food & drink photography & motion Jul 2023

In 2015 Aaron won a recipe contest that sent him from the US to Ireland for a week to work with a world renowned chef. He brought his camera and took nothing but photos of food that week. When he got back he knew he wanted to photograph food and beverage for a living. That was eight years ago, and over that time he has built an impressive portfolio and worked with brands both large and small, national and international.

Aaron has a passion for food and creating dynamic and dramatic imagery for his clients. He works tirelessly to bring style and craveability to every image he creates. Aaron got his start in the advertising world, working as a designer, art director and creative director for many agencies over a 20-year career. By pairing his unique eye for composition and his understanding of commercial advertising he is able to create craveable imagery that stands out for his clients.

Over the past few months he has been busy creating new work for brands such as Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Celsius Fitness Drinks, Space 220 & Morimoto Asia at Disney World Resort, Metro Diner and many others.

Keep up to date on his work by following him on Instagram or see more at aaronvan.com

Adam DeTour is a multifaceted photographer that is equally comfortable in a field with a farmer, a lab technician at an elite institution, a lobby of a well-appointed hotel, a restaurant with the chef and their tantalising treats or in his studio photographing amazing foods for a major corporation. "For me each image is a little mediation on a moment that I got to witness or a person I got to meet and expand my world just a little bit."

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, where he works out of his full service studio with a complete working kitchen, Adam creates images that are thoughtful and genuine.

Alongside his talented food stylists, prop stylists, and production staff he creates work for clients such as Green Giant, Macallan Whiskey, Wine Spectator, The New York Times Magazine and many others.

Aina C Hole is an award-winning and well known Norwegian food photographer who know what it takes to get tempting photos for packaging and commercial advertising. Her speciality is food and product still life. She has a big studio in Oslo stuffed with props from all over the world. She can easily adapt to different styles and create a unique environment for the client. She is known for completing tasks with great detail and on time.

Aina has been fortunate to have worked with many of the biggest commercial clients in the industry such as Norwegian Seafood, Shell, Coca-Cola, 7-Eleven, Oetker, Domino's, Kraft, Coop, Kygo, to mention a few.

To view more of Aina's portfolio, you can check out her website.

Anne Lommel is a Luxembourg-based photographer specialising in food and travel. She began her career as an art director and briefly as a tourist guide, but her passion always stayed within photography.

With a genuine love for shapes, patterns and colours, Anne seeks to use food as a lens to explore new cultures. She is eager about teaming up with like-minded creatives and develop new authentic stories that are worth sharing.

Anne is also available to shoot on nearby locations such as Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and France. Some of her recent clients include Chocolaterie Genaveh, Ma Langue Sourit, Hôtel Le Place d’Armes, Fage Yoghurt.

Barbara Wrigley McDevitt is a Florida-based photographer with more than a dozen years of experience behind the camera. With a keen eye for detail, she brings her expertise to the food, beverage and culinary lifestyle photography arena.

A sense of story weaves throughout Wrigley McDevitt’s work and her years of experience together with a combination of skill, knowledge and technical ability allow her to successfully problem solve whatever surprise is thrown at her on set.

Wrigley McDevitt has just completed an assignment for The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples and is looking forward to her next assignments, including photographing the cuisine and interior of a newly opened restaurant in Boca Raton, Florida, and a product shoot for a major peanut butter brand.

Wrigley McDevitt bounces between her studio and remote locations and would love to collaborate with you on your next project. You can reach her at +1 612 743 2757.

Brian Wright is a talented photographer and director specialising in food and beverage. Top-tier CPG companies, design firms, and ad agencies highly trust his team. They have worked on various projects, from packaging and online platforms to advertising and point-of-sale displays.

One of Brian's recent projects was particularly impressive. He created stunning editorial-style images for a luxury meat client's website, social media, and catalog. The studio also recently completed several full-line re-designs, working closely with brand managers to create targeted imagery with high appetite appeal that will be successful on-shelf.

In the West Loop of Chicago, Brian's studio spans 4000 square feet and provides ample space for multiple sets and styling teams. If you want to see more of Brian's portfolio, you can visit his website or follow him on Instagram. If you would like to know about upcoming projects, you can contact Brian's agent, Emily Inman, at 1+312-343-9165 or email her.

London based food photographer Danielle Wood has been busy photographing commissions for McDonald’s, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Lidl.

Shooting from her fully equipped studio and working alongside a skilled team she creates colourful, bold and fresh images for both photography and motion.

For this issue of Spotlight Magazine, Danielle has selected images from a recent advertising campaign with McDonald’s featuring the Big Tasty burger range. A fun and colourful fast food test, a campaign for Dolmio and some bold, vibrant images shot for 'The Ultimate Airfryer Cookbook' commissioned by Penguin Random House.

Danielle’s clients include McDonald's, Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, Lidl, Tesco, Dolmio, BBC Good Food, Olive Magazine, Penguin, Harper Collins and many more.

Please feel free to get in touch with Danielle directly or through her agent Lucy, and check out Danielle’s website for her latest work featuring some delicious images and new motion work.

