Sweet serendipity

Meet Meera Fathima, a Saudi Arabia-based Malayali photographer who ventured into the world of colours and flavours quite accidentally and found her cup of tea there
Meera Fathima,  food stylist and photographer
Meera Fathima,  food stylist and photographer

KOCHI: For Meera Fathima, the foray into food photography was nothing but a ‘sweet accident’. Two years ago, when she was gifted a DSLR by her husband, little did she know that one day she’d be wading through the world of food photography, freezing ‘delicious frames’, conducting workshops and giving tutorials to aspiring photographers.Now in Kerala for a break, this Saudi Arabia-based dentist-turned-photographer has managed to break bread with the profession, taking up multiple assignments in the Gulf country and back home.

“When I first laid my hands on the camera, I had zero clue about the equipment or the vast prospects of food photography. After I became familiar with the equipment, I started clicking pictures of household things, but soon ran out of subjects. That’s when I began clicking food. The pictures I uploaded on my Instagram were flooded with appreciation. Soon, this turned into a profession,” says Meera. Over the last two years, Meera has worked with major food outlets and clients in Saudi Arabia, including The Sandwich Gallery and Omega Foods, clicking tantalising food shots which left the foodies drooling.

From styling to photography
Interestingly, for Meera, it all began with workshops. “A few of my friends wanted me to hold workshops. I did that by associating with a blogger friend and it went well. Then, I did one in Bengaluru which was a great experience. Once back in Saudi Arabia, I was determined to continue work there too,” says Meera.

She kick-started her career in the country by approaching food bloggers, one of who decided to associate with her. “Getting a foothold in Saudi was tough, but thankfully I managed to do well. During my brief stint, I managed to take up 15 independent assignments, besides working with one of the best in the industry,” says the photographer.  

As she went about with her work, Meera discovered what ‘clicked’ for her. “A human element in the picture gives it life. Also, I think dark, moody images really work. A picture needs to be dynamic and an element of motion always makes it look realistic,” says Meera. Now in Kerala for a break, Meera’s plans were thwarted when Covid struck. But, she wanted to continue doing what she loved. “Two things I did here was finding local clients and starting online tutorials. Both were great experiences,” she adds.

Though she left her props at home in Jeddah, Meera found what she needed in her mother’s kitchen. Soon, she was working with clients like Gunsberg and Ossoro, Rage Coffee and Meron Hydrocolloids. “Though Covid prevents us from travelling freely, I do take up assignments on a monthly basis or as per the customers’ requirements,” says Meera.

‘Food Styling and Photography Workshop for beginners’ is keeping her busy now, helping many photography enthusiasts get closer to their dreams. Meera, whose latest tutorial includes session on food photography with blogger Anjana Gopakumar, finds gratification when her ‘students’ respond enthusiastically to the sessions. 

Food photography - A few tips
■   Know your equipment: The focus should be on knowing your gear, whatever that is, rather than owning a costly one. It’s about your skill and not the equipment
■   Natural light: Trust natural light, which is free and abundant.
■   Overuse of prop: A prop is nothing but just a prop. Don’t let it overshadow the food. All one needs is a white plate or a white sheet. Go minimal.
■   Step-by-step: Photography as an art is all about learning it. Learn the basic before taking the next step.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com