Giedre Barauskiene is a freelance photographer and stylist. Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, she worked as an Editor-in-Chief in several Lithuanian magazines for women before pursuing a career as an editorial and commercial food photographer and stylist. She contributes as a food editor and photographer for one of the most significant Lithuanian fashion and lifestyle magazine “Moteris” @moteris for now. Also Giedre is a several cookbook author and photographer.

What backdrops are you using?

Usually wood, cloth, painted cloth – they are my favourite backgrounds. I love textured backgrounds. Sometimes I use paper. I don’t want the colour of the background or backdrop to contrast too much with the colours of the food I am shooting. Every time my eyes are looking for something new for the background or backdrop. During my journeys, especially being abroad, I catch myself staring at beautiful textured walls and doors which I would like to bring back home…

How do you start with styling?

Sometimes spontaneously and it usually happens when I work for personal projects. Love this feeling – not to be restrained by rules, just follow your nature, intuition.

Commercial projects are planned and this part of my work I accept as training myself. This experience guides me and lets me achieve better results even though I imagine I work spontaneously.

When I shoot a hot dish, I prefer to have my set prepared. I make some testing shots with an empty plate looking for a better composition, angle and framing in advance.

If it is not a hot dish, I can improve the scene for hours – it gives me satisfaction. This improving doesn’t mean overdoing the set, to me it means making it more natural, simple, not boring.

It’s easer to take pictures of sweet dishes than hot dishes, meat and fish dishes. That’s why so many accounts on Instagram are dedicated to cakes and other sweets.

What is your focus with styling

All the time a feel of the inner dispute between minimalism and not minimalism, old stuff and modern things. So every time I try to find the balance and harmony between contraries.

Love both – high key and low key.

For many years I worked as an editor-in-chief in several Lithuanian magazines for women. During that time I collected a huge and rich background as a viewer. Now I am enjoying creating pictures myself.  

My two daughters are my models;-)

What props do you often use?

Prefer calm, neutral or dark colors, natural materials. For dish styling I can use a modern brand bowl or unique handmade ceramics or a dried monsteras flower which naturally has a bowl shape. Or I use my grandma’s antique plate. It all depends. 

I already have a big enough collection of different props. 

Witch light do you work  (daylight/artificial)?

I am a daylight photographer. Light plays the main role in every picture – it makes the picture alive. 

The daylight is volatile, sometimes unpredictable and not easy to control but only in very critical situations I use studio lighting which I find more and more interesting to me.

What camera and lenses do you use and/or tripod?

My camera is quite old – Canon 5D Mark II. Thinking about getting a new one. The main two lenses I use – 50mm/1.4 and 24-70mm/2.8. Tripod – Manfrotto.

Which program to edit your photos?

More often I use Photoshop but sometimes I work with Lightroom as well.

Tips and tricks?

* After many photo shoots I proven to myself  that a white agro cloth is a very useful tool – it perfectly serves as a light filter. You can use several layers of them.

* While shooting food always remember that the hero is the dish (or the product) and not the props even though they are very beautiful, new or antique, rare or trendy. They are only assistants, they can help to complete or to destroy the picture.

* Find the beauty in imperfection, do not try to eliminate the human factor from the picture: not identical size of cookies or slices, crumpled cloth, etc.

* If food in the photograph looks good that’s great but if it looks beautiful and tasty – it’s perfect.

*If take a picture for a magazine think about the place for the text on it.

*Don’t miss golden hour without making a capture.

Do you want to follow Giedre?

Instagram: @giedre_barauskiene

More behind the scenes..?

@flourgirl
@ofearthandink
@joorkitchen
@foodlove
@daileygreenspiration