FOOD & DRINK PHOTOGRAPHY Apr 2013

The Black Box Studio, which mainly specialises in food, drinks and still life photography, originated from the collaboration between veteran photographer Stephane Verheye and the young but innovative photographer Olivier Chenoix.  The two of them are a perfect mix - a professional team that always guarantees high quality images. The studio also works with Belgium's best stylists, foodstylists, modellers and stage-builders.

Clients include major advertising and most of the packaging agencies in Belgium, and even in France and the Netherlands.

Food has been the focus of Brigitte Wegner’s work for more than 20 years. Responding closely to clients’ needs, she makes products shine regardless of whether detailed and focused packaging work or an emotive series for editorial purposes is required.

Brigitte can offer several workspaces from her spacious studio in Bielefeld. A professional kitchen and wide variety of props is also at hand. Backgrounds are all handmade and individual solutions such as hand-dyed table cloths are available. Her clients can settle down in the comfortable conference room and continue their work while following the shoot.

Aside from organising the entire workflow, Brigitte loves to develop new aesthetics for her pictures, whether it is through new ideas for lighting, special props or an unusual perspective. Clients often look for her consultation when it comes to putting new product designs into pictures, sometimes even before the design is ready.

There is a true art to capturing the pure essence of food in still imagery. In order to convey the texture, imply the aroma and impart the taste, a photographer must embody a keen eye for the slightest of detail and maintain a thorough knowledge of lighting, styling and colour.

Enter award-winning photographer Calvin Lockwood. His food images are amazing still-lifes, works of art and editorial genius. For the last 25 years he has been thrilling clients with his unparalleled imagery in his downtown Atlanta studio and on the road across the country.

Carsten Eichner specialises in still and food photography and has his own fully equipped digital daylight studio in Hamburg.

He has international experience working for agencies and editorial magazines, both in the studio and on location.

Charlie Richards is a professional photographer specialising in food, shooting for a range of advertising, packaging, pr and editorial clients from his central London studio, although he is equally happy on location.

Charlie regularly shoots for brands such as Sainsbury's and Morrisons, (having just finished working on the Sainsbury's Taste the Difference packaging range) and for a wide range of editorial clients. His spacious daylight studio is situated in Clapham and has a large, open-plan, fully-equipped kitchen, as well as a comfy client area.

Charlie regularly shoots daylight but is also more than happy using flash and constant lighting to create a natural, soft lighting feel.

You can visit Charlie's website to view his current portfolio and a selection of his latest work.

Daniel Zheng is an award-winning photographer from Singapore with over 25 years experience in the industry. He is based in Shanghai and is represented worldwide by Getty Images.

Daniel has handled many assignments in the studio as well as on location. He has a large choice of table props and backgrounds available in his studio. His versatile portfolio covers many photography genres, with food, beverage and splash his specialties.

Daniel works for a variety of clients including Pepsi, Johnnie Walker, Heineken, Haagen Dazs, KFC, Pizza Hut, Cornetto, Knorr, McDonald's, Kraff, Lipton and Campbell's.

Visit his website to see more of his portfolio.

Daniele Fiore is Italian. For this reason food is part of his DNA. To be born in Italy means to be a healthy carrier of one of the most important cultural and culinary traditions in the world.

In his photos, food becomes a malleable material upon which light plays to surprise the viewer. In his home studio in the countryside outside of Rome - perfectly equipped for shooting food - Daniele's photographic work is mixed with everyday life into an ensemble of flavours, colours and moods.

He has worked for some of the leading food groups including Unilever, Barilla, Buitoni, Nestlé, Findus and many national companies as Cirio, Bistefani, De Cecco, Del Verde, Algid, Lavazza and Peroni.

Eising Studio is among the world’s leaders in food photography. For more than 30 years photographers Pete and Susie Eising have set the highest standards and supplied demanding clients such as advertising agencies, industry, editors and publishers with their award-winning photo and video productions. Among other projects, they’ve illustrated more than 200 cookbooks, including many international prize winners.

Food professionals from various disciplines work hand-in-hand at Eising Studio. An established project-oriented team supports Susie Eising. Among them are her long-time studio director and food photographer Martina Görlach, experienced food stylists, recipe developers, stylists and camera operators with expertise in various fields.

What they all have in common is extensive professional experience and diversity. Team members contribute their own creativity, enthusiasm and passion for each and every project. This is what makes their cooperation unique. After all, passion and expertise are the fertile ground where the best productions flourish. The result is quality that clients also appreciate.

