Great Food Photos: David Hagerman

I have seen my share of Bourdain eating in Asia and I know the food there, along with the culture and the atmosphere, is hundred times better than what you would get here in the states. My aunt lives in Taiwan and has been telling me about the famous night market eats. Just few years ago a bunch of my friends went to Thailand for a wedding and just wouldn't stop telling me about the chicken and rice dish and how good it was. *Sigh. Someday I say, someday. I guess in the mean time I'll just have to experience all the different foods and cultures through the photos of David Hagerman. He's a photographer and has been living in SE Asia for over a decade. Along with his wife, Robyn Eckhart, they make up the team behind the food blog EatingAsia. His photos are truly amazing and real. And when I say real I mean people that has been there for over a decade, that are passionate about what they write, what they photography, and what they're experiencing.

Q. Can you tell me what you’re trying to capture when you take your food photos? David. I've got this hang up where I like food to look real (go figure). Cooks, vendors, hawkers (especially in Asia) are artists in their own right and I don't want to do anything that draws the viewer's eye away from their artistry. So I'm not going to fuss with the dish too much. I want good lighting (or I will create good lighting) and clean backgrounds but otherwise I like for the dish to shine through on it's own. I like to get in close so that people can really see the texture and detail which is the next best thing to actually smelling and tasting a dish. But for me food photography isn't just about dish after dish (I bristle when I hear the term 'food porn') there should be a story which is what I hope to accomplish with my photography. I want people to see where ingredients come from, the vendors who sell them, the chef, the chef's hands. Each of those layers adds to the story and hopefully helps to mentally transport the viewer to that place.

Q. While walking through the streets, what will make you stop to take a photo? David. Someone (a marketing person for a US coffee chain, actually) once told me that I take pictures of ordinary things and make them look beautiful. Maybe she was just trying to make me feel good -- they didn't buy any of my images -- but it's kind of stuck with me. I like capturing moments of everyday life - it might be something in a market, or a street vendor, or I might see someone with an interesting face and ask them if I can do a portrait or just photograph them while they work. I'm a fairly curious guy so I stop often.

Q. Any photography heroes? David. Naomi Duguid was really an early inspiration. I think it was probably thumbing through Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet while Robyn cooked when I said that I wanted to photograph full time. Her approach in using food as a doorway to cultures has always rung true to me. Food lets you connect in so many ways. Naomi, in her photographs and essays, connected so many of those dots for me.

Q. Do you feel that Malaysia has any influence on you as a photographer? David. Actually, every place I travel to has an influence on me. Cities, whether they are big or small have their own 'vibe' which I think as a photographer you can't help but pick up on. Malaysia is no exception, plus the fact that you do have a pretty heady mix of cultures here, which adds to its uniqueness

Q. Favorite city to take photos of food? David. I like Penang, especially George Town a lot. Street food is nearly a religion there so there's that. Everything is happening in the street, right in front of you. For a guy who loves shooting food it doesn't get any better than that.

That said, we are spending a lot of time in 2011 in Chiang Mai, collaborating with some Thais who grew up there on a book that will tell the history of, and document daily life in, the historic Gat Luang community and its food markets. I'm a "markets guy" and I have to admit that when it comes to markets it's tough to beat Thailand's -- especially northern Thailand's -- for their abundance, color, and activity.

Q. So I read the interview you and wife did at Table for Three, Please. What made you both decide to teach English in China? When did the love for Asia start? Robyn. Wow, a long time ago! I was a pre-veterinary medicine undergraduate in the early 80s when I took an elective history course. The professor was fantastic, and his area of specialty happened to be modern China. I changed my major to history and started studying Mandarin. (As you can imagine my parents were thrilled. Not.)

When I graduated with no job prospects (not unusual for history majors) he suggested I spend a year in China. I went to Sichuan University as a language student, a guineau pig for a new exchange program. That didn't work out, so I ended up teaching English. 1984-85 was an amazing time to be in Sichuan, the node of all the economic changes that were taking place at that time.

And I was lucky to land, quite by chance, in the province that's home to the most amazing cuisine. Sichuan food remains my favorite Asian food.

That pretty much sealed the deal for me and Asia I think. We returned to China/Hong Kong in 1994 and stayed for 5 years. Then I fell in love with the region all over again when we moved to Bangkok in 2002.

David. My parents were in the Philippines (my dad was a biologist assigned to the International Rice Research Institute) while I was still in college. I had several opportunities to visit them and credit that time for my getting the travel bug. When I met Robyn (at university) she was just heading off to China for a year of study. I thought that was cool and ended up joining her for the second half of her stay there. From there it seemed we just tried to find ways to get ourselves back here.

Q. What is the 1 thing that you both love about living in Malaysia? Robyn. The food, definately. You've got Indian, Malay, and several regional Chinese cuisines (Teochew, Hakka, Cantonese, Hokkien) here, as well as various permutations and amalgamations such as Nyonya/Peranakan cuisine. Eastern Malaysia (aka Malaysian Borneo) offers yet more specialties. I am a long-time (since China) fan of street food, and I love that it is accessible and appreciated in Malaysia. Municipal authorities here seem to understand how important hawker food is to Malaysia's population and so far there hasn't been the same kind of effort to eradicate it that there has been in some other parts of Asia.

David. Assam laksa and a 12 ringit (U$4) haircut (whoops that's 2, but Robyn doesn't go to my barber).

