food & drink photography Jan 2013

Charles Imstepf was born to a chef/sommelier father and a design mother in Zurich, Switzerland. A decade later the family moved to Pasadena, California. Leica became his best friend and the lens through which he began the pursuit of a photographer.

Imstepf's path to directing follows from a photo-entrepreneur, photojournalist, top-secret aerospace engineering photographer, and finally to commercial photography for advertising. Charles discovered great success courting and shooting for advertising clients like Burger King, Mars, Dole, Nestle, Herbalife, Baskin Robbins, Kelloggs, Thermador and Pedigree.

Charles is revered as the Rembrandt of tabletop for his signature lighting and atmospheric designs. This is exemplified in the ethereal beauty of his method and approach to the food/liquid subject. Being at one with the action, reaction and response is a big part of the creativity seen in his work. Charles' images range from the understated to the extreme in colour palette and lighting.

Christian Lohfink is a high-quality still life photographer specialising in liquid and food images.

Recent work includes Nespresso, Krombacher, Gerolsteiner and Perfetto.

He is represented in German speaking countries by PAM-Mirjam Böhm.

Clients include Coca-Cola, Apollinaris, Staatl. Fachingen, Arla Food, CMA, Feinkost Käfer, Mars, Bitburger, Blanchet, Jacobs and Häagen-Dazs.

Christian Mushenko specialises in shooting food and people in a distinctive ‘silky and romantic’ style. His work is alive and vibrant, with an eye for beauty and humanity.

His award-winning photography is sought by his clients to put them ahead of their competition. Since 1988, Christian has been shooting for some of the world's largest brands working with direct and agency clients in the UK, USA, Asia and Australia, shooting everything from global campaigns to small pro-bono work.

Christian is based out of a purpose built studio 10 minutes from the Sydney CBD, with full kitchen and daylight facilities, state-of-the-art 80MP digital capture, a friendly golden retriever called Samson, and a pool.

Douglas Merriam splits his time between Portland, Maine and Santa Fe, New Mexico, travelling everywhere in-between shooting food, farms, and lifestyle for magazines, ad agencies, and cookbook publishers. His passion is anything food related, ranging from food on the vine to the people who grow and cook it.

The images in this Spotlight are from the cookbook 'España, The Flavors of Spain', and various editorial assignments. Clients have described his demeanor as “easy and fun, a consummate professional with no ego and a down-to-earth, rustic approach to shooting.”

When not on assignment he can be found growing his own food and cooking it with his wife and daughter in their tiny kitchen.

Duncan Loughrey specialises in food, drink and still life. With 25 years' experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to any shoot.

Visit his website for more information.

Gareth Morgans is a highly experienced food photographer. And what a busy boy he is! Working with advertising and design clients as well as editorial titles Jamie
Magazine, Olive and Good Food.

Recently shooting for Pod Food’s latest menu, Upper Crust, Birds Eye and M&S, Gareth has also taken photographs of some delicious recipes for Jo Pratt’s ‘Mad House Cookbook’ published by Duncan Baird Publishers, due for release in March 2013.

Gareth’s work has a clean, bright, graphic quality and he brings the dishes and produce he shoots to life, thanks to his eye for vibrant details. Simply put, he understands food. View his website for a range of testimonials from past and present clients.

Gareth shoots from his studio in Shoreditch, East London as well as on location. The studio has excellent daylight capabilities and an open space with a fully equipped kitchen available to clients during shoots. It also benefits from parking facilities and wireless Internet.

He is currently represented by Vue Photographers Agent.

Howard Shooter has been working as a London based, food photographer for nearly twenty years. Over the last few years, he has specialised in photographic re-branding, design/packaging and advertising contracts for UK and international clients. Notable recent clients include all the global advertising and website material/PR for Wagamama, the re-branded menu boards and posters for KFC and Tesco's new instore artisan bakery, Euphorium.

Food photography commissions include Marks and Spencer, Mars advertising, Morrisons livery, Walkers Crisps packaging, Filippo Berio, Kerry Foods and Cafe Direct to name a few.

Howard Shooter also has a licensing program which has seen his images on a range of products all over Europe. He is very happy to shoot on location too so please feel free to drop him a line.