Recent clients include Averna, Dr. Oetker, Birkel, Bernbacher, Fissler, Nordzucker, Reisfit, Grimmway Farms, Nordic Ware, Gräfe und Unzer, Zabert Sandmann (including Michelin Star chef Alfons Schuhbeck), freundin Verlag and countless others.

Visit the website for examples and more information.

Hartmut Seehuber is a still life and food photographer based in Stuttgart. From his studio located near Stuttgart Airport he has been working for national and international clients for more than 20 years.

Visit his website for more information.

Jacob Lindner is an advertising photographer based in Munich. In recent years, he has specialized on food and product photography. His daylight studio in Munich has two complete kitchen areas and plenty of cooling storage space for big food productions.

His work includes imagery for packaging and POS materials. He has an in-house team of experienced food stylists and freelancers and offers complete digital workflow across all camera formats - from small format to high-class studio camera systems. He works mainly for the food industry but also enjoys shooting people and stock photography.

As one of the best established and most creative food photographers in the business, James works with a diverse number of clients, authors and designers.

Based in Central London, James divides his time between projects shot at his studio and on location in the UK and worldwide.

Jeff Kauck's food and still life photography has been gracing the pages of national advertising campaigns, magazines, cookbooks and packaging for over 20 years. His original training as a water colourist is reflected in his lighting style and sense of composition.

Whether it is creating a global standard for a brand or telling an editorial story, Jeff's international client base depends on his collaborative working style to bring their artistic vision to life.

Jeff has won numerous awards, including a James Beard nomination for the Spiaggia Cookbook.

Jonathan Pollock is a London based food and jewellery photographer.

Recently, Jonathan has completed two projects. Firstly, a food packaging shoot consisting of 60 shots for a European supermarket and secondly, a jewellery collection consisting of over 100 pieces for the jewellery company’s new website.

To view  further photography check out his new website or call him directly on +44 (0)20 8877 9493 to discuss how he can help you with your next project.

Karen ended a busy 2012 with a beautiful shoot for Observer Food Monthly, which documented the recipes of a food blogger.

So far, 2013 has proved even busier, with shoots for the Waitrose Easter campaign (with snow falling outside), Marks and Spencer's Summer campaigns (with snow falling outside), and Nestle Dolce Gusto (yes, you guessed it, with snow falling outside). She's scheduled to start work on Christmas campaigns soon... hopefully with sun shining outside. Failing that, she'll be making a fast getaway to the some of the countries she evoked so vividly for a recent McDonald's shoot, starting with India.

Malou Burger specialises in food, drink and lifestyle photography for advertising, packaging and editorial clients. Passionate about her work, she has a love of light and mood, while her energy and enthusiasm are apparent in all her subjects and the result is beautiful photography.

She loves to collaborate with great creative teams. Malou works on location or from her flash and daylight studio in Clapham.

In 2012 Malou won an award at the KRT (Art Directors Club) for her work for McDonald's and in 2011 was a winner at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards. Her commercial and editorial clients include Knorr, McDonald's, Dolmio, Pizza Express, Radisson, The Sunday Times and Red Magazine. Recent publishing includes 'Wahaca: Mexican Food at Home' by Thomasina Miers and 'The Art of the Cake' by Mich Turner.

Myles New is a busy London-based food photographer. Well versed in the art of creating mouth-watering images, he comes from a food background bringing with him an incredible understanding of food and how to photograph it.

Photography is one of his life-long passions (the others are eating and surfing) and his love of the art translates into an amazing understanding of lighting techniques and how to use them, whether it be daylight or recreating a lovely sunny scenario on the bleakest November day.

With an ever-growing client list, Myles has recently shot Christmas and summer billboard campaigns for Sainsbury's and ads for Hellmann's, and has also translated his skills into moving image, directing for Lidl and Sainsbury's as well as some short films and animations. He has worked extensively with Lorraine Pascale shooting the books which accompany her TV series, and works regularly with his editorial clients which include Jamie, Olive, M&S, Waitrose Kitchen and Good Food.

Myles is a true professional and an easy communicator - take a peek at his website and feel free to contact him or his agent.

