Online Food Photography Course by Eva Kosmas Flores (Review)

Given the extensive offering of online courses and books on food photography, picking the right resources to improve your photography skills might feel overwhelming. This article will summarize what has worked for me and provide an in-depth review of the resources that I found most helpful in this journey.

Why I Chose This Course

First and foremost, photography has never been more than a hobby to me—well, not yet, at least. Having said that, it is definitely on my long-term wish list. To pursue this goal, I wanted a quick way to master the skills needed to excel in this industry. There are always plenty of free resources on YouTube and different online platforms; however, it takes much more time to search for the missing puzzle pieces and manually put the whole picture together. This is why I spent a significant amount of time comparing different online courses, reading reviews, and analyzing what could be the best match for me. 

I have to note that I attended on-site beginner-level photography classes and online classes tailored to portraits and art photography. However, I quickly noticed that food photography differs in many ways, and I had to master new skills to achieve the look I was aiming for in my pictures. I felt like a beginner and wasn't happy with the pictures I was getting.

After comparing three different online food photography courses, I selected Eva Kosmas Flores's Photography + Styling + Branding course. This was one of the most difficult training decisions I have ever made because I wasn't sure which course would provide the most value, considering I had some knowledge from previous courses. I didn't want to pay twice for the same information. After browsing the web and evaluating the options, I chose Eva's course mainly because I was head over heels in love with her pictures. It resonated so much that I felt I had to go in this direction. And I'm glad I did.

Content Of The Course

The course can be accessed via an online learning platform, where you can also purchase additional courses from Eva's offering to build up your training materials over time. You'll also find all additional reference materials and bonuses in your course library, which is very convenient.

Although this course elaborates on the basics of photography (camera settings, lenses, shutter speed, camera angles, aperture, etc.), I found these lessons valuable. Technical details play a larger role in food photography than in portrait photography, and I found this really useful. Once you've fully mastered manual mode, you will have way more control of your camera and the outcome and will more likely achieve the envisioned result. By the way, Eva also lists her favorite equipment, like tripods, surfaces, props, and lighting gear, to save you countless hours searching for specific equipment.

Next, Eva talks about Lighting. This was a real game-changer for me. After this course, I finally understood that lighting was the missing piece in many of my failed pictures. Eva takes her time to show how you can work with the available light to create different moods and evoke different feelings. The lessons also taught me how to master the so-called "chiaroscuro" technique, which is truly mesmerizing. Eva also talks about using natural and artificial light and shows different setups to help achieve various looks, including the moody photos that belong to Eva's signature style. I'm stressing the word "shows" because it's so important to see the setup to grasp the idea fully, and Eva does a great job here.

I must add, though, that Eva mostly focuses on natural light. If you're more drawn to flash photography or are interested in learning artificial lighting techniques, this course might not be the right choice for you. However, there are many great books that might speed up the learning process and provide valuable guidance. And, if you're really into artificial lighting, dedicated courses are digging deep into advanced techniques, like the Artificial Academy by Joanie Simon from TheBiteShot. When it comes to studio light in food photography, I highly doubt you can find a better tutor than Joanie.

Next, there's an extensive section on food styling. It includes composition techniques, basic color theory, valuable plating and prop selection tips, and story-telling techniques, which sets Eva's work apart. Styling was a very important topic when selecting a course, and I don't regret selecting Eva's course over many others because it ticked all my boxes. I started seeing pictures taken by other photographers differently and started noticing the story and techniques behind the shots. 

I definitely felt much more confident in the use of props after completing this course. In the styling sessions, Eva demonstrates how a little goes a long way, with small adjustments having a huge impact on the story and the overall feel of an image.

The course also features a branding and social media module where Eva shares her insights about what has or hasn't worked for her in terms of building her audience and making her content seen by more people.

Another course section packed with valuable information is dedicated to editing in Adobe Lightroom. I was used to editing pictures mostly in Photoshop because portraiture requires significant retouching. Eva showed how much you can actually do in Lightroom with its intuitive interface and automated features. After the course, I rarely even opened my Adobe Photoshop, which significantly sped up my editing.

Last but not least, there's also an additional section dedicated to cinemagraph creation. Eva also has a dedicated vertical video course, which is a great choice for food bloggers who want their recipe videos to stand out and for photographers who want to add food videos to their offerings.

Advantages Of The Course

With all that said, the one thing that truly makes the difference is when you start putting the knowledge into practice. After the course, I felt knowledgeable, inspired and... overwhelmed. There were so many components to consider and so many options to choose from. But it all changed once I picked up my camera and took pictures. Eva's exercises helped plan and structure the first baby steps and provided the guidance necessary at the beginning.