Ian Garlick specialises in food, drink and lifestyle photography as well as moving image work for a range of leading brands.

Based out of his trendy Shoreditch studio, Ian offers a full range of props and backgrounds to compliment any shoot. His latest work includes a packaging assignment for Tilda and a big campaign for Bernard Matthews.

Clients include OXO, Hovis, Apple, Tesco, Morrisons, Rivita and JDW.

Ian recently renewed his long-term collaboration with Valentina Harris for a new cookery book and hopes to do more with the award-winning Italian cuisine expert over the coming years.

Ian's easy going, laidback style makes for a comfortable and relaxed shooting experience. Visit his website or contact him direct to tailor budgets and discuss particular requirements.

James and James Productions is a full service still and motion photography studio located in Los Angeles, California. Bruce and Jennifer James, a husband and wife team, are both photographers specialising in shooting imagery for high-end food and beverage clientele.

With Bruce's exclusive training in New York and San Francisco where he worked beside many well-known photographers, combined with Jennifer's in-depth training at Brooks Institute of Photography where she received a BA in Advertising/Illustration Photography, the couple has worked in the photographic industry for over 25 years.

Backed by an amazing crew of talented individuals, James and James Productions welcomes client collaboration from pre- to post production. Shooting for many leaders in the food and beverage industry, Bruce and Jennifer continue to provide their clients with cutting-edge visuals for food packaging, promotion and advertising.

Jean’s work is known internationally to have been on the forefront of food photography as well as awards for many years always bringing a new edge to his images through his lighting and composition.

He has works with some of the world top restaurants and chefs. Equally comfortable shooting portraits, interiors, reportage in restaurants and kitchen or in the middle of New York City for Editorial, advertising, packaging and book publishing. For the like of House & Garden, Thomas Goode, Observer Food Monthly, YO Sushi, Food&Wine, WSJ, Nespresso, Total, Boots, M&S...

In the past few years, Jean has worked with Phil Howard (Best Chefs Book award UK 2012), Rene Redzepi, Simon Rogan, Marcus Wareing, Raymond Blanc, Thomas Keller, Heston Blumenthal, Peter Gordon, Anna Hansen, Galvin Brothers to name few.

He has a fully equipped daylight and flash studio in Notting Hill with numerous props. Jean do style himself as well when required and act as a consultant on cookbooks . His experience in the field will bring you an invaluable insight for your next projects.

His first book as an author ‘Teatime’ got ‘Gourmand Award Best Dessert’ Book UK 2013.

He is shooting films through ‘NiceShirtFilms’ Production in London.

Jean is also sponsored by Panasonic/Lumix cameras.

Jemma Watts is an independent food and lifestyle photographer whose work focuses on four key areas: food, style, places and people. Using natural daylight to accentuate the beauty of her images, Jemma’s style is lucid and relaxed throughout. This makes for accurate reflections of the environments in which she shoots, with her pictures being clean and brilliant, shot in a true lifestyle fashion.

Based in London, she receives commissions from all areas of the industry, including design, editorial, PR, publishing, as well as from individuals for private work. Recent clients include Penguin Books, 3M, Kyle Books, Gressingham Foods and Fabulous Magazine.

Please visit her website for more information.

Jonathan Gregson has over 15 years experience as a professional photographer and is well respected in the genres of food and travel. Equally at home in his central London studio as he is on location, his work spans advertising, branding, packaging, books and editorial. He is represented by Pearson Lyle Management for his stills work, who offer production services where needed. He also directs tv commercials for food clients and his showreel can be viewed at his production company HomeCorp's website.

Jonathan regularly shoots for brands including McDonalds, Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, and Harrods, among others. He has also worked with many top chefs including Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay, Richard Corrigan, Peter Gordon and The River Cafe.

Jonathan's spacious daylight studio is situated by Tower Bridge and has a fully equipped professional kitchen. He frequently shoots with daylight but is equally adept at using flash to create beautiful, natural lighting.

Visit Jonathan's website to view portfolios, latest work, and his online archive.

Manuel Krug has been shooting food, drink and people for 20 years. His central Berlin studio is fully digitally equipped and includes a large kitchen area.

