It doesn’t take much scrolling on Instagram for many of us to come across an indulgent ice cream cone shot or a running egg yolk photo that makes us want to rush to the tagged restaurant. But often, the creator behind these pictures is our friend, coworker, or family member. And very rarely have they reached the higher echelon of Instagram food photography. But for Jessica Hirsch, the creative mind behind @CheatDayEats and the rising @YourRoomService, it’s become a full-time (and seriously drool-worthy) job.
“I started @CheatDayEats four years ago when I saw there was a community of foodies on Instagram who were as passionate as I am about documenting their experiences,” Hirsch tells Adorama. “I have been taking pictures ever since high school but it was not until I got my Sony a6000 that I took my interest to the next level.”
The photographer, who earned a degree in mathematics and worked as a math teacher for seven years, found the passion for food photography and made it her full-time passion last summer, when she logged her final day day as a teacher.
“Food is special to people and I think people see the photos on my page and relate to it, and it brings them back to a memory they might have had with a similar dish or sparks an interest to try something new.”
But the transition to @CheatDayEats (which boasts 373,000 Instagram followers and counting) was a natural move.
“I always obsess over my cheat day, where I was going to eat, what I was going to eat,” she continues. “I think the name resonates with people as we all look forward to a day we can indulge a little more. Food is special to people and I think people see the photos on my page and relate to it, and it brings them back to a memory they might have had with a similar dish or sparks an interest to try something new.”
Now, armed with her Sony Alpha a7 III and the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G-Master lens, she travels the world to capture the most photo-worthy and notable dishes and hotels.
“Through Instagram, I have been able to leverage my photography/videography skills and I have been grateful to partner with many brands and destinations because of it.”
“The food photography market on Instagram has changed as a result of it being more saturated,” she says. “That being said, I have changed and so has my photography. Through Instagram, I have been able to leverage my photography/videography skills and I have been grateful to partner with many brands and destinations because of it.”
Between changing algorithms and shifts in interests, the Sony Alpha Imaging Collective member has made the content the focus and grown her following over just a few years.
“I think its always about changing with the shifts Instagram throws at you and evolving with it,” she adds. “The key is staying true to your brand and your vision and your audience will stay strong. I try as much as I can to just focus on putting out great content and letting everything else fall where it may and, at the end of the day, I can live with that.”
With the success of @CheatDayEats — and countless of notable partnerships with brands — she’s found yet another niche of Instagram food photography to tap into. Welcome, @YourRoomService, which recently reached its 10,000-follower mark.
“I was eating bacon in bed and I thought, room service has been touched upon on Instagram but no one is just doing a page on it and then it begun,” she says of the start of the new channel. “Coming from the culinary photography standpoint, I am usually thinking about food but I also love hotels and traveling. This page allows me to expand my brand and my photography as the shots on this account are much different than @CheatDayEats.”
The hotel-focused account is at the merger of travel and food — showcasing the in-room delights the world’s most recognized hotels have been producing.
“I have actually noticed a shift in hotels over the last few year and they are paying more attention to the food they are serving,” she adds. “It can be hard to pick the perfect hotel for your travels and I hope to help to inspire my audience to find that hotel where they can have a good meal in bed or at the restaurant. “
And for the other budding food photographers out there, Hirsch’s advice is simple yet calls for serious focus.
“Find your voice and vision and be consistent,” she says. “Engage with the people in the community you are looking to become apart of. Quality over quantity for sure!”
