Just a heads up, this post is sponsored by Seattle Goodwill, which means I was given a gift card to purchase items in their store. All words are my own, and I completely support this organization.

My secret to great food styling is figuring out the look you like to photograph, then using an eagle eye at thrift shops to find those pieces you want.

Every single piece of kitchenware shown in this post is from Seattle Goodwill. Actually, 90% of my food styling library is from Goodwill. This all took me about a couple of months to build, with a few trips here and there to see if I was missing out on any golden nuggets. The best part about Goodwill is that each time you visit, you'll always find something new.

I've categorized my personal branding and looks for Kimchi Halfie below that I watch out for when I'm out and about. I can honestly say that the best items in my collection were found when I wasn't specifically looking for them. 

Wood

This is the type of material I look for the most. White and/or black plates can be the most difficult to photograph in any lighting, so I wanted to find something neutral. The wood texture did just that. This is what I photograph most of my comfort food in.

Vintage Pattern

Even though these plates are on the whiter side, I find the pattern helps from the dishes being completely blown out when I photograph them. I also like that the plates give a little more elegance to my food. 

Glass and Crystal

If I need to use lighter toned dishware, glass and crystal seem to do the trick. I don't have to worry about the image being too overexposed and you can see through the dishes straight to the food. Nothing is hidden. 

Miscellaneous One-offs

This category is for the interesting one-offs that I would rarely use, but glad I had because they made my post shine. Even though food blogging is obviously about the food, it's nice to break up the monotony with a dish used for a special occasion.

Another reason I shop at Goodwill is because of the cost. You really can't, I repeat, seriously can not beat the price. In the photo below, I have two wooden platters. The yellow-toned one to the right was bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond for over $15. I found the darker platter to the left at Seattle Goodwill, in a tone that I was actually wanting, for about $4.

The kitchenware you use in your food styling does not need to look like everyone else's, and most importantly, does not need to cost you a pretty penny. Enjoy the hunt!

Seattle Goodwill's mission is to provide quality, effective employment training and basic education to individuals with significant barriers to economic opportunity.