The photographs you see in the cookbooks in your kitchen? They’re someone's career. The image of the ice-covered can on the side of the soda box? A professional photographer created it. In this eye-opening course taught by professional photographer Joe Lavine, you learn that bringing food and products to life through images is both a detail-oriented form of art and a sought after skill.

Offering a comprehensive look into the world of a food and product photographer, Lavine will guide you through mock shoots that cover set-up, shooting, and post-processing. As you photograph increasingly complex food arrangements, Lavine demonstrates photo "secrets" such as using glycerin and glossy sprays, creating the appearance of steam, and using kitchen tools to your advantage. You shoot at a local restaurant with mixed lighting and in the studio creating images of beverages with frosted glass, bubbles, and colored liquids. Business lectures cover usage rights, rates and fees, expenses, and working with assistants, reps, and studio managers. Lavine also discusses the value of websites, portfolios, direct mailings, and source books. Regular critiques along the way ensure you’re making progress.