FOR THE LOVe
OF FOOD
LAURA VIJSELAAR
- Food AND InteriOr stylist -
Laura Vijselaar is a food and interior stylist, also known as a prop stylist, with an impressive portfolio in leading magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Her passion is hunting for beautiful ceramics, painting and creating backgrounds, and most importantly, working with food.
POM AMSTERDAM had a chat with her to discuss her vision on styling, use of colour, and achieving the perfect shot.
FOR THE LOVE
OF FOOD
LAURA VIJSELAAR
- FOOD AND INTERIOR STYLIST -
Laura Vijselaar is a food and interior stylist, also known as a prop stylist, with an impressive portfolio in leading magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Her passion is hunting for beautiful ceramics, painting and creating backgrounds, and most importantly, working with food.
POM AMSTERDAM had a chat with her to discuss her vision on styling, use of colour, and achieving the perfect shot.
FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD
LAURA VIJSELAAR
- FOOD AND INTERIEUR STYLIST -
Laura Vijselaar is a food and interior stylist, also known as a prop stylist, with an impressive portfolio in leading magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Her passion is hunting for beautiful ceramics, painting and creating backgrounds, and most importantly, working with food.
POM AMSTERDAM had a chat with her to discuss her vision on styling, use of colour, and achieving the perfect shot.
INTRODUCTION
Creating, painting, and setting the mood.
You are a food and interior stylist. Your work is featured in well-known magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Tell us!
I come from a creative family: my mother is an artist, my sister is a designer, and my cousin is a stylist. Creating, painting, and setting the mood. So, you could say it's been ingrained in me from an early age. As a child, I loved repainting and redecorating my room or painting on canvas. I was always focused on creating an atmosphere.
After studying at Artemis and Vogue Academy and gaining experience at photoshoots, I became an independent stylist. My passion for food styling ignited when I received a project from the interior design industry. Since then, I've been working with various photo teams for beautiful productions in different food magazines for 10 years. Searching for ceramics, painting backgrounds, and creating beautiful compositions with food, I love it!
YOUR PURPOSE
THE ROLE OF ATMOSPHERE
What is your purpose in creating food and interior styling?
My advice: mix and match different colours, prints, and materials, surprise yourself, and most importantly, dare. You'll be amazed at how beautifully it can work in your home, office, or on camera.
THE CREATION PROCESS
LAYERING
How would you describe your unique style?
My unique style is distinguished by my passion for creating beautiful backgrounds for food photography. Layering in my backgrounds is one of the aspects where I excel. It adds depth to the image. By applying different layers of paint, depth and liveliness are created in the food image. A beautiful background enhances the entire picture. Combining it with sleek or vintage crockery immediately elevates the image.
Colour is essential in my work; it can enhance the image or work against it. Some colors in backgrounds are always challenging when paired with food. Red and orange clash with food and make the image less appealing. Shades like blue, green, grey, black, and white make the food stand out and strengthen the image.
"COMBINE DIFFERENT COLOURS, PRINTS, AND MATERIALS, SURPRISE YOURSELF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DARE. YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT HOW BEAUTIFULLY IT CAN WORK IN YOUR HOME, OFFICE, OR ON CAMERA."
INTRODUCTION
Creating,painting, and
setting the mood.
You are a food and interior stylist. Your work is featured in well-known magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Tell us!
I come from a creative family: my mother is an artist, my sister is a designer, and my cousin is a stylist. Creating, painting, and setting the mood. So, you could say it's been ingrained in me from an early age. As a child, I loved repainting and redecorating my room or painting on canvas. I was always focused on creating an atmosphere.
After studying at Artemis and Vogue Academy and gaining experience at photoshoots, I became an independent stylist. My passion for food styling ignited when I received a project from the interior design industry. Since then, I've been working with various photo teams for beautiful productions in different food magazines for 10 years. Searching for ceramics, painting backgrounds, and creating beautiful compositions with food, I love it!
INTRODUCTION
Creating, painting, and setting the mood
You are a food and interior stylist. Your work is featured in well-known magazines such as Allerhande, Delicious, and Miljuschka. Tell us!
I come from a creative family: my mother is an artist, my sister is a designer, and my cousin is a stylist. Creating, painting, and setting the mood. So, you could say it's been ingrained in me from an early age. As a child, I loved repainting and redecorating my room or painting on canvas. I was always focused on creating an atmosphere.
After studying at Artemis and Vogue Academy and gaining experience at photoshoots, I became an independent stylist. My passion for food styling ignited when I received a project from the interior design industry. Since then, I've been working with various photo teams for beautiful productions in different food magazines for 10 years. Searching for ceramics, painting backgrounds, and creating beautiful compositions with food, I love it!
PICTURE PERFECT
Enjoy your meal
What do you think of the visual perfection in the world of Instagram food porn, where aesthetics are paramount?
On our set, we avoid artificial methods like gloss spray and shoe polish on food. We cook for real and use natural methods such as olive oil for shine and ice water for crispy rocket. For browning chicken, we use a hot air gun (hair dryer), and for cocktails, sometimes artificial ice cubes. In magazines, we aim for naturalness, but for coffee and beer campaigns, special techniques are sometimes used, such as alternative beer foam, although everything usually remains edible on the set.
CHRISTMAS
Glitters and feathers
As a prop stylist, you've been decorating Christmas dishes and tables for 10 years. What are this year's Christmas trends?
This year, in Christmas decorations, we see a trend of vibrant colours such as fuchsia, purple, jade green, yellow, gold, and exotic decorations. Shiny balls with glitter, feathers, and hand-blown Christmas ornaments are popular, along with ornaments in the shape of birds, donuts, croissants, and pineapples. Making surprising combinations with flowers, coloured palm leaves, and Delft blue ornaments adds a unique touch to the Christmas tree. However, personally, I avoid traditional Christmas colours like red and green, but of course, that's a matter of taste.
