Recent Work for Ultrasuede®
I recently had the opportunity to shoot for Toray industries brand Ultrasuede® to showcase their luxurious, highly functional material. The focus of the shoot was to showcase the extensive assortment of colors and textures of the material and emphasize the material's durability.
We opted to shoot in a studio instead of a location for the interiors part of the shoot. This made the production a breeze, with endless light, scenery, and customization options.
Agency: Work The Brand
Design/Styling: Vivid Interiors
Stylist: Bianca Pagliai
In the spirit of perfection
The brand's fascinating history inspired my approach to their impressive product line of whiskeys and liqueurs with a vintage, Prohibition-era motif. I challenged myself to connect their moonshine past to the present by crafting a luxurious ambiance while incorporating a hint of shadiness. With this study-like setting, I imagined a conscientious distiller nursing a glass of "The Reverend" while mulling over their craft.
I resolved to capture the brand's essence by highlighting each bottle's uniqueness while maintaining continuity across the product line. Continuing the balance of old-world nostalgia with sophistication, I contextualized my subject in the space and lit the scene to mimic a late evening golden hue to complement each spirit's distinct coloring.
It was satisfying to shoot the individual products, as well as consider the entire product line.
I appreciate revisiting a brand, as it allows me to strengthen my relationship with clients and continue to fulfill their vision.
The devil's in the details…
I enjoy working with chefs who are just as committed to telling their stories through the details of their craft as I am. Chef Drew Ausley is one of these chefs.
Ausley, the owner of Boone Doggies, started his career with a hot dog cart and worked his way up to his successful restaurant with original, well-crafted recipes. I admire his attention to detail. When I shoot restaurant foods, especially burgers, I usually find imperfections such as smushed buns. However, Ausley carefully thinks through every element of his food, mitigating flaws in his presentation. For instance, his burger buns are delivered in crates ensuring they are not stacked on top of each other -- making them picture perfect.
I approach my work similarly, with meticulous planning and attention to detail to ensure every aspect of my photography gets the attention it deserves.
Both the journey and the destination matter
One way to realize an idea is to go ahead and shoot it rather than wait for a commission. I often get ideas around specific events/times of the year, and taking it from concept to photograph is irresistible. Every time I begin work on an idea, I tell myself to start and see where it goes. Akin to the saying, "it is the journey and not the destination that matters."
I'd be lying if I said, "it is the journey, not the destination." The journey is a problem-solving, learning experience that helps add to my vocabulary--visually and technically. Over time and with experience, one recognizes when an idea has arrived or reached its destination. And, in whatever shape or form the journey reveals it to be, the destination is always delightful. Even if for only a few days until you start on another one of those journeys.
A very special bourbon banoffee pecan cinnamon roll.
Recently, I collaborated with Our State Magazine to tell the story of Greensboro baker Veneé Pawlowski. Her cinnamon roll won the $5000 General Mills' 2020 Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest and local fame. Although no stranger to the professional baking scene, Pawlowski maximized her time at home during a pandemic to open Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie, a micro-bakery in her very own kitchen.
I had the opportunity to photograph her and her famous bourbon "banoffee" pecan cinnamon rolls at the Historic Double Oakes bed and Breakfast, where she has a store. I included vignettes of the building's Colonial Revival style architecture as much as possible in all the shots, especially the portraits.
Tailgating with Wild Wing Cafe's "Party in a Box"
Late last summer, I photographed Wild Wing Cafe's "tailgater" menu. Wild Wing Cafe (WWC) created a menu conveniently packaged and perfect for game day. This "Party in a Box" includes fan favorites, such as wings, dips, fries, and beer—it even has a playlist to set the mood
As the photographer, I purposefully incorporated the food and setting to evoke the spirit of a classic American football tailgate. As this was an extensive menu, I decided to shoot in the studio to ensure consistent lighting through all the shots for a game-day ambiance. Access to a full kitchen was essential for this shoot, so my North Carolina studio was perfect. A picnic table made to our specifications, outdoor scenics, and turf emphasized the tailgate feel.
A stellar team of food stylists, assistants, and the design team from WWC tackled this three-day shoot to create a set of game-winning images.
A Distillery with a storied Past
It is safe to say whiskey runs in the Call family blood. The Calls can trace their distillery lineage back to 1866 with Reverend Daniel Call. The Lutheran minister, who also served as the teacher of the most recognized name in whiskey, Jack Daniels, perfected the distilled beverage until the temperance movement compelled him to leave the whiskey business. However, his descendants did not forgo selling spirits, taking the helm to craft legal moonshine in North Carolina.
