Food sections using stock photos to illustrate recipes: cheap or economical?

by Sarah Gilbert, Posted Dec 20th 2005 @ 2:23PM

ars apple pie image According to Gastropoda, the latest thing in the food sections of major newspapers is utilizing stock photos to illustrate recipes. "It’s more insidious than outsourcing journalism -- why should the Wall Street Journal shoot a fresh creme brulee from a New Orleans chef when there are iconic images to be had for almost nothing? All cremes brulee are alike, no?"

It's economical, sure, those photo stylists and food photographers are pricey. And then there's the cooking. What food writer wants to cook? Especially when the good people at the USDA are working so hard baking apple pies for you. For free.

Gastropoda says that USA Weekend was the worst offender. I checked with the Oregonian "Food Day" that arrived on my front steps today and was pleased to see Oregonian photo credits under every picture. I'm wondering if this is isolated to a few national papers for whom food sections are not a focus or is more widespread. How 'bout your local paper?

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Filed Under: Business, Raves & Reviews, Trends, Newspapers, On the Blogs
Tags: cheap, food section, food sections, newspapers, photojournalists, recipe illustrations, recipes, stock photos, StockPhotos