As a food photographer my food styling kit is really important and I need to have it to hand in the studio and on location.  A few years ago I bought a dedicated food styling toolbox to tote everything around in it.

For a while it was great.

Except …… that toolbox was fiddly, delicate and really hard to get into and find what you wanted.

But it worked  to an extent ….  And I’m a great believer in not throwing stuff out.  So for the the last year or more I’ve suffered.  I’ve grown to resent that food styling toolbox so very much, but didn’t feel I could justify getting rid of it and starting over.

Then just over a week ago, the inevitable happened and the handle broke, it will no longer go up and down it’s just stuck.  That renders it pretty useless.

So finally I feel justified in replacing it.  Obviously being me, being neurodiverse, that’s a far from simple exercise.  I knew I didn’t want the same thing, as it would also break in time and it’s a pain.  But other things were expensive.  Also finding what I realised I needed proved tricky.  Most pull along tool boxes that stack need unstacking to get to things and I actually felt I needed drawers.

I went round in circles.  Actually I think I’m quite knowledgeable about tool boxes now … so if I can help …. lol.

I realised that Toughbuilt had exactly what I needed, sadly one part is hard to get here in the UK in the timeframes I had, so I’ve compromised slightly.  It’s cost way, way more than I’d intended, but the truth is it’s a joy to use, will make life on shoots so much easier and whilst large … will reduce the amount of stuff and bags I need.

If you thought us photographers just showed up with a camera, think again.  There’s a great deal more involved and if you happen to shoot food there’s more again.  Food safe gloves, clamps, tweezers, brushes of every kind, cotton buds, fishing wire, false ice cubes, mirrors, sticky tack, dulling spray, a water sprayer, scissors, knives, ….. the list goes on and on.  Being able to find the exact thing you need fast is so important and if it’s all thrown in together that’s tricky.

Being me, I did the full buyer’s remorse bit before I even hit the checkout button.  So I was really excited to go and pick it up.  I did have a moment of panic when they brought out the ENORMOUS BOXES though!

My new Food Styling Toolbox from ToughBuilt.

However once home, unpacked and then packed back into the car, it actually fits a treat and there’s plenty of space for everything else – panic over!

I’ve had an absolute ball transferring the contents over from the old box and I can’t wait to use this in the studio in the coming weeks.  It’s going to look good, feel good and make work so much easier too.

When I started out I’d never have dreamt of paying so much for a tool box, but now I know that the time it will save me, the stress it will save me and the convenience it will give me are all so worth it.  And you know every artist needs tools that help them rather than hinder.  I’ve no doubt this box will outlast me and I can’t wait to use it for the first time next week.