Cut and sewn by Gianluigi Fiori

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I am a huge, huge fan of distressed and antique silverware and dishes. They can make dramatic statements as a focal point or background.

Pewter is beautiful as is tarnished silver and distressed metals. Jadeite, vintage stoneware, and depression glass are just a few of the amazing additions you can make to your food prop stash.

But remember to think out of the box with your collection! I have an old cookie sheet (maybe well used is a better term) that has great texture and contrast.

Vintage cake stands, dishes and hand towels are a personal favorite, as they lend such a beautiful muted color and delicate texture.

For the beginner and for those on a budget, swap meets and flea markets are your best bets for finding the best deal. If you can’t find what you are looking for, then go online. I found my aged silverware at my local swap meet for $1 a piece (no matter what size). The antique serving fork with wooden handle pictured above was only $5. I couldn’t get these items that cheaply online.

And since everything old is new again, there are cheaplooks-like-an-antique-knock-offa at your local discount store. I find lots of cute mason jars and bottles and farmhouse butcher blocks for a fraction of the genuine antique price.

Vintage props intensify storytelling

Around the world nearly every product and every sale relies on some kind of photography. We are hit with thousands of visual stories every day.

When you work with photographers and stylists you realise how much effort goes into each image to hold your attention. The team has to combine concept, direction, props, location, lighting, talent and product and make sure everything merges so well the viewer doesn’t notice the effort behind the scenes.

Food styling is particularly challenging. Icecream melts and salads wilt under hot lights; hot food steams too much or congeals nastily as it cools. Stylists have some amazing tricks up their sleeve to make food look delicious and photograph well.

Great food stylists also have a keen eye for props. The same meal photographed on an oversized white restaurant plate and linen tablecloth will look completely different scooped into a rustic peasant bowl on a worn timber table.

Props tell the story

You may not choose to eat off flaking paint or tarnished silver in real life. But as a way of transporting the viewer to a tiny, garlicky bistro in Provence, or Grandma’s cinnamon-scented farmhouse kitchen, vintage props offer an endless array of possibilities.

Have a look through your favourite cookbooks and magazines. You’ll find stylists mix ethnic, rustic, antique and modern pieces to give depth and ‘flavour’ to the page.

All our personal experiences, from childhood memories to overseas travel, help us respond to two dimensional pictures. Effective styling builds layers that, consciously or unconsciously, spark recognition or emotion in the right audience. Unless you are marketing to children, everyone has a range of experiences and memories that respond to time-worn accessories.