Holiday Entertaining for THE FRESH MARKET

We all know the adage about too many cooks, no such thing on a production.

At the end of summer, I worked with the Fresh Market to create their Holiday Entertaining Guide. From bountiful breakfasts to dazzling desserts, we developed a holiday story of gastronomic delights. This shoot required pulling out all the stops. Working with the Fresh Market's design team, I assembled a crew including a food stylist, prop stylist, their respective assistants, photo assistant, set builders…all of which put many cooks in the proverbial kitchen.

Working with a large team requires encouraging each person's expertise to shine while not losing sight of mine — and the client's — final vision. I enjoyed pulling it all together: crafting the team of experts, shooting in my Greensboro studio, and bringing alive the creative vision of The Fresh Market.

I relish working on shoots, big and small, but I most love giving form to my client's vision.

Art Director: Maribelle Romero

Food Stylist: Dawn Longobardo, Chriscilla Browning

Prop Stylist: Lani Roberts Paul

Set Build: Bennett Copeland

The Fresh Market holiday guide required imagery that worked across multiple formats simultaneously — print editorial spreads, in-store signage, and digital channels — which means every shot had to be composed with flexibility in mind. Holiday food photography is particularly demanding because the visual language is familiar to every viewer. The challenge is making the familiar feel new: a roast that looks genuinely celebratory rather than catalog-generic, a dessert spread that reads as abundance without feeling cluttered. That balance is where the production detail matters most, and why having the right food stylist, prop stylist, and set builder in the room makes all the difference. Commercial grocery food photography by Dhanraj Emanuel, available nationwide for retail brands, CPG clients, and advertising agencies.