food & drink photography & motion Jan 2018

8183 is a collaborative commercial studio that aims to make the process of creating powerful images of products and people a pleasure. With a keen eye, attention to detail, precision lighting and retouching techniques, the studio helps stir emotions, tell stories and drive sales.

At 8183 Studio, the staff's ethos is as much a promise as a command. To deliver such undeniably captivating images requires not only the right focus and talents, but also the Midwest ethics of hard work and humble approachability.

These elements combined make the team very easy to work with - just ask recent clients including Dairy Queen, Noodle’s and Company, Boulevard Brewery, Tom’s Town Distillery, Ball Jar, AMC, Russell Stover and McDonald’s.

Together with world-renowned chefs Matthew Kenney and Scott Winegard, New York-based still life, food and liquids photographer Adrian Mueller created PLANTLAB, a 300-page cookbook published by Regan Arts / Phaidon. A total of 29 days of shooting in LA, Miami and New York over a period of five months resulted in capturing a total of 222 images.

An inspiring, labour intensive and time-consuming project, PLANTLAB celebrates innovative plant-based cuisine. The 90-plus recipes employ a modern, creative approach organised in four sections that build on progressing skills: Fundamentals, Advanced, Professional, and Future of Food.

Since its release in November of 2017, the book has been called 'the new Bible of plant-based cooking', one that will further transform how society views plant-based cuisine.

Stockholm-based Bianca Brandon-Cox, one of Sweden's most passionate food photographers and prop stylists, also produces film and video for social media.

Recent work included several gastro-documentaries à la Chef’s Table, restaurant menu videos, product videos, recipe videos and online-courses with appreciated Swedish food influencers such as the master baker, Sébastien Boudet, and forager, Lisen Sundgren.

In eight years she has done 15 books, with several of them winning awards such as 'Best in the World' in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She is also assigned as an editor for books.

Bianca works with commercial and editorial clients in various areas of the food and beverage business. Selected clients include Eckes Granini, Axfood, Mars Nordics, Philips, Oatly, Urtekram, Kung Markatta, Svenskt kött, Restaurant Mistral, Gourmet Magazine, Bonnier Förlag, Norstedts Förlag, Semic Förlag and Brillbee.

"Hello Creatives, finish this sentence: "My client ___________."

Was your blank one of these:

• "Has a vision";
• "Has a specific style in mind for the brand";
• "Wants a new look";
• "Must see the appetite-appeal in the shot";
• "Is hard to work with"?

No matter how the sentence concludes, Brent Herrig can help you delight your clients and achieve exactly what they're looking for, again and again. Brands including Ketel One Vodka, Chase Sapphire and Stoli Group as well as cookbook publishers and several editorial publications rely on Brent to capture their vision of food, drinks and products in the most collaborative, stress-free way possible.

What can Brent help you with? Contact him directly to talk about your next project."

Raphael Bruggey is a food and people photographer who lives in Berlin. He loves food in every way and very often he can be found cooking for family and friends.

With a focus on detail, lighting and setting, he is constantly working on creating new visual styles.

Raphael is available for assignments worldwide.

Visit his website for more information.

"As 2018 begins, it’s the perfect time for food photographer Malou Burger to reflect on a great year and focus on her strengths with some deliciously fresh, bright and graphic new work that will knock your socks off!

Malou has also been adding to her moving imagery with some scrumptiously tantalising new work.

We’re biased and think Malou is great, take a look and see what you think of her work. It’ll make you hungry for more!"

"2018 is here, and two of our clients, Dekamarkt and Dirk van den Broek, wanted fresh new images for their in-store January magazines. Winter food and yet light recepices, set in a light and crisp setting."

Food photography and still life are two of Cameron Studio's main specialties, with Pim Janswaard and Lieke Heijn - both photographers - working predominantly from their Wormer-based studio, only 15 minutes from Amsterdam.

For more then 20 years the pair have been working for many commercial and editorial clients, producing best-selling books, magazines and productions. In addition, they also shoot portraits, lifestyle and stills for all the leading magazines in the Netherlands.

Latest work includes the book 'Bella Italia' by Dutch author Sonja Bakker, which has topped the best-seller lists for weeks.

Food and still life photographer Carsten Eichner is based in Hamburg, Germany and is also available to shoot in Tel Aviv, Israel.