Food photographer Peete van Spankeren (Amsterdam 1958) and stylist Monneke Peters (Amsterdam 1955) have worked together for many years. Inspired by the actuality of today’s crisis, they developed the idea of visualising the recent recession. The result is the series 'Into the light of the crisis' featured in this Spotlight and currently being exhibited at Museum Flehite.

The chosen form is inspired by classical still life paintings, almost like the famous Dutch Masters. Peete and Monneke have used "light from the 17th Century” to create an atmosphere of depression.

These 12 still life images are characterised by their beauty, sophistication and balanced composition.

Ricardo de Vicq de Cumptich is a name that is echoed around the world's food industry. He began his career shooting artist portraits for the music industry in Rio in the 1970s. Since the 80s he has been based in his own São Paulo studio and has become one of the biggest names in Brazil's food industry. Ricardo shoots for advertising, design agencies, editorials and magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle.

His main focus is food, drink and still life. He also boasts numerous culinary books marrying the work of many famous chefs. Liquid, food colour and texture have always enchanted Ricardo, inspiring him to capture taste and smell within a photo.

In advertising, his work has been awarded at the Cannes Festival, N.Y. Festival, London International Advertising Awards, Luerzer’s Archive, Clio Awards, The Art Directors Club Inc., Graphis Advertising, Graphis Alternative Photography, Conrado Wessel Foundation and Avon Colours, among others.

His personal work has been featured in exhibitions both nationally and internationally in locations including Paris, Florence, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

He was honoured with the cover of the Graphis Photo Annual ’94 along with many other publications such as Graphis Nudes, B&W Special Issue ’08 (Merit Award in portrait), 6th Black&White Spider Awards (still life nominee), and 7th Black&White Spider Awards (nude nominee).

Roland Persson is a photographer from Sweden, working in advertising and editorials for many years.

The Steve Payne studio has been established for over 12 years solely for the purpose of shooting very high resolution digital food photography for the packaging and advertising sectors. Two studios are available with a large fully equipped kitchen placed between them incorporating two ovens, chest freezers, fridges, and more.

The studio works closely with food companies, design agencies and stylists in and around London, working to tight briefs and providing an extensive range of props. The studio also has good relationships with home economists whose main skills relate to food packaging recipe development, POS, and advertising.

Studio hire is available by arrangement. CMYK conversions and contract proofs can also be supplied. The studio has extensive car parking facilities and is located within a five-minute walk from Wood Green Tube station. More information and photography samples are available on the website.

Recent projects have included Tesco, Morrison's, Gluten Free Breads, Green Isle, Batchelors, Danone, Donegal Catch, Erin Sauces, Milupa Baby Foods and Jacobs.

Stuart West is London-based and mainly works from his studio in Camden. He specialises in food and drink photography for design, advertising, packaging and editorial.

Recent clients include Waitrose, M&S, John Lewis Foodhall, QMS, Costa, Nestlé and many more.

Visit his website or give him a call on +44 (0) 7711 356633 for further information.

Food and lifestyle photographer Tina Rupp has a passion for food and loves making her images irresistable to the viewer. This is especially true of desserts, as her sweet tooth turns anything sweet into her absolute favourite subject to photograph.

Tina has shot food and lifestyle advertisements for clients such as McCormick, Splenda, Lean Cuisine, Pepperidge Farms, Hillshire Farms and Bertoli. Her images can also be seen in magazines and in over 30 cookbooks for clients including Food & Wine Magazine, Food Network Magazine, WeightWatchers, Giada DeLaurentiis and Rachael Ray.

Tina is based in New York and currently resides just outside of the city in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters. Visit her website for more information.

William Lingwood’s distinctive creative style has been noticed far and wide with successive commissions for packaging, POS, advertising and editorial clients. Marks & Spencer (including Christmas 2012; Espania; Contemporary Desserts; Italian Trattoria; Traditional Meals, etc.), Odd London for Scream Pubs Press, Publicis Chemistry for Bailey's on-the-line, and Waitrose POS are just some of his recent commissions.

William regularly contributes to House & Gardens and also recently published titles including John Gregor-Smith’s 'Mighty Spice' with follow up 'Mighty Spice Express', due out soon; newly released 'Bootleg Bakery'; and 'Crussh' (for the juice bar of the same name), to be published by Duncan Baird Publishers this summer.

William prefers to use various lighting techniques according to the creative requirements, and he is equally skilled at daylight, supplemented or black out studio lighting.

The images selected for this Spotlight feature a sampling from his recent work.