As a teacher and mentor, she is EXCEPTIONAL! As a person she is enormously INSPIRING.

Her passion for her work, vast knowledge and extreme generosity, makes her UNIQUE!

In between laughs and jokes, she tells us about her beginnings, experiences, challenges and  much more…

So, if you are looking for a new creative path in your life, this interview will encourage you to take that step forward!

Kimberly Espinel

Food Photographers , Food Photography teacher, food and prop stylist and author of the best-selling book CREATIVE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY.

Let’s dive in!

Kimberly, you started your career as a food photographer around 7 years ago and previously you have been working in a 9 to 5 job, what made you take that step?

I found myself turning 40, being in a financially strong position and becoming a mother, these circumstances allow me to go for it.

When I became a mother in 2010, everything changed! I was a social worker back then and it wasn’t a very flexible job. I have to be in the office and see clients, but I really wanted to do a work for myself and find a job that fits around my child and his needs. I wanted to be as present for him as I could. 

And the question was … What can I do that gives me more flexibility as a mamma?

The second thing was that I left my job just before turning 40 and I think that 40 is a time when you get to reflect: what do you want in your life, what do I need, am I happy? What if I die tomorrow… ?

I realised  I don’t wanna be on my death bed regretting why I didn’t try.  I also thought that if it didn’t work out, I could always go back to the previous job. That door would always be open.

And the last, thing but very important, is that I was also in a financially stable position to make that decision. 

Having a partner who worked and knowing that if my business failed we still could pay the bills with his salary, was vital for me.

YES, I TOOK RISKS BUT THEY WERE CALCULATED!

What is in food photography that makes you fall for it?

Because that was ALL I could think about. 

At the beginning I was doing a blog, I was into recipe development and vegan food and I wanted to share my recipes with the world. I knew I had to become a good photographer in order to succeed, that was when I got my second hand camera and when I picked it up, I fell in love with it.

By the time I’ve decided to go full time I had been doing my blog for 3 years so I knew it was true love!

“I don’t photograph children, I don’t photograph weddings, I ONLY photograph food! That’s all I want to do, that’s all I can ever envisage myself to do”

Why did you choose food???

I love the creativity, the creative flexibility that you have in it…. and so many stories that you can tell.

In essence we are trying to develop through photography how delicious something is, and deliciousness is something you taste in your mouth and we have to convey that visually.

Translate that vision in something that people can sense in their mouth, how you can create a scene from nothing, playing with lights and composition!

 I just love that!

From where do you get your inspiration?

Nature is a huge source of inspiration, I always try to photograph seasonal foods because they visually at their most attractive moment… by far a huge source.

The beautiful markets we have here in London, the restaurants with innovative flavours or amazing plating and Instagram are big sources of inspiration. There are so many beautiful things there!

From my own experience I have learned to search more within myself than outward to connect with my own style. I discovered that my best works manifest when I allow myself to be playful and align to my inner voice.

How were your first steps into food photography like?

I started with my blog in 2014, I got a second hand Canon Rebel and a book that was so helpful for me (that’s also why I’ve decided to do a book) and I practiced with the camera a lot and also cried as I found it hard to teach myself, but… Here I am!!

By the time when I started, blogs were very popular. There were also other bloggers doing amazing photography and I knew that if I continued I would be able to achieve success so I didn't give up! 

Even when I felt I was failing and my photos were ugly, I loved it! I loved the creativity of it! Even the hard bits were totally worth it!

Then, my first clients found me, they contacted me with their products and after that I got a long term contract to create a recipe a month. Although I had cold pitched, I came to realize that if I made the right moves, the clients would find me. 

I know today I will never be out of work and I’ve always doubled down on that!

Did you find it difficult getting into the food photography market?

There has always been work but what I found is that some institutions, magazines and book publishers can be hard to get into. I find it a little bit as we said here: an “ Old boys club”

So, very early on I decided that I didn’t want to try to be part of it. 

Instead of depending on someone giving me permission to work I rather create my own opportunities.

What I’ve also witnessed is that Internet has beauty and within it there are infinite possibilities. It gives you access to everyone and to reach your own audience!

I wanted to create my own thing.

What was your biggest challenges?

So far, self -published my book CREATIVE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY.  I finished it during the pandemic and it was released during our 3rd lockdown, it was a nightmare! 

Also it was released 7 days after Brexit and there was all the confusion about international postage, law and rights… It was crazy.

But… you live and learn!! 

You have just started your brand new mentoring sessions for food bloggers and photographers…. What is in it that makes it so attractive for you, so special for you?

What’s important to me is that I always lean into what I am gifted to offer, so I feel excited and enjoy what I do, I need to be challenged and make a difference. I feel It’s the best way I can use my skills, knowledge, talent, insights to serve others.

But I also try to balance heart and head, so that part is my heart.

I want to do something that makes people happy, that allows them to live their life in the best way possible, to live their dreams, to create the business they want.

And from a business perspective, I need to understand where there are gaps in the market, where the blue oceans are.

I am aware that there are many people offering food photography classes, what it's great and we need it but there aren't enough people that can support you to break down how to turn your passion into a viable, profitable business. 

I have seen that not everybody has the ability to communicate that in an empowering, helpful and transparent way. And that’s where my gift lies and it makes sense for me to lean into what creative food photographers need and what it's not currently sufficiently on offer.

How do you manage being CEO with motherhood?

That was a Huge sticking point for me and it is one of the main reasons I’ve decided to work with a coach myself this year. To really get the balance right!

We love what we do, it’s hard to stop, because most of our work is online, like on IG. Instagram doesn’t sleep, it's 24/7 , emails are the same thing, so there isn’t a natural stop and start in our business, it's easy to just get lost.

And toward the last part of 2021 I hired someone that helps a lot. What I really noticed is that we spend the most of the time sending emails, updating spreadsheets, etc and those are very time consuming tasks that it’s better to hire someone to do it for you.

Any advice to all the women looking to change their “normal’ jobs for a personal (more creative) path?

Don't overthink it! Get out of your own way and DO IT!

But do it consciously, step by step, little by little, one step at a time!

Sometimes, what is most hard for people, is that they go for ALL or NOTHING.

Start by taking off every Friday afternoon dedicated to your passion, if that goes well, then I go one full day a week, and then go for two days a week…and so on. Just take baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.

Nature speaks that truth: “One drop of water against a stone, does nothing… but if that drop is followed by another and another and another, the stone eventually will dissolve, and that’s the way the water creates caves and all kinds of things…." 

Every little thing you do together become bigger than the individual pieces and if you just take one step at a time, everyday, one little thing that’s going  closer toward your goal you will achieve it and then you never have to live with regret and wonder what could have been.

Don’t you feel exhilarating after reading her words??
If you want to know more about Kimberly and her work, here are some links you can check:

Kimberly’s best selling book: Creative Food Photography 
Kimberly’s Instagram, Website & Podcast