An important advantage of this course is that it's available for an unlimited time. I find myself revisiting the lighting and styling sections and gaining new insights each time.

The course is well-structured, and therefore, it is very easy to find the right topic that you want to learn more about. Eva's teaching style also ensures you feel guided and receive all the necessary explanations to fully grasp the meaning.

This course is also very versatile. It is well-suited for beginners learning the basics and experienced photographers looking to learn advanced tips and techniques.

Last but not least, you'll also get PDF scripts of the course modules for future reference. It's like having a video guide and a photography cyclopedia available 24/7.

Before And After Images

I want to share some "before & after" pictures of my work to show my progress so far. This journey isn't finished yet, but I can see the changes already. Can you?

I took this shot of cold beet soup ("borscht") for my food blog. There's a year's difference between the two images. Soup isn't the easiest dish to style, but this one, luckily, is cold and won't make you rush to grab the precious, perfect shots before the dish has cooled and lost most of its beauty. I had (almost) all the time in the world to move the props and ingredients around until it visually clicked.

Here are keto noodles with shrimp sauce. The picture on the left was the very first picture on the blog. It was taken with a phone with no greater intentions than to add something to the recipe post. Meanwhile, the picture on the right took much more time to plan, set up the scene, and adjust the ingredients.

Here's one of my go-to recipes, rye bread, which I use weekly (if not daily). I wanted to create a cozy Sunday mood with honey drizzled on the freshly baked bread. This is our traditional way of snacking with a glass of cold milk. Yum!

The same oatmeal cookies, a year's difference. I'm still working on the perfect picture I have in mind, but there's already a change.

And here's one of my favorite salads—herring salad (the so-called "shuba"). I remember taking the "before" picture without knowing how I would want the result to look. It was merely for the sake of having a picture of the dish to publish. On the other hand, the "after" picture was very intentional, with two different types of serving, mood board creation and planning prior to the shoot, color matching, etc.

​Here are some additional images taken after the completion of the course:

Who Is This Course For?

I believe this course will provide the most value for:

• Aspired hobby-level photographers, food bloggers, or cookbook authors with little or no previous experience in food photography but eager to learn all the tips and tricks and start their journey;
• Photographers who have transitioned from lifestyle, landscape, or any other photography genre to food photography and want to learn the specifics of this genre;
• Photographers who have basic skills and want to master Lightroom editing (Eva's detailed guidance will make all the difference!) or gain insight into the branding and social media strategies that can help you grow your audience and attract commercial clients;
• Professional photographers who want to improve their story-telling skills through food photography;
• Busy people who enjoy learning at their own pace on an online platform with the ability to revisit the entire course or particular modules once in a while to refresh their knowledge, thanks to lifetime access.

Whether you are a beginner food photographer only starting out with your smartphone or entry-level camera or have already made your first steps into the wonderful world of food photography and are eager to work on your skills and become a professional photographer, this online course is the right place to start your next chapter. I believe photographers of any skill level can benefit from the course.

To join Eva's composition and styling course, follow this link* and use the code "LIGA" for a 15% discount.

Another learning resource that I highly appreciated was the book "The Ultimate Guide to Food Styling: Essential Lessons for Creating Picture-Perfect Dishes" by Julia Konovalova.

This book is worth a styling course. It's extremely detailed, with step-by-step styling pictures explaining the reasoning for choosing props and their placement in a scene and extensive information on different composition techniques, like layering, the golden ratio, lines, etc. Considering my analytical mindset, I felt like it was the missing piece that gave structure to the styling process, which was very important for me. Julia also has an Instagram account where she shares inspiring behind-the-scene videos. Her tips and advice are extremely valuable to anyone running a food blog or taking food pictures. Read this article for a more detailed review of this and three other food photography books.

To sum up, Eva's course and Julia's book made a huge difference in my food photography journey. There's so much more to do and experiment with, but I feel fully equipped with the knowledge I need. Eva's teaching style made it very easy to grasp rather difficult concepts, and the live sessions ensured that all my answers were answered. Overall, I'm very satisfied with purchasing this course; I truly consider it one of my best investments so far. If you want to take better food photos and master the art of food photography, Eva's course might be the right learning tool for you.

An important note, though, is that none of the resources in the world can improve your photography skills if you don't press the shutter button. Each intentionally taken picture makes a huge difference. I'm confident my pictures won't look the same in another year, and I'll happily update this post to document my journey.

*Disclaimer: I'm a member of the EKF Course Affiliate Program, and I may receive a commission from this post if you purchase from the link I provided. However, I wholeheartedly recommend only the resources that I have found extremely valuable.