How 6 Prop & Food Styling Industry Standards Oppress Bipoc Talent + How To Change It
The truth about 6 prop & food styling industry standards; how they prevent BIPOC from participating in our photographic communities + how to implement change.
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Being 1 of only a few prop stylists in the Baltimore / DC area, I’ve only met 1 prop stylist of color. I’ve never met a food stylist of color.
I thought that these stats may be the way they are because I live in a smaller city. Surely larger photographic hubs such as NYC, LA, Chicago & Atalanta, would have more diversity. Alas, after days of research (scouring the internet, Instagram feeds, rep company rosters) & contacting stylists, photographers & editors I’ve met across the country asking for help, the results were dismaying.
I found 3 BIPOC senior prop stylists, 2 senior food stylists & 1 individual who is a senior prop + food stylist.
A whopping total of 6 out of hundreds of prop & food stylists nationwide.
This unveiled a grotesque truth: that while I love what I do, these vocations are very much privileged and very much entangled with corporate ideals. In fact, our inherited work standards directly affect who can pursue prop & food styling as a full-time career.
I want to raise awareness of these issues because while they affect all prop stylists negatively, they especially hinder BIPOC talent from considering these professions period.
If you’re a client, photographer, videographer, publisher, editor, etc:
My hope is that this post will reveal how certain industry standards adversely affect your creative styling colleagues; & how they stunt the diversification of imagery in our world. Please approach shoots differently by heeding the suggestions below.
To my dear stylists:
Please know that it OUR responsibility to revise these inherited, unfair practices & generate positive change. We need to collectively reform how we approach and are compensated for our work from pre-production to post-production. Hold your clients & colleagues accountable. Reach out to your styling community for support. Seek diversity in the assistants you hire and teach. Voice your frustrations when you’ve been taken advantage of (which happens far too often). Let’s elevate and improve our creative community together. Please feel free to reach out to me personally if you have any questions on how to begin this process.
To fellow BIPOC senior & assistants prop & food stylists:
If you’re a BIPOC Senior OR Assistant Prop & Food Stylist and would like your name + contact info included in a public google spreadsheet so that industry professionals can contact you for hire, please click the following link, add your info & share with any other BIPOC stylists you may know:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O6LbxbwtOMlw-1_CqEa-25BMWWjhTzvQd1AenSGhDeQ/edit?usp=sharing
If you have any further questions - just ask! Please feel free to reach me via email or IG @limonatacreative .
Wishing you all well!
All photos below by Kate Grewal & styled by Limonata Creative.
Styling Standard 1:
The majority of prop & food stylists pay for set materials out of pocket or with credit without help from clients or colleagues.
How It’s Opressive:
Not enough stylists may be financially capable to support $100's / $1,000's of dollars of project debt for 1 or more shoots simultaneously to achieve sustainability. This may especially hinder BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
Advocate that the client or creative team pays the stylist an advance for set materials prior to the shoot (ideally 100% of a prop or food estimate).
Styling Standard 2:
Many stylists don't get paid for 30, 60, 90 or EVEN 120 days after a shoot (even though we carry the majority of set debt).
How It’s Oppressive:
Not enough stylists may be financially capable to support $100's / $1,000's of dollars of project debt for extended periods of time. This may especially hinder BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
Advocate that clients pay for stylist material expenses before a shoot. All other fees (ie. labor, assistants, travel, etc) should be paid ASAP after a shoot (ideally immediately after and no more than 30 days net).
Styling Standard 3:
There aren't any university or certification programs to learn prop or food styling. To become a stylist you normally start as an assistant. Assistant rates haven't changed in 10+ years. Assistant rates are generally $200-$250 for 10-hr days.
How To Change it:
It is difficult to live sustainably as a freelance assistant stylist. Many senior prop & food stylists also don't teach their assistants industry practices for fear of 'creating new competition'. These may especially hinder BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
Advocate for higher assistant stylist rates. Teach your assistants sustainable business practices (not just sourcing or set work). Mentor & host styling workshops to non-white, BIPOC individuals or groups.
Styling Standard 4:
It is the prop or food stylist's discretion to determine when they can pay their assistant stylists (generally after they've been paid by the client).
How It’s Oppressive:
It is difficult to live sustainably as a freelance assistant stylist. Senior stylists don't get paid for 30-120 days after a shoot. As a result, stylists struggle to pay their assistants earlier than their own payment dates. This may especially hinder BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
This is another reason why we should advocate that clients to pay stylists immediately and no longer than 30 days net after a shoot. If this is not possible, senior stylists should try to build extra savings to accomodate assistant fees so their assistants can be paid ASAP after a shoot.
Styling Standard 5:
It’s not common for prop & food stylists to exchange project contracts with clients or photographers.
How It’s Oppressive:
Not receiving signed contracts prohibit stylists from holding clients accountable to rates, payment terms, crediting & other protective clauses, making this industry generally unsafe to perform work. This may especially hinder BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
Allow stylists to submit contracts to the client or creative team prior to project start date & sign them.
(For a free freelancer contract template by the Freelancer’s Union click here).
Styling Standard 6:
There is no union and/or safe online platform for prop & food stylists to: standardize positive practices & rates, ask questions, seek advice, find assistants (especially BIPOC talent), create relationships or raise awareness about harmful clients.
How It’s Oppressive:
This ensures that stylists continue to: undercut industry rates, enter into harmful opportunities, stunt positive industry reform & continue to suppress diversity. This especially hinders BIPOC talent.
How To Change it:
Meet & befriend other stylists. Encourage open lines of communication with those stylists. Embrace community over competition. Seek diversity in the stylists & assistants you work with, especially BIPOC talent.
JOIN THE LIST: BIPOC PROP & FOOD STYLISTS IN THE USA
If you’re a BIPOC Senior OR Assistant Prop & Food Stylist and would like your name + contact info included in a public google spreadsheet so that industry professionals can contact you for hire, please click the following link, add your info & share with any other BIPOC stylists you may know:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1O6LbxbwtOMlw-1_CqEa-25BMWWjhTzvQd1AenSGhDeQ/edit?usp=sharing
If you have any further questions - just ask! Please feel free to reach me via email or IG @limonatacreative .
