentors and photograph in their style, but what will really set you apart is when you can channel those experiences, that only you know, into your art, giving you a unique voice in a somewhat saturated industry.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The top three areas of advice I would give someone starting out is to practice, save your money for better gear only when you’ve exhausted your current gear and finally really listen to yourself. The key to improvement is from practice. As a photographer, even though I’ve been a professional photographer for 6 years, I’m still practicing. There are always new trends out there and in order to grow, one has to invest the time to make sure you’re expanding your skill base. Not only is it important to show versatility in this field, I find that practicing allows me to go deeper into my art and create something that is truly unique to me.
As the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. I truly believe this. While I have fallen into the trap of spending money on the latest equipment falsely thinking that that is what I needed to improve on my photography, years of experience have shown me that you don’t need the latest lens or camera to capture the shot. There was a time where I had a camera bag full of lenses that I’d take on shoots but quickly noticed that I had my go-tos that I would use regularly. I finally made the decision to purge my gear last year and now operate with one good camera and two lenses, a wide angle to capture a larger scene and a macro lens for those juicy closeups of melting dripping cheese.
Finally, one should always listen to oneself. It always helps to feel grounded and centered when you’re overwhelmed with the numerous styles of food photography out there. It’s easy to want your style of photography to always be on trend but the truth is, trends come and go. Take the time to look at your own experiences and see what you gravitate towards. Look for inspiration outside of photography – such as design or textiles or landscapes when you travel. These lifelong experiences that you’ve had are unique only to you so channel those experiences to create something that will stand out.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
As a food photographer, I’ve had the pleasure over the years to work with a variety of people in the food world. One of things I love doing is meeting people who share the same passion for food and travel as I do. If you have a food brand that you’d love to share with the world, please contact me. I work with both small and larger brands and help owners come up with concepts for showing off their food products. You can always connect with me via my website or through instagram. Emails are also a great way to reach me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shilpaiyer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shilpaiyereats/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shilpaiyereats/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpaiyerphotography/
Image Credits
Shilpa Iyer