From their whiskey bottle design to the preservation of Willie Clay Call's infamous bootlegging vehicles, the Distillery, now operated by a seventh-generation distiller, Brian Call, honors its legacy in many ways. As the photographer, I wanted to capture such a rich family history. Therefore, I embraced the nostalgia for this photoshoot, juxtaposing the brand's past with the present. I chose to photograph the "Reverend" whiskey, the original sour-mash whiskey -- a family recipe as classic as Clay's blue 1961 Chrysler New Yorker -- with the infamous moonshine hauling vehicles in the periphery. These pictures celebrate the timelessness of the Call legacy, honoring its origins while connecting the company to its present.
This shoot reminded me of how much I like photographing drinks. Stay tuned for a new beverage edit coming soon...
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
Thankful for Creative Freedom
Thanksgiving is when we in the United States celebrate with decadent feasts and express all we are thankful for. In the spirit of this holiday, I want to acknowledge how thankful I am for the opportunity to photograph for dynamic brands and individuals. One project comes to mind when thinking about the joy of creative freedom.
Earlier this year, Shafna Shamsuddin, the owner of Elaka Treats, a small ice-cream manufacturing business, approached me to take photographs that encapsulated her brand. Elaka Treats deliberately blends Shafna's past and present, pairing cardamom-infused Indian and Arabic flavors from her heritage with locally sourced North Carolina ingredients.
It was a treat to work with Shafna as she let me take complete creative control of the project. My goal was to create three images highlighting the unique ingredients that make the artisanal ice cream exceptional. I developed the concept, and from styling to lighting and retouching, I crafted images that showcase the unique flavors of the ice cream. For combinations such as Inji-Puli Sweet Potato, I pulled in the raw ingredients: sweet potato, ginger, and of course, cardamon and juxtaposed them against the finished confection. These images call attention to ingredients represented in the flavor profile.
As we consider what we are thankful for, my mind can't help but go back to this project. Having total control of the vision from beginning to end was profoundly gratifying. This project allowed me to indulge in creativity, and I am delighted with the final images. These are not just beautiful photos; they represent the labor of love that these handcrafted ingredients construct. As a food photographer, it is always satisfying to help instantly communicate a brand's uniqueness with intentional imagery, and I am thankful for such opportunities.
Inji-Puli Sweet Potato: sweet potato, cardamom, garam masala, ginger, tamarind, jaggery, red pearl onion, red chili powder, turmeric, brown sugar
Rose - Rose petals, cardamom, almonds
Plantain - plantain, cardamom, coconut sugar, copra, cashew nuts
A New Emphasis
The uneasy quiet of the last two years was speckled with moments of contemplation and the opportunity to reassess, renew and create. Out of this quiet came a few projects that have delightfully altered my approach and amplified the creative satisfaction I get from my work. I’m excited to share this work from my web galleries and over the next few months, to dive into the details of these projects here on the blog.
The images above are from a series titled Decadence, a collaboration with food stylist Dawn Longobardo.
Dedicated to the holiday celebrations forfeited to the pandemic, Decadence rekindles festivity through indulgent spreads. From Thanksgiving to the Fourth of July, Decadence revels in the ostentatious. Inspired by Art Deco ornamentation, this series highlights how food remains an essential component of American holiday rituals. As many emerge from the pandemic seeking normalcy, Decadence turns the ordinary on its head, inspiring celebratory feasts to come.
As we all move past Covid, I am excited to see what new projects arrive at my door and I am looking forward to the creative collaboration that they bring.
A cookbook that tosses the rulebook
A friend had this idea to put together easy to make recipes for the home cook during this quarantine. How else to occupy oneself during this time, he thought? Cooking and…? Well board games! And I agreed! The two have come to be the mainstay of this quarantine.
I have been experimenting for a while creating abstract images out of various food powders and ingredients and it was time to progress from concept to a commercial application. After discussions with the team, we came up with the idea of illustrating various board games using food ingredients.
Like all projects, taking something from concept to reality is a process riddled with doubt, dead ends, obstacles, and problems to solve. And during COVID, the challenges increase: from conceptualizing the shots, shooting solo without a crew or stylist, to getting it all done in a short time frame. But, there is a sense of wonder when you work on something not fully knowing if the idea will play out visually. These images afforded me that experience. This cookbook does not feature any renditions of the recipes. Instead, it asks the home chef to envision the final outcome and take a stab at it—much like my process of creating these images.
While I do think we can do more with less, a surplus of one ingredient was crucial to the making of these images—creative freedom. Freedom to let the idea run its course no matter how winding the path, and dictate the outcome of these images. It’s like driving without a map or cooking without a rulebook.
Here’s how we did it. How would you play?
