From music pits to food plates, Marc Haydon’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Starting out with a passion for music and a camera in hand, he quickly discovered the thrill of capturing live performances and intimate portraits of musicians. Over time, his focus shifted, and he found himself drawn to the creativity and teamwork of food photography. In this interview Marc shares how his style has grown, what he loves most about shooting food, and the lessons he’s picked up along the way.
What was the very first shoot you ever did and how did it go? Let’s say first professional/paid shoot?
I think it was a job working for the NME at V-Festival. I was there to photograph the signing tent, so pictures of the fans with the musicians to go on the website. It wasn’t exactly the sort of job I was hoping for (I would rather have been in the pit photographing them on stage), but it was exciting to be working for the NME, with high hopes for future work. I made the most of it by asking the musicians for a quick portrait out back once they’d finished signing autographs. I got a great portrait of Ian Brown, which stayed in my portfolio for a long time when I was still clinging to the idea of being a music photographer.
How would you describe your photographic style today?
I think my style is still evolving as I learn new techniques and adapt to new technologies. My portfolio is possibly a bit eclectic for that reason, but I do think that having a distinct style is important for your brand as a photographer. At some point I will look at my work, see what is working best, and make an edit to showcase a consistent style, then build on that.
When did you realise you wanted to pursue photography professionally?
I was lucky enough to have photography as a subject at school for GCSE and then A-level. I’d been interested in photography since I was given a Canon AE-1 (aged 10) by a relative, so naturally I chose to study photography at school. I was struggling with the academic A-levels I’d chosen, and photography was a bit of a release for me. I never considered it as a career until I found out that a friend was planning to study photography at university. I actually remember that moment clearly, aged about 16, I didn’t have to think about it, I just knew then that it was what I would do.
What drew you into the world of music photography initially?
I was as passionate about music as I was about photography, so it seemed obvious to me at that time to make it my subject of choice.
What sparked your transition from music to food photography?
I was struggling to get any work, let alone paid work, as a music photographer. I managed to get paid jobs as a photographer, but not in music. I’d always played guitar and written my own music, so once I’d moved to London I formed a band and played music myself. At that point I felt I could fulfil my musical passion with the band and go in a different direction with photography.
Was there a particular project or moment that helped make the switch feel right?
The switch wasn’t really from music to food. I’d been working as a photographer in e-commerce and fashion, specialising in still life and jewellery. I was craving creative shoots, but my paid work was becoming increasingly e-commerce, white background and cut-out photography, which could be technically challenging but not creatively. I decided I would try and find work assisting photographers who were doing the kind of thing I wanted to be doing. In searching for still life photographers to work for, I came across food photographers and just thought it could be interesting, and I love food so why not. I felt so at home on the first food shoot that I assisted on. I liked the atmosphere of the studio and the teamwork with food and prop stylists. A couple of photographers in particular who gave me a lot of work and inspired me to start shooting food myself were Diana Miller and Steve Baxter. If it wasn’t for them, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. It wasn’t long before I started testing with my own food shoots and building up my new portfolio.
What do you love most about photographing food?
I love the challenge of trying to showcase the best feature of any food, whether it be glossy sauces, flaky pastries or frothy drinks. I work collaboratively with my team to bring out those details through lighting, composition and styling. For that reason every day is different and I like that.
What role does post-production play in your process?
It depends on the shoot. A fair amount of my work just has a little retouching, tweaking colours and contrast to get the best out of the product and balance the overall image. Increasingly though, especially with packaging work, we have jobs where we need to provide images as cut-outs, usually with a shadow on a separate layer so it can be put onto a different background. The challenge there is to shoot it and retouch it in a way that makes the image sit comfortably on the intended background. I used to do a lot of retouching myself, so I’m quite interested in the process and although I have an in-house retoucher, I like to sit down and check through all the layers to make sure it matches my vision.
What’s one mistake photographers often make when trying to go pro?
I would probably say, from personal experience, that one mistake is looking for full-time photography jobs. I got stuck in a bit of an e-commerce rut and was close to giving up the idea of being a photographer and moving into management instead. Freelance is risky, but it keeps you on your toes and usually leads to better places.
Any tools or gear you swear by?
I love my Hasselblad. The quality and colour of the images were so impressive when I first shot on one, I’ve never looked back.
How do you adapt your style to fit different brands or clients?
I think it’s largely down to the lighting and props that determine the style, and we adapt for the different aesthetics that clients are looking for. At the moment, hard lighting seems to be in fashion, so I’m getting a lot of briefs asking for that. I started out using really soft lighting, so I’ve had to adapt, and I’m actually starting to like it a lot now that I’ve honed my technique.
How did you first come across Production Paradise, and what made you want to get involved?
Years ago, when I decided that I needed to be working with photographers doing the kind of work I wanted to be doing, I used Production Paradise. It seemed like almost all of the photographers on there were at the top of their game and producing excellent work. When I started shooting 100% food and drink and was happy with the quality of work I was producing, I felt it was time for me to be up there too.
A big thank you to Marc for giving us a glimpse into his creative journey, to see more of his work visit his Website or Production Paradise Member Page.