Gareth Sambidge is an innovator in the field of food film and photography, constantly pushing the boundaries and exploring new possibilities both conceptually and technically.

In recent years, Gareth's greatest passion has been adapting these techniques to the dynamic world of moving images. He has directed television commercials, collaborated on travel films, and contributed to social media food campaigns, all while infusing his work with creativity and experimentation.

Gareth's impressive client list includes esteemed names such as Edwardian Hotels, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Sainsbury’s, Workham Hotels, Wild Bean Cafe and Waitrose.

There are not many things Karen loves more than an excuse to create stunning splashes with beautiful looking drinks. Her recent shoot for the bubble tea company Purcha was an absolute joy. Not only were the shots fun to create but the added bonus of being able to sample these amazing drinks wasn’t missed. Karen also directed a powerful video for the brand which is also featured in this Showcase.

Karen also recently had the pleasure of shooting Madhuka teas for OForest. Shown here are three of the colourful images that helped the recent exciting launch of the brand.

Franklin Lade is a fast-expanding new company that manufactures beautiful, stylish glass jars and other storage. Karen created an authentic homely setting to showcase their high-end products.  Lastly in this showcase are two mouth-watering shots of Marks and Spencer meal deals. A feast to behold!

Karen Thomas is a London-based photographer and director with over 20 years of experience in producing beautifully inspiring images. Karen has an extensive client list that includes some of the biggest names in food such as M&S, Costa, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, McDonald's and Lidl to name just a few. She works with the very best food stylists in order to produce the high quality of work for which she is well known.

Karen fell in love with photography at a young age and the passion has never left her. She loves nothing more than getting stuck into an exciting project whether it’s a big advertising shoot, editorial project or some of her own experimental work. It might be a busman’s holiday, but in her spare time, she loves nothing more than cooking!

Freddy Clark is a commercial advertising photographer in the New York City area who specialises in capturing vibrant visuals that make drinks pop. His work has been described as “taken right out of a sexy speakeasy lounge”.

With a passion for studio work and collaborating with clients, he brings a contagious excitement to every project. His mastery of both artificial and natural lighting ensures captivating photography that will elevate your campaign to new heights.

With over 20 years of experience Joe Pellegrini has been an industry leader in the fields of product photography and food & drink photography. Beyond his expertise in photography, he is also a skilled painter, infusing his artistic sensibilities into national campaigns for renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Kellogg's, Tyson, and Ziploc. For the past 11 years, he has been the go-to photographer for Subway, responsible for capturing their national and international print and outdoor ads, as well as 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.

On shoot days, Joe's studio is filled with energy as clients indulge in mini candy bars. Meanwhile, Joe collaborates with a talented team of food stylists, special effects experts, and digital technicians. Together, they approach each shot with practiced efficiency, ensuring exceptional results and a track record of success.

Jonathan Knowles is an award-winning advertising photographer and filmmaker creating extraordinary imagery for the world’s most established brands. He specialises in drinks, liquids, food, still life, beauty and special effects.

Jonathan’s approach is organic, authentic and natural. He believes that the magic of successful imagery comes from capturing exquisite moments in camera.

Today, Jonathan neighbours the River Thames in his London studio, fully equipped with a Phantom Flex 4K camera and motion control robot, capturing still images and films that will reach people across the globe. It was here that he created the iconic O2 bubbles, and brands such as Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker, Heineken, Guinness, Robinsons, Glenfiddich, Cadbury, McDonald’s, Heinz, Meta, Dior, Rimmel, ITV and many more have sought out Jonathan’s distinguished and timeless style.

Manja Wachsmuth has spent the last 20 years in the professional photography industry shooting campaigns, packaging, and content, and running her own business in New Zealand for over a decade.

Danish-born Manja has established herself as an award-winning food and lifestyle photographer, working with agencies, publishers, lifestyle brands and top chefs.

Her Scandinavian heritage is reflected in the clean and simple style of her photography, which is evocative and beautifully lit, like the long summer nights and sharp winter days of her native Denmark.

Recent clients include American Express, Heineken, and NZ-local Lone Star and Barker’s of Geraldine. Manja was recently awarded Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year, New Zealand regional winner.

Manja brings a direct approach, clear vision and a strong sense of purpose to every shoot. Her goal is to create authentic images that are beautiful in their detail, and a vision for clients to market their product in authentic ways are at the forefront of every shoot.

Maxine Lock is an experienced professional photographer who specialises in food and product photography.

She has a passion for playing with food and liquids to create stunning images, and she loves the creative challenge of making products stand out within an image. Some of her recent food & drinks projects includes styling and photographing a spread for a crackers manufacturer, photographing a range of manuka honey bottles, as well as photographing a range of health & wellbeing drink supplements.

With years of experience and countless props in her studio, Maxine is the perfect choice for any commercial photography project. Get to know more about Maxine by getting in touch.

Based in Newton, Massachusetts, Paul Saraceno is a seasoned photographer specialising in food and product photography. Boasting an impressive career spanning over 25 years, Paul consistently produces breathtaking images, thanks to his meticulous attention to detail and strong connections with creative directors, food stylists, and prop/set designers.

