04/21/2026
Senior literary agent Sally Ekus explained the ins and outs of cookbook publishing on her substack, including the daunting task of hiring a food photographer for your cookbook.
In my own cookbook "Gasthaus Cookbook & Memories," I was not only the photographer but also the food stylist, recipe creator, cook, and author all in one.
Creating a cookbook takes a lot of discipline and time, and it's also a costly project. You'll need to buy the ingredients to cook the food, and buy props such as plates, linens, and backdrops. Invest in the proper photography equipment to carefully light the scene, then shoot and tether the images to your laptop to process them in your editing software. I taught myself all these processes over time and paid for them with the part-time jobs I held. The book creation took me from beginning to end only 3 years. It started with interviewing my dad about his cooking, noting any backstory he shared along the way, like how my great-grandmother was the best sauerkraut maker in her town.
With that said, I took a break from full-time work while I was working on this very important and incredibly rewarding cookbook, but it's time to apply my talents and tenacity elsewhere. The job market is tight, and it's been challenging to find full-time work. If anyone is looking for a hard-working, resourceful, dedicated, and friendly employee, shoot me a message!
https://notsosecretagent.substack.com/p/bites-camera-action?r=6lue7&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