YOUR PURPOSE
THE ROLE OF ATMOSPHERE
What is your purpose in creating food and interior styling?
Inspiring people, creating mouthwatering images where atmosphere plays a significant role. I try to stand out by styling in surprising ways, mixing and matching colours and materials, while ensuring that either food or interior design shines. It makes me happy to see people getting excited about interior or food in images. Then the job is done.
My advice: mix and match different colours, prints, and materials, surprise yourself, and most importantly, dare. You'll be amazed at how beautifully it can work in your home, office, or on camera.
YOUR PURPOSE
THE ROLE OF ATMOSPHERE
What is your purpose in creating food and interior styling?
Inspiring people, creating mouthwatering images where atmosphere plays a significant role. I try to stand out by styling in surprising ways, mixing and matching colours and materials, while ensuring that either food or interior design shines. It makes me happy to see people getting excited about interior or food in images. Then the job is done.
My advice: mix and match different colours, prints, and materials, surprise yourself, and most importantly, dare. You'll be amazed at how beautifully it can work in your home, office, or on camera.
THE CREATION PROCESS
Layering
How would you describe your
unique style?
My unique style is distinguished by my passion for creating beautiful backgrounds for food photography. Layering in my backgrounds is one of the aspects where I excel. It adds depth to the image. By applying different layers of paint, depth and liveliness are created in the food image. A beautiful background enhances the entire picture. Combining it with sleek or vintage crockery immediately elevates the image.
Colour is essential in my work; it can enhance the image or work against it. Some colors in backgrounds are always challenging when paired with food. Red and orange clash with food and make the image less appealing. Shades like blue, green, grey, black, and white make the food stand out and strengthen the image.
The creation process
Layering
How would you describe your
unique style?
My unique style is distinguished by my passion for creating beautiful backgrounds for food photography. Layering in my backgrounds is one of the aspects where I excel. It adds depth to the image. By applying different layers of paint, depth and liveliness are created in the food image. A beautiful background enhances the entire picture. Combining it with sleek or vintage crockery immediately elevates the image.
Colour is essential in my work; it can enhance the image or work against it. Some colors in backgrounds are always challenging when paired with food. Red and orange clash with food and make the image less appealing. Shades like blue, green, grey, black, and white make the food stand out and strengthen the image.
"Combine different coloUrs, prints, and materials, surprise yourself, and most importantly, dare. You'll be amazed at how beautifully it can work in your home, office, or on camera."
"COMBINE DIFFERENT COLOURS, PRINTS, AND MATERIALS, SURPRISE YOURSELF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DARE. YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT HOW BEAUTIFULLY IT CAN WORK IN YOUR HOME, OFFICE, OR ON CAMERA."
PICTURE PERFECT
Enjoy your meal
What do you think of the visual perfection in the world of Instagram food porn, where aesthetics are paramount?
On our set, we avoid artificial methods like gloss spray and shoe polish on food. We cook for real and use natural methods such as olive oil for shine and ice water for crispy rocket. For browning chicken, we use a hot air gun (hair dryer), and for cocktails, sometimes artificial ice cubes. In magazines, we aim for naturalness, but for coffee and beer campaigns, special techniques are sometimes used, such as alternative beer foam, although everything usually remains edible on the set.
CHRISTMAS
Glitters and feathers
As a prop stylist, you've been decorating Christmas dishes and tables for 10 years. What are this year's Christmas trends?
This year, in Christmas decorations, we see a trend of vibrant colours such as fuchsia, purple, jade green, yellow, gold, and exotic decorations. Shiny balls with glitter, feathers, and hand-blown Christmas ornaments are popular, along with ornaments in the shape of birds, donuts, croissants, and pineapples. Making surprising combinations with flowers, coloured palm leaves, and Delft blue ornaments adds a unique touch to the Christmas tree. However, personally, I avoid traditional Christmas colours like red and green, but of course, that's a matter of taste.
PICTURE PERFECT
Enjoy your meal
What do you think of the visual perfection in the world of Instagram food porn, where aesthetics are paramount?
On our set, we avoid artificial methods like gloss spray and shoe polish on food. We cook for real and use natural methods such as olive oil for shine and ice water for crispy rocket. For browning chicken, we use a hot air gun (hair dryer), and for cocktails, sometimes artificial ice cubes. In magazines, we aim for naturalness, but for coffee and beer campaigns, special techniques are sometimes used, such as alternative beer foam, although everything usually remains edible on the set.
CHRISTMAS
Glitters and feathers
As a prop stylist, you've been decorating Christmas dishes and tables for 10 years. What are this year's Christmas trends?
This year, in Christmas decorations, we see a trend of vibrant colours such as fuchsia, purple, jade green, yellow, gold, and exotic decorations. Shiny balls with glitter, feathers, and hand-blown Christmas ornaments are popular, along with ornaments in the shape of birds, donuts, croissants, and pineapples. Making surprising combinations with flowers, coloured palm leaves, and Delft blue ornaments adds a unique touch to the Christmas tree. However, personally, I avoid traditional Christmas colours like red and green, but of course, that's a matter of taste.
"LAYERING IN MY BACKGROUNDS IS ONE OF THE ASPECTS WHERE I EXCEL.
IT ADDS DEPTH TO THE IMAGE."
"Layering in my backgrounds is one of the aspects where I excel. It adds depth to the image."
"LAYERING IN MY BACKGROUNDS IS ONE OF THE ASPECTS WHERE I EXCEL. IT ADDS DEPTH TO THE IMAGE."
A few more short styling questions
A few more short styling questions
A FEW MORE SHORT STYLING QUESTIONS