Manuel produces fresh, crisp and colourful images for many lifestyle and food magazines and food companies.

Aside from his studio work he travels widely and loves working on location.

Peter Schulte's work focuses on food photography, from prepared plates to full reports, including the people behind it all (from butchers and chefs, to wine growers and fishermen). He also shoots personal work free of any guidelines; these photos are simply him.

His clients include large publishers such as Gräfe und Unzer, Stiftung Warentest and Tre Torri, as well as magazines such as Food and Travel and Lonely Planet Traveller.

After producing more than 50 cookery books over the last 10 years, it's now time for Peter to say "Hello!" on Production Paradise.

Visit his website to see more of his work.

Rob Grimm is a dynamic individual; a photographer, a father, a furniture designer, a husband, a yoga nut, a friend, a soccer coach, a little brother and lover of a warm brownie straight from the oven. He's a momma's boy and forever grateful that she gave him a Kodak X-15 camera at the age of eight to document a family trip. Rob has crossed the frozen Baltic Sea in a snowmobile, camped on the beaches of Mexico, lived in Europe, got lost in Paris and made it through CU Boulder in four years. Rob’s collection of music is deep, but his thirst to enjoy life is deeper.

After nearly 20 years in the business, Rob has been blessed to have worked with some of the best clients and brands that the world has to offer.

Scott Peterson's passions are photography, food, movies and music. He brings his unique vision and relaxed demeanor to every project.

For more than 20 years Scott has maintained a studio in San Francisco, working with an impressive and always growing list of clients including Wendy’s, Lay’s, Domino’s Pizza, Sara Lee, Hickory Farms, Nestlé and Dole. Editorial clients have included several cookbooks for Chronicle Books and Ten Speed Press as well as magazines such as Bon Appetit and Sunset.

“I love the collaboration that is required on-set,” says Scott. “Working with a great team creating some delicious and compelling imagery is just the best!”

Rick Souders, owner of Souders Studios, has food and drink clients across the globe. Rick’s work has won him many prestigious awards, including “Best Beverage Photographer in the World” three consecutive times at the World Food Media Awards in South Australia. His work has been featured at Epcot Center and at the International Photography Hall of Fame.

Rick is an honors graduate of the Art Center College of Design. Known as the 'Mile High Food and Beverage Guy', Rick’s impressive Denver facilities offer two studios, commercial kitchen, three prop areas and five client lounges in a very retro environment.

Rick travels the country speaking about digital photography and business. He is an expert in his field on digital photography, photography business practices and industry trends. In addition to his award-winning photography, Rick likes to cook, travel and drive his 1967 Bentley.

Email Rick direct for more information.

Stephen Conroy specialises in food, drink, and still life photography. His approach is to produce fresh and natural images with daylight or a daylight photography feel.

His client list includes major supermarkets, advertising and design agencies worldwide as well as in the UK.

Clients enjoy working in his relaxed and friendly studios near London's Oval cricket ground. Whether they are the largest of global brands or a small local business, all of Stephen’s clients enjoy the same level of service and attention to detail.

He is happy to organise all aspects of a shoot - from assembling the team to bringing in fresh vegetables from his garden - and aims to produce top quality results in a laid-back, friendly environment.

Stephen's studio is in easy reach of all major transport links. From there he also offers a second daylight photography hire studio, which is also suitable for castings.

Steve Baxter recently finished work on Waitrose's 'Love Life' range with Pearlfisher, along with a major shoot for French food producer Giraudet.

He also shot with Turner Duckworth on Kraft Germany (Miracoli), and produced shots for a large range of Freefrom products for Tesco with Pemberton and Whitefoord.

Steve worked with Waitrose's design team on BBQ, cereals and menu ranges.

He also produced a recipe book for WeightWatchers UK along with a variety of projects over the course of the last six months.

Tim and Zoe have just completed a Valentine’s Day shoot for Morrisons and a cheese shoot for an editorial client.

The baking part-work has finally been completed, so waist bands may now finally start to shrink!

Zoe has two new highly dangerous browning tools which will be useful for searing meat and bubbling pizzas in preparation for an upcoming packaging shoot.

Tim is experimenting with a new camera and lenses.