Hi, friends!
Today’s post is going to be a little different than the normal life recap/recipe blogs that are the usual main characters on Apple of My Eye. Instead, I’m going to be focusing a bit on my freelance work, including how I get hired from them, what I do, and some general tips about working for sites or companies.
When I first started Apple of My Eye, I had NO idea it would get anywhere near the point it is today. It honestly astounds me at how much it has grown and I don’t know where I would be without all the wonderful people I’ve “met” and the relationships I’ve made. If you haven’t gotten my drift, I love you guys!
Anyways, when AoME was just a wee babe, I didn’t even include any recipes in my posts. I used my site as just an outlet and open diary to record my college time and to blabber about anything and everything that came to mind. Looking back, I get embarrassed reading my old posts! Even though I’ve always had a huge passion for cooking and the general act of stuffing food into my mouth, I didn’t really start getting into posting recipes until about a half year into the lifespan of the blog. It took me a few months to really start learning how to take half-decent pictures of my creations and get my first photo accepted on to Foodgawker and Tastespotting. Once that happened, I was absolutely hooked. It was both thrilling and bizarre to see people pouring on to my site and the excitement of knowing that people were actually coming to my own little corner of the web to read my writing and try out my recipes.
Anyways, flash forward to now and I’m actually being hired and paid to create and write about recipes! To be honest, it almost seems like cheating to me. I get to work from my kitchen in yoga pants and a messy bun, stealing sample bites, and practicing my food photography. Yes, it does take a lot of time and effort, and I’m probably working upwards of 60 hours a week in combination to school and studying, but I love it.
Many of you have expressed interest on freelance recipe creation/writing, so I decided to put together a few tips that I’ve picked up!
1. Improve your photography.
I cannot stress this point, hence it’s position as my #1 tip. If you’re looking to be hired for recipe creation, the main way to get noticed is to have something that sets you apart from others when it comes to food. A ton of people are capable of cooking and baking, but how many of them can take mouthwatering pictures to offer along with it? In today’s day and age, everything is image-based and, after all, we eat with out eyes first. I can’t even remember the last time I tried a recipe from a cookbook that didn’t have a delicious looking picture to go along with it!
Take these photos, for example. The one on the left is from before I started working on my photography, and the one on the right it my latest picture (taken today as a matter of fact). Isn’t there a HUGE difference? Which one would you rather choose to make if you saw them on a website or magazine?
Trust me, it makes an enormous impact on how those looking to hire view you. You become a much more competitive applicant and great photos give you more power when it comes to settling on wages. While I don’t feel comfortable disclosing the rates I’m being paid, I will say that I’ve able to name my own price and that the companies were happy to pay what I asked. That sounds completely CRAZY to a college kid like me who has not had any prior work experience other than tutoring and baby sitting! Not only am I building up a resume and titling is with the fancy label of “Freelance Recipe Creation”, but I’m getting paid much more than I would if I were just flipping burgers. The other day, I did the math and discovered that I could make a pretty decent living if I worked full-time as a freelancer. Say what?!
What I’m trying to get at, is that I owe my freelance jobs to my improved photography.
And really, it isn’t that hard. I know it seems impossible at first, but there are some amazing tools out there that can literally help you improve you camera abilities 300% in a week. My all-time favorite source on learning about food blogging comes from Lindsay at Pinch of Yum. She’s absolutely incredible and her eBook “Tasty Food Photography” (<— affiliate link!) helped me learn just about everything I know about taking pictures of my recipes and building traffic to my site. Seriously, guys, that book is a goldmine of information and takes you step-by-step through what it takes to get gorgeous pictures. It’s been a crucial tool for me and I could not recommend it more!
It seriously comes with everything you need to know:
In case you didn’t get the point, here’s another before and after picture of my food. On the left is what my photography looked like pre-Tasty Food Photography, and the right is where is was last week.
2. Join a community that connects freelancers to those looking to hire.
I think one of the most daunting parts of those looking to start freelance work lies in, well, just where to start. I got my start by creating a profile at oDesk.com, which is a site that connects a pool of freelancers that can apply to jobs posted by companies. To be honest, I got as far as creating a super short profile about myself and listing my blog as my work experience, and forgot about it. A few weeks later, though, I got an email from the site saying I had been invited by a company for an interview. Usually the freelancer applies to jobs, so I think this just emphasizes the importance of great food photography even more. They wanted me just based on the pictures they saw alone! It goes without saying that I was over-the-moon excited and I’m still working with the site now. Here’s an example of some of the content I’ve contributed to that site:
As you can see, I’m basically just translating what I normally do in my blog to them! There’s a huge demand right now for healthy recipes, which is perfect for us bloggers in the “healthy living community” because we just get to build on what we’re passionate about. Not to mention that you can use your blog as part of your resume!
3. Don’t sell yourself short.
One of the few things I don’t like about oDesk is that many of the people who are signed up as freelancers work for ridiculously low rates. Don’t sell yourself short because you think you need to match their prices! Once you have your photography down, you’re a hot item and it’s best to look for a publisher who is looking for high quality work and experience rather than the cheapest rate.
4. Spiff up your blog.
A few months back, Apple of My Eye got a huge facelift that, in my opinion, makes it look much more professional while still incorporating in my style and personality. Since I use my blog as part of my resume, I need it to look the part and am so glad I hired a professional to design it. If you’re looking to give your blog a facelift, I used Tasha from My Cute Lobster and had such a great experience with her. She’s incredibly hard working and will tweak every little thing until you’re completely happy with your new look! Not to mention she’s affordable and just a lovely lady in general.
Whew, there you have it! I hope this helps you guys out a little, and please let me know if you have any questions or shoot me an email :).