Guide Your Compositions Like a Pro – Free Overlays for Tethered Capture! Access Now

Hero Image scaled

Unlock Your Creative Potential as a Food Photographer.

Transform your food photography skills with expert-led courses, eBooks, and resources for intermediate to advanced photographers.

Darina Kopcok Food Photographer

Hi, I'm Darina

Welcome to Gastrostoria, where I share my creative and technical resources to help you elevate your food photography.

I’m professional food and beverage photographer with over a decade of experience working with top-tier brands, restaurants, and publications. Over the years, I’ve honed my craft through countless shoots and creative challenges.

Now, I’m here to share everything I’ve learned with food photographers, bloggers, and content creators—professionals and creatives looking to refine their skills, expand their toolkit, and create standout imagery.

Whether it’s mastering lighting techniques, creating compelling compositions, or building a portfolio that attracts dream clients, my resources are designed to help you achieve tangible results.

Darina Signature 2000 px 1

The Resources …

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer looking to refine your craft or a content creator aiming to create more compelling visuals, my resources are designed to help you achieve your goals. Explore my courses, eBooks, and exclusive mentorship offerings:

Mexican Food4833 JPEG Quality 100
Lighting Workshop2906
Dried Oranges0221
Spaghetti Tomato Sauce0275 1

Learn proven techniques to elevate your food photography with hands-on, expert-led courses designed for growth.

Mentorship Mockup 1

Get personalized guidance and strategies to refine your skills, grow your business, and achieve your goals.

Discover actionable resources packed with insights to help you master food photography and business success.

Promo Template Mockup

Easily showcase your food photography with this customizable one-page CANVA template.

Why Food Photographers, Bloggers, and Content Creators Trust My Resources

Real-World Experience

With over 10 years of working with top brands, restaurants, and publications, I bring practical insights that you can apply to your own photography and content creation.

Tailored for Professionals and Creatives

My resources are designed for those who already have some experience but want to fine-tune their craft, tackle advanced techniques, and build a stronger portfolio.

Proven Results

Hundreds of students and clients have successfully applied my methods to improve their work and grow their businesses.

Actionable, Hands-On Learning

From lighting setups to post-production tips, everything I teach is grounded in practical knowledge that you can use immediately.

Mastering the Art of Guiding Discussions and Setting Expectations

Explore the tools and equipment I trust to create stunning, professional food photography.

2
3

Welcome to the Business School

Your all-in-one resource for business growth with courses, mentorship, and tools tailored for food photographers.

Featured Content

The Latest From the Blog
2 2

What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition? 

When it comes to building a successful food photography business, having a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is essential, and sets you apart – it’s what makes your clients

Free Stuff

Free Stuff

Discover our free resources featuring practical guides, templates, and expert trainings to elevate your food photography and grow your business.
Learn More

Podcast

Podcast

Coming Soon
Learn More

YouTube

YouTube

Coming Soon
Learn More
moody food photography studio_Darin Kopcok

Subscribe Now

Get exclusive tips, resources, and updates straight to your inbox!

Success Stories

Follow Me On

Hey food and beverage photographers, are you ready to heat things up this summer? 🔥

In our world, things may be a bit quiet right now client wise, but many brands are already planning their summer campaigns. This is THE perfect time to ramp up your marketing efforts and start pitching to land those sizzling summertime projects. 🔥

Do you have a solid marketing plan for 2025? Are you regularly pitching clients? If not, what’s holding you back? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—I’m all ears!

And if you’re not on my email list yet, now’s the perfect time to subscribe. My upcoming newsletters for February will be packed with actionable pitching strategies, plus I’m dropping an exciting new resource this week to help you secure those coveted summer projects. 🙌

Let’s get your pitches in front of the brands ready to invest in incredible food photography this summer! 🍽️📸

#foodphotography  #PitchPerfect #summercampaignshoot #pitching #foodphotographytips #learnfoodphotography
An alternative approach to the Bundt cake in my last post. 💫

When shooting personal projects, I like to take the time to explore my subject in different settings. My goal is always to light the food in the best possible way, but there is no denying that backgrounds and props have a huge impact on the overall aesthetic of your photo. ✨

A goal I had for 2024 was to spend more time focusing on the creative aspects of food photography, and developing my skills and understanding of composition and colour theory. 🎨

As I didn’t have as much time to explore outside the confines of client work as I’d have liked, I’ve made this a priority goal for 2025. 📸

Ironically, developing my style in 2024 has meant veering away from minimalism and returning to the “busier” and often monochromatic style of my early days shooting food. When I found this piece of upholstery fabric with a botanical print at a thrift store last summer, it was calling my name. 🌿

After a bit of creative lull, I’m excited to shoot again. Honing your creative voice is a journey, but there is no final destination you’ll arrive at. It’s an ever-evolving process of deepening and discovery. There are potholes and uneven terrain, as well as beautiful vistas along the way, with the reward being the journey itself. ✨

What is it that you want for your food photography next year? Have you identified an area where you want to grow? 

#learnfoodphotography #foodphotographytips #foodphotographystyle #bundtcake
As creatives, our personal style naturally grows over time. 📸
It’s shaped by the work we create, the inspiration we draw from, and the experiences that influence our perspective. ✨

💫 But for me, the biggest shifts came when I paused, reflected, and did deeper inner work to hone my creative voice. It wasn’t until I sat down with intention—exploring exercises to clarify my vision and diving into what truly inspires me—that I began to create with a stronger sense of purpose.

💫Heading into 2025, my goal is to keep refining my style, peeling back even more layers of discovery, and challenging myself to grow. Every image is an opportunity to create something uniquely you. ✨

💫My encouragement to you: embrace the natural evolution of your creativity, but also take time to intentionally explore what makes your work yours. 
The results can be transformative. 

What’s one way you’re planning to grow creatively in the new year? Share below—I’d love to hear your goals! 💬👇

#foodphotography #foodphotography tips #learnfoodphotography #bundtcake #christmasbaking #tistheseason
Food photographers don’t eat the food on set. 😂 Here’s why.

Special thanks to food stylist @lawrenmoneta for always making my food subjects look picture perfect 👌
It’s the LAST DAY for the promo on Capture One Deep Dive, my intensive masterclass that teaches you everything you need to know about know about editing with Capture One for food photography, step by step, withoutthe overwhelm. ⏰
💫
I’m rolling out new material to keep up with the new features that Capture One has been rolling out, so this is the perfect time to join.
💫
 
You’ll get the course with 80+ lessons (and more coming), a free community for your most pressing questions, and live Q+A calls for learning, sharing, and accountability. ☎️

This offer is available until midnight PT tonight, November 10th. Click on the bio link or DM me with any questions. ❓❓❓
Simple 2 light set up for vibrant cocktail photography. 📸 💡 Your choice of modifiers is everything. DM me if you want to know the details. 😃

##cocktailphotography #cocktail #drinkstagram #beveragephotography #foodphotographytips

Privacy Preference Center

Necessary

Advertising

Analytics

Other

Subscribe Now

Get exclusive tips, resources, and updates straight to your inbox!