Cover
Red Chili Powder | Cardamom | Cinnamon
Foreword
Cayenne Pepper
Starters, small plates and snacks
Mancala - Chaat Masala | Aloo bonda | Kari Leaves
Mint Chutney | Tamarind Date Chutney
Tea
Dips, Chutneys and Salads
Carroms | Nigella seeds | red chilli powder | Indian white pumpkin | red onion | cucumber | beets
Guacamole | Sun Dried tomato Hummus | Ajvar
Papaya | Dragonfruit | Guava | Grapefruit | Kiwi | Pear | Lemon | Lime | Apple | Orange | Plum
Large plates, Curries and Stir-fries
Ludo- Fennel | Turmeric | Coriander | Red Chili
Gochujang Paste | Thai Red Curry Paste | Tom Yum Soup Paste | Green Curry Paste | Yellow Curry Paste | Ahi Amarillo
Turmeric
Breakfast and breads
Dartboard- Naan | Brioche | Banana bread | Paratha | Cocoa Powder | Egg
Nut Butters- Peanut | Almond | Sunflower | Cashew
Hemp | Flax | Sesame | Chia
Apéritif & Desserts
Chinese Checkers - Cham Cham | Brown sugar
Honey
Chocolate
Recent work for Ethnosh
Born in Venezuela, Dal Maso’s love for pasta comes from memories of his Italian grand parents cooking and from watching his father make pasta at his Italian restaurant. Dal Maso now lives in Greensboro NC and his artisan pasta can be found at local farmers markets, grocery stores and on the menu at White and Wood.
A Look at Pizza Farms for AAA Living
To celebrate October as National Pizza Month, I wanted to share this shoot I did with AAA Living all about pizza farms. Never heard of a pizza farm? Me either!
It’s pizza night on a farm. Two things I love very much. AAA has a list of these farms where travelers can drive in, throw a blanket down, pour their favorite bevs, and enjoy a night of idyllic farm life, complete with pizza made from fresh ingredients (I’m thinking cheeses here).
For this shoot, Tracy James along with Chris Ferguson at Pace Communications sent me a brief for two shots featuring two pizzas in each image representing pizza farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
In my studio in Greensboro, I enlisted the help of food stylist extraordinaire Alex Blake to create a farm-like picnic-y feel. Props were sourced from the collection at the studio. Once we fulfilled the brief, we shot an additional image just for fun.
Recent Work for Ethnosh
Ethnosh is a project that connects the public to immigrant-owned restaurants with photography, storytelling, and tasting events. When I photograph for Ethnosh, I’m always trying to represent each restaurant as distinctly as possible. This can be challenging because many of the restaurants aren’t able to spend a lot of time on the shoot. Many don’t have a lot of space for us to use during the shoot. But, these constraints can push us into interesting results.
On a recent shoot for Ethnosh we were photographing Lao Kitchen, a new Laotian restaurant attached to Alounemay Oriental Market along one of Greensboro’s immigrant business corridors. The restaurant itself is very small and windowless. We didn’t want to take up all their space with lights and gear, so we decided to set up outside and take advantage of the directional light of the late afternoon sun. It was a hot, humid, and bright southern day. The restaurant owner Suny squinted up at the sun and said, “Just like Laos,” and we thought… Perfect
Recent work for Red Clay Gourmet
On a recent shoot for Winston Salem-based pimento cheese producer Red Clay Gourmet, owners Lance and Michele wanted to showcase the versatility of their product by showing it in a variety of situations – in the kitchen, on the porch, and at a picnic. We took this direction and planned each shot to create a unique look, feel, and mood—down to expressing the time of day.
The challenge for me as a photographer was to create images that were expressive of the brand, contextualize the product in different situations, and use light to suggest a time of day, all the while staying true to my “elegant yet unpretentious” style of work.
Using the substantial library of props and surfaces at my studio , the expertise of stylist Chriscilla Browning from Directions USA, and with creative direction from Buttermilk Creative—the design studio working with Red Clay Gourmet to refresh their website and marketing materials—we reached Buttermilk’s goal to capture scenes that fit with the brand, practically and conceptually.
The photographs needed to work primarily as hero images on the site, but also work well in other applications like social media, brochures, point of purchase, and other marketing vehicles.
Our overriding goal was to get more mileage and use out of the pictures and start building a fresh, consistent brand image for Red Clay. All images were shot in my studio in Greensboro NC.
Recent Work For AAALiving
For National Pie day we made three pictures of three different pies for three states (MI, MN and IA) made for a studio that smelled wonderfully like Christmas in October. These are the small joys of being a food photographer. Many thanks to Rachel Winstead and PACE Communications for including me on this shoot. Big thanks to food stylist Alex Blake for the marathon baking session.
Appalachian Storytellers' Dinner for The Washington Post
I recently had the pleasure of photographing 6 chefs in action at a benefit event organized by The Blind Pig Supper Club of Asheville, NC. The Appalachian Storytellers Dinner was held at the picturesque Claxton Farms in Weaverville, NC. It was great to be behind the scenes in a kitchen full of very talented chefs who didn't take themselves too seriously and enjoyed cooking together.
Many thanks to Mike Moore, Travis Milton, Edward Lee, Matt Dawes, Elliott Moss, Kyle McKnight and Denny Trantham for giving me free range of their kitchen. Also, thanks to Photo Editor Dudley Brooks of The Washington Post for having me on this shoot and to Jon Eric Johnson for creating the time-lapse video.
And if you'd like to spend a little more time with the images......
Guests at the Appalachian Storytellers' Dinner organized by Blind Pig Supper Club at Claxton Farms, Weaverville, NC
Chef Elliott Moss and his dish Smoked & Cured Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Smoked Cheese, Buxton Sauerkraut, Leather Britches & Pickled Ramps
White Tail Venison with Sumac, Collard Leather Britches, White Tail Sack Sausage, Sweet Potato, Malted Sassafras, Mustard Greens & Black Birch Syrup by Travis Milton
Chef Edward Lee at work. Hickory Nut Gap Farms Pork Schnitzel with Kimchi Puree & Ham Salt Gravy by Edward Lee.
Chef Kyle Lee McNight puts the finishing touches on his Appalachian Root Vegetable dish with Hickory King Corn, Sorghum, Trout Salt, Local Chestnuts, Chard & Pecan oil
Chef Matt Dawes, Hominy porridge with Creasy Greens & Fatback by chef Matt Dawes
Mamaws Blackberry Dumplings with Fresh Cream & Mint by Chef Denny Trantham
Guests at the Appalachian Storytellers' Dinner
Chef Elliott Moss at the Smoker
Smoked and Cured Pork Tenderloin
Hickory Nut Gap Farms Pork
Charcuterie, L-R Fullsteam Carver & Friends Salami, Dusty Foothills Coppa, Peach and Corno Di Toro Lonzina, Old World Beef and Pork Salami, Carolina Hot Lamb Ham, Blueberry and Appalachian Wild Ginger Short Loin, Mole & Pumpkin Seed Salami
Guests at the Appalachian Storytellers Dinner at Claxton Farms, Weaverville, NC
Claxton Farms, Weaverville, NC
4 Restaurants for Sage Restaurant Group
On a recent shoot for Denver-based Sage Restaurant Group, I set out to represent 4 different restaurants through my photographs. My primary intent was for the images to be true the integrity of the restaurant—I wanted to convey the feeling of being there, the light, the mood and the ambiance. The biggest challenge was to make images that express the gestalt of the restaurant, while staying true to my style of photography.
Many thanks to Stephanie Ehrler and Peter Karpinski for making photography an integral part of their marketing and brand identity.
Urban Farmer: Cleveland OH
Sourcing ingredients from local farms and ranches, Urban Farmer Cleveland presents a new take on the traditional steakhouse. Plush couches interplay with weathered wood tables to create a stylish setting for the hearty yet elegant fare served here.
Departure: Portland OR
Captained by the soft spoken Top Chef contestant Gregory Gourdet, Portland’s Departure restaurant tempts guests with its ambitious mix of Asian and coastal cuisines. Think “Asia meets Pacific Northwest” with street food style appetizers and the freshest sushi around. All this served up on the 15th floor atop the landmark Meiers & Frank Building with fantastic views of the beautiful Portland skyline.
Hello Betty Fish House: Oceanside CA
The Hello Betty Fish House in Oceanside, CA, offers a comfortable, eclectic atmosphere filled with beach side charm. The menu features a variety of fish and seafood tacos, alongside a host of other surf-side favorites. Cool breeze from the Pacific wafts in through large open windows at the bar, making it feel like a rustic fish shack on the beach.
Urban Farmer: Portland OR
At the helm of an operation that is very reflective of the sustainable mindset of Portland is a friendly & approachable Executive Chef Matt Christianson. I thought it was pretty neat that Matt keeps bees atop the building, saves the fat that comes off the beef to make candles for the restaurant and makes soap for fun while creating chocolate in various designs on a 3D printer.
Urban Farmer Portland features a mouthwatering array of locally sourced meats, poultry, seafood and produce. This modern-day steakhouse focuses on local and organic ingredients.
Recent work for The Wall Street Journal
Earlier this week, I had the honor of photographing Father Brad Jones and Bishop Chad Jones for the Wall Street Journal. They were the most easy going and fun clergy I have met and it made for a very exciting shoot. Many thanks to Clare Ansberry for the wonderful story about people who change their religions; and to Allison Scott for having me photograph this unusual set of twins.
Brad and Chad grew up as Baptists in Elkin, N.C. Today, Brad is a Roman Catholic priest in Charlotte, N.C., and Chad is an Anglican bishop in Atlanta.
Here is a link to the story online and a few images that didn’t make it into the newspaper.http://www.wsj.com/articles/when-we-leave-one-religion-for-another-1425406126
Fr. Brad Jones and Bishop Chad Jones