Together with top digital, video and retouching teams, he is able to provide outstanding work for his clients. His 5000 sq.ft. studio has a fully equipped kitchen and abundant daylight.

To explore Paul's remarkable portfolio, visit his website.

Reiner Schmitz is a photographer focused on food, beverages and still life images for advertising, cookbooks and editorials.

Alongside his creative food photography, he also works on indoor and people projects. Many of which also take place in restaurant or kitchen environments.

Be it in his own studio or at a client, he always enjoys working in an exciting project. He draws from his interdisciplinary experience in little stills, big advertising shoots, editorial photos and his own creative work to bring out the best in a shot. Sometimes the magic happens in a well practiced team with stylists and food stylists and sometimes it is just him and the camera.

His spacey studio, located in central Munich, features two separate fully equipped kitchens and a large room full of props. It is suited for multiple setups and especially for big team efforts such as cookbook productions.

Lately, he has been taking stunning and unique photos of vintage motor bikes, modern classics and, most recently, vintage Vespas with their unique patina look in his BlackBikeProject.

Rene Mesman, an Amsterdam-based photographer, possesses exceptional skills in the fields of food and design.

His talent has earned him the trust of renowned clients like Adidas, De Bijenkorf, Hema, and McDonald's, who have relied on him for their projects. His extraordinary work has graced the pages of esteemed publications such as The New York Times, Elle Decoration, Linda Magazine, MacGuffin, Volkskrant Magazine, as well as notable books like 'Lekker Fred' by Freddy Tratlehner and 'Een keuken van de Lage Landen' by Joris Bijdendijk.

Rene's passion for design is evident in his unique and personal style. Whether capturing interiors, products, or food, he effortlessly imbues his photographs with warmth and texture, delivering captivating visual experiences.

Rob Grimm is an award-winning beverage and foot photographer based in the midwest.

Dubbed “The Shakespeare of Beer” for his excessive attention to detail, Rob is comfortable in the studio or in far off locations creating still and motion content for his clients.

"I seem to be in a place of voracious experimenting and learning right now. AI is the talk of the town and a hugely polarising topic. People are jumping in or sitting on the sidelines in total fear. I am diving in to use AI as a tool to create a portion of my images. It is a means to create new images and explore new processes while increasing my production speed. But in no way is AI replacing what I do as a photographer. The collection of images in this issue have all been assisted with the use of AI or OLED technologies which is offering me new ways to create images for my clients."

Rob has a client list as long as your left arm including brands such as AB InBev, Ciroc Vodka, The Glenlivet, Grey Goose, Monday Zero Alcohol, Tequila Avion, Wild Turkey, Kraft, and Panera.

To discuss a potential project, please reach out to Rob or visit rggphoto.com for additional still and motion content.

Stephen Conroy is a London photographer and director with a keen eye for details and selling the flavour.

His consistent high-end production values mean he works regularly with some of the biggest food companies in the world - creating campaigns for ads, packaging, point of sale or PR.

Clients from the UK, Europe and America have a great experience at his studios in London to go along with the beautiful tempting results.

Get in touch with Stephen to discuss how he and his talented team of food & prop stylists can help your next project, and for more examples check out his website.

Photographer and director Stephen Hamilton gives back in creative ways. For years he has donated excess 'client' food to Feeding America – everything: from chicken and lunchmeat, to pasta and cookies. He also supports small food businesses with Images for Artisans by donating his photography.

His latest undertaking is to work with the Urban Growers Collective (UGC), through Workbook and APA Chicago, to photograph their produce.

UGC’s mission is to use education and their eight Chicago area gardens to build a more equitable local food system. One thing they need, which doesn’t require a green thumb, are photographs to promote and document their gardens.

In preparation, Hamilton visited a UGC Garden, then photographed their spring harvest in his studio. The challenge was to shoot the produce in a way to make it look heroic, yet different, from his work on Sara Grueneberg's cookbook, 'Listen To Your Vegetables'.

Hamilton’s solution was to photograph individual, larger than life portraits of the small vegetables. Then he used a dark background to vignette the subject with chiaroscuro lighting to create depth and texture. He is excited to see what produce UGC will send him next!

Steve Buchanan has been interested in photography since he was 14. In the years since, he has photographed everything, from mummies to machine guns. He has shot in lots of places he is fond of, a few he would like to forget (the blast freezer comes to mind), and all the while finding new ways to capture the beauty of the world. He is happiest when working with the crew figuring out if we really need more blueberries on those pancakes - or if that cheese is melted enough.

Steve lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore with his family and a scruffy Jack Russell.

Steve Ryan is a food and drink photographer who has worked with some of the most renowned and innovative food and media brands in the world including Jamie Oliver, Guinness, Tabasco, Jamesons, Baileys, KFC.

As a photographer, Steve has a way of bringing out the personality of his subjects - whether he is working with people or food (or both), his work is always engaging.

Steve co-founded  40FT Brewery in East London now producing over 5,000 pints of fresh beer each week. Steve also co-founded Root + Bone, a quarterly foodzine exploring London's vibrant food and drink culture, he is a contributing editor.

Steve is represented by JSR, see his work here and follow the agency on Instagram for the latest projects.