Q. Best meal so far in 2011? Robyn. That's easy. Fresh anchovies cooked for us by a fishmonger in his shop in Sinop, on Turkey's Black Sea coast. We drove to the Black Sea this last January, during hamsi season, specifically to gorge on the little fishes, but this was an unexpected treat. He dusted them lightly with flour and fried them in a skillet, and we ate with him and his colleagues and the occasional Sinop-ian who just wandered in off the street for a taste. That meal was easily one of the best of my life.

David. Fresh anchovies fried in a fisherman's shop in Sinop, Turkey. Maybe one of the best meals ever, frankly. One of those random encounters where our interest in food put us in just the right place at the right time. (By the way Robyn told me that was her answer too. Totally unplanned!)

All photos courtesy of David Hagerman from SkyBlueSky and EatingAsia.

Great Food Photos: Maja Danica Pecanic

Croatia. I knew nothing about Croatia except that it's in Europe...somewhere. So when one day I got an email from Maja Danica Pecanic, it was pretty exciting! I had no idea that this little site made it alllllll the way to Europe! Go internet! Then when I saw her food photos I knew right away that I wanted to feature her work and also to learn something about Croatia. Did you know that Lidia Bastianich is Croatian? Eh you probably knew that, but I sure didn't.

Q. Can you tell me what you’re trying to capture when you take your food photos? A. I try to capture the atmosphere and the moment, the feeling that food and everything around it provides. People have always experienced food in very personal ways. It is a vital part of our lives, not merely a way to gain energy needed to sustain life. Food is connected to personal rituals, to family memories; it is how we spend time with friends and how we find enjoyment when we are alone. I try to create just such a relationship in my photos; I attempt to depict food in such contexts. But all this would be quite impossible without the food stylists I work with who share my views of food and food photography.


Q. Have you always been interested in photography? If not when did you decide to start taking photos? A. No, I have not. I got into photography pretty late, while I was a student of Graphic Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts. I had never even owned a camera before that. I started out with a small amateur digital one (of the first generation of digital cameras). I remember being instantly thrilled with it, so photography became my main medium of expression which resulted in my graduating with a series of photographs. There is a connection between graphic arts, painting and photography – it is all expression in a defined format, playing with elements of composition, with the interaction of light, shadow and color. The camera is only a medium for this form and photography a technique in which I express myself best as an artist. This is why I am not a follower of the cult of photography equipment. It is my belief that the person behind the camera - what that person thinks and feels - is the most important element. The camera is just a medium of expression.

Q. Can you explain a little about your thought process when you’re getting ready to shoot? A. To me, the way I feel while I create is vital. The first thing that gets me going is the atmosphere I wish to convey. I am inspired by a theme, a story. In a way, it is like I am not really photographing food – the food holds the position of a main actor in a show – but rather the space that I create, this „scenography“ somehow becomes more relevant. I create a space that is not real, one that represents my personal experience that I tie to the food I shoot. Like an echo, a resounding of some inner impulse. This is my perception that has little to do with the way we perceive food in real life; I wish to present how we feel food.

Q. As an artist, a photographer, what is it like living in Croatia?  What sort of impact does where you live have on your work? A. 
I believe myself very lucky, because I earn a living doing a job I love. In Croatia, it is rather difficult to be an artist who earns a living from their art, and I have managed to do this. As in all Mediterranean countries, a lot of attention is paid to the culture of eating and setting a table. This is not something you learn as a child, it is something one lives with since childhood and develops during an entire lifetime. It is part of the cultural heritage which led me to photograph food. I am glad to be living in a time when the world is a big village, although that is a controversial matter as well. Nonetheless, there are huge advantages to modern technology, such as the internet which grants us better communication and broader scope of information. I have no sense of how the region I live in influences my work; I think globalization has led to the fact that the local differences are less felt due to the mixing of national identities. This I do not consider a bad process, rather I see it as an enrichment of cultures.

Q. Any photography heroes? A. Mikkel Vang and Ditte Isager. 
Although one would never guess it from my work, I have a soft spot for quality photojournalism. Nothing surpasses the honesty of a real moment and of a whole specter of human emotion, behavior, out sociological similarities and differences… I enjoy Magnum photos.



Q. I'm actually not very familiar with the Croatian cuisine.  If I were to visit what should I eat? A. The traditional Croatian cuisine is very interesting. Historically, Croatia has been exposed to a number of different cultures: Italian, Hungarian, Austrian and Turkish. And then there are the Greek and Roman heritage from ancient times. Different Croatian regions have different cuisines. There are huge differences depending on which part of the country one is in. For example, coastal Croatia will emphasize fish, lamb, olive oil and wine. One should taste pašticada (Dalmatian meat stew), brodet (fish stew), Komiška pogaca (savoury aromatic cakes), Istrian fuzi with truffles, rozata (a Croatian caramel custard), while in the continental Croatia the accent will be on meat dishes and cheeses and one should sample strukli (a cottage cheese pastry), fresh cottage cheese and cream, turkey with mlinci (flat dumplings), strudel. The specific thing about Croatia are its markets, they are the place one simply has to visit, the place where one gets food from small produce growers and food manufacturers, a place of socializing, of discussing food and of the tasting of food.

Photos courtesy of Maja Danica Pecanic

Great Food