His own fully equipped digital daylight studio in Hamburg offers quality professional photography linked with creativity and teamwork in collaboration with some of the best food and prop stylists. In addition to his photography, Carsten is closely linked to an in-house graphic design and production assistance agency as well as an ad writer.

Carsten works for a large range of PR, editorial and advertising clients across food, still life and interior photography. He has international experience working for agencies and magazines, both on location and in the studio.

Featured in this Spotlight are photos of Carsten's recent shoots for Beef! and “redux to the max”. His clients include EDEKA,  Dr.Oetker,  Der Feinschmecker, Burda, Lidl, Billa/Austria, Hilcona, WeightWatchers and Unilever.

Clinton Hussey is an award-winning commercial photographer specialising in conceptual, food, still life and, recently, motion. Since 1995, he has been creating distinctive editorial and advertising imagery for brand and magazine clients in his hometown of Vancouver and abroad.

Originally a design student at Vancouver’s Emily Carr College of Art & Design, Clinton stumbled into photography at first accidentally and then with conviction as he fell for its demanding mix of creativity and technical grasp.

Clinton has earned both Grammy and Juno nominations for his album cover designs and his photography has won multiple National Magazine Awards as well honours from Lotus, Applied Arts, D&AD, City & Regional Magazine Association, the Printing Industry of America, Communication Arts, PDN/Nikon, and many others.

Today, Clinton is expanding into video, creating ad campaigns for clients such as Method, Panago, and the Children of the Street Society.

With 30 years' experience, Duncan Loughrey has a keen eye for detail, is technically adept, and thrives on a bit of problem solving.

An expert at retouching, Duncan likes to keep most post-production work in-house allowing complete control through all stages of the image making process.

Happy to shoot in studio or on location, Duncan undertakes every shoot in an enthusiastic, professional and friendly manner.

Francesco Tonelli is an Italian chef who moved to the USA, turned photographer, and now creates stunning food images for commercial and editorial clients.

In the heart of the NYC Metro Area, Francesco can be found shooting in his modern, state-of-the-art, 4,250 square feet, four-story building featuring: shoot-in kitchen, production kitchen, street-level access for deliveries, 200 cubic feet of fridge and freezer storage, private parking, prop room, open and private client areas including a large terrace with 360° rooftop views overlooking NYC.

His commercial clients include Breyers, Campbell’s, Chipotle, Chobani, Daisy, Dove Chocolate, Godiva, KIND, Knorr, Kraft Foods and Planters. His editorial and hospitality clients include The New York Times, Cooking Light, Playboy, The Culinary Institute of America, Eleven Madison Park Restaurant and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Food and drink photographer Giles Christopher's extensive experience spans over 30 years. A great testament to his work is the long-standing relationships he has with his clients, which include restaurants, hotels, chefs, bars and leading food and drink industry experts.

In November two of his regular clients, Chris Edwards and Dave Tregenza, the boys behind Salts Of The Earth drinks consultancy and two award-winning London bars, released a cocktail book entitled 'Doctor's Orders'. All the images throughout the book have been taken by Giles over the last couple of years, either on location, or in his studio, with a flourish of additional material specially commissioned for the book.

With reviews already saying "The book is a piece of art", Giles is thrilled to have been involved.

See his website for more information.

Holly Pickering is a London-based food, drink and lifestyle photographer, working for a range of clients from editorial to advertising. Her work is all about people, textures, time spent together and capturing natural moments, and she is equally comfortable shooting in the studio or on location.

Recent commissions include a food and lifestyle location shoot in the Caribbean Islands for P&O Cruises, editorial work for Carnaby Magazine showcasing London’s best cocktails / bartenders, and healthy food photography for vegan patisserie specialists Lele’s.

Holly is represented worldwide by agents Hancock & Handsome.

Jean Cazals is one of the world’s leading food and lifestyle photographers, winning numerous awards in London and abroad for his photography. He has a unique eye and style through his use of natural light and styling to create beautiful images with high impact.

Jean is devoted to food as much as photography. His passion and understanding of the business, especially in the restaurant world, brings expertise to every project across editorial, design, publishing or advertising. Jean’s long list of clients as well as the numerous chefs with whom he has enjoyed working for 20 years provide a final seal of approval.

Based in his London studio, Jean loves shooting on location as well. Nothing excites him more that diversity and a new challenge! His keen eye on styling brings an extra edge to every project.

Visit his website to see the full spectrum of his talent across food and lifestyle photography. Be sure also to check out his previous Production Paradise publications.

Jennifer Davick is a California and New York-based director/photographer for brands that seek to showcase food and culinary lifestyle photography and film that is vibrant, stylish, approachable and appetising.

Her work explores the beauty-from-within of ingredients and reveals a portrait of implied lifestyle in the process. She is passionate about collaboration, remaining curious, mixing mediums and creating striking stories that feature food as the hero.

Recent clients include The Food Network, Imagine Soups, Aldi, Hillshire Farm, Lifeway Kefir and Electrolux.

You can follow Jennifer on Instagram, LinkedIn and Vimeo.

Based in NY / CT, award-winning photographer, DOP / cinematographer Jens Johnson is well known for his work with liquids.

With more than 27 years of experience, Jens’s love of photography and capturing liquids shines through whether he’s capturing the peak moment of a splash or the full balletic motion of a beverage pour. Each image and video takes on its own personality thanks to his creative vision and technical abilities.

His state of the art studio provides a comfortable client lounge, a fully stocked prop room, and a top of the line kitchen where Jens has created imagery and campaigns for companies such as Coke, Ocean Spray, Seagram’s, and Lancome.

Although he’s worked with some of the top brands in the world, Jens says, “I don’t care if it’s the number one brand of whiskey in the world or a company just breaking into the market - I love to work with creative people.”

One rarely goes a day without seeing Chicago photographer Joe Pellegrini’s work in store windows, in magazines, in catalogues, cookbooks or cereal boxes. 

For over two decades, Joe has been an industry leader in product and food photography. Also an accomplished painter, he has brought his artistic sensibilities to national campaigns for Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Kellogg's and Tyson. For the past 11 years, has shot virtually all of Subway’s national and international print and outdoor ads as well their in-store displays.

Unflappable, Joe has made a career delivering memorable imagery with the utmost professionalism for products ranging from Scrubbing Bubbles to Jim Beam.

Shoot days find his studio abuzz with clients snacking on mini candy bars while Joe and his group of top food stylists, special FX and digital technicians descend on every product shot with a practiced efficiency, providing proven success.

Kalman & Pabst Photo Group (KP Photo Group, Inc.) is a Cleveland-based, award-winning photography studio specialising in food, product and lifestyle photography, retouching, video, and CGI production.

For the past 30 years, their talented team has produced exceptional work for national campaigns and renowned brands such as Smucker’s, Red Lobster, Nestlé, Arhaus Furniture, Progressive Insurance, GE Lighting, and more.

In addition to being recognised for their breadth of skills and expertise, the team is equally known for their warm personalities and creatively energising work environment.

Visit their new website to learn more about the creative studio, view curated portfolios, and for contact information.

Paula Wilson is a Toronto-based food, drink and lifestyle photographer with a genuine love of food and a passionate eye for detail.

She has over 15 years of professional experience shooting projects from advertising to packaging, editorial and cookbooks. Her highly innovative and professional approach consistently produces beautifully crafted images both in studio and on location.

Paula’s recent clients include Campbell’s, Nestlé, The Gusto Channel and Tenderflake in addition to may of Canada’s top chefs and restaurants.

Sarah Anne Ward is a New York-based still life photographer specialising in photographing products, food and beverage - almost always with a quirky and conceptual twist.

She was recently commissioned to photograph the re-branding of One-Bar in a colourful, dynamic and mouth-watering way. The client was adamant about capturing the realness and texture of the food used to create the bars, while at the same time photographing the product applying an energetic and modern approach.

Sarah is know for her ability to capture the intrinsic characteristics of any product while using her technical skills to elevate the final image.

Sasha Gitin was born under Europe’s last dictatorship, married by a shaman in Mexico, and once crossed the Amazon in a canoe. Father to three good looking and occasionally obedient children, his finer skills involve turning creative ideas into engaging images, planting things to watch them grow, and brewing fine tea. Ask about his oolong - it’s to die for!

To connect: shoot him an email or stop by his studio in the West Village, NYC.

Shirish Sen is an India-based photographer who has spent over a decade creating images of food, liquids, products and still life for clients in India and across the globe.

His award-winning images have appeared in advertising campaigns, over a dozen cookbooks, as well as in several leading national and international publications.

He is currently based in Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi.

Visit his website for more information.

Stephen Conroy is a food and drink photographer and director.

His lighting and attention to detail means he is sought after for both video and stills work. Well established in the UK, Stephen now also has regular commissions from Germany, the Netherlands and Brazil. Clients are seeing the benefits of having their stills and video campaigns produced with the same ‘look’.

Stephen is represented for film and video work by Heatwave Pictures - the specialist food film production company.

Award-winning food and drink photographer and director Steve Ryan hails from Kilkenny in Ireland. He has worked with world famous chefs and producers such as Jamie Oliver, Fergus Henderson, and Meatopia and brands including Guinness, Tabasco, Baileys and Sainbury's, to name a few.

He has shot reportage and profile features for The Financial Times, Selfridges, Lidl, Olive Magazine, Cara and Vice Magazine.

Steve is a co-founder and co-editor of the London-based food magazine Root + Bone. He is based in East London.

Studio Ballena by Bert Balcaen is a high-end commercial photo studio in Belgium with two large, fully equipped studios - one located near Brussels and the other between Brussels and Gent. Its professional team works both in the studio and out on location.

Offering a full service approach to clients, including an in-house food and set stylist with an eye for detail as well as a large selection of tableware and set accessories, Studio Ballena is a valued partner for many brands and agencies. By always using the latest technologies and equipment an edge in efficiency and quality is guaranteed for all projects.

Post-production work is taken care of by the team in a fully colour calibrated workflow from camera to print.

The studio provides mouth-watering photography to food and drinks companies as well as brand and marketing agencies for use in advertising, packaging, social media and publishing, supporting marketing campaigns and branding.

Recent projects include famous chocolate brands and catering businesses.

Food, drink and lifestyle photographer Tara Liondaris works from her North London studio shooting and styling for lifestyle brands. Since assisting some of London’s top food stylists and photographers, she has gone to on to shoot and style for a number of well-known producers and brands including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Fever Tree, Peyton & Byrne, Heston Blumenthal and Caper & Berry.

Since turning freelance in 2015, Tara has won a cover competition on Lonely Planet Magazine and was shortlisted in the 2017 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Awards.

Tara's home-studio is also available to hire for filming and photo shoots - perfect for daylight food shoots to lifestyle beauty shoots, and everything in between.

"Taste. Who are we? We're an experienced tabletop production company that is committed to our clients walking away happy. We are flexible, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Vienna - or wherever you need us to be. We’re here to make your life easy. We love to take on new challenges. You want something that's never been done? We’ll find a way to make it happen. We are here to create beautiful things with you. You won’t only love the finished product, you’ll love taking the journey with us!"

"Collaboration is what made humans differ from other species in Nature; through fire food was easier to digest, thus leaving more energy to feed our every hungry brains.

So teamwork is an essential prerequisite for a successful campaign, especially in food photography where in current globalisation, all these different cultures and habits should be respected.

Spaghetti Bolognese as a powdery product comes in at least 11 varieties in the whole of Europe, while none of these recipes conjures to mind the original from Bologna. This calls for expertise from the home-economist, producer and photographer. The above is a prelude to the publication of a large international rebranding for one of our major clients, Unilever.

For now, Tobias Reymond Foto|Film are happy to show some no-brainers, containing soulful shots for Schulp Natural Fruit Juices, Vezet’s ever growing palette of cut vegetables, and iconic dairy shots for French client Candia.”

Authentic, approachable and natural is how acclaimed food photographer Tracy Cox describes her work. “I’m passionate about capturing the essence of food,” she says.

Drawn to the elemental attributes of what we eat, Tracy focuses on its sustaining pleasures and fleeting nature. “If ice cream starts to melt while I’m shooting it, so be it. If there are soup spills and smatterings of cracker crumbs in a shot, all the better.” It is this resolutely real approach that has garnered Tracy’s studio an international clientele that includes some of the biggest names in food and style.

As her global portfolio expands, Tracy retains her signature hands-on manner. “Julia Child said that if food is so beautifully arranged on a plate, you know someone’s fingers have been all over it. I love that! It alludes to what everyone suspects: there’s a lot going on behind the scenes of food photography.”

"I wish I could say I have tasted every dish I have photographed. Sometimes there is just not enough time in the day. People may not agree on politics, taxes, or even the weather, but we surely drop our differences and come together over food. Time spent at the table with others is one of the best ways to get to know them. Photography is much the same.

My work has been recognised in the creative industry’s leading publications: Art Director’s Club of New York Annual, the Communication Arts Design Annual, Print magazine’s Regional Design annual, Creative Quarterly, Photo District News, Society of Publication Design Annuals and SPOTS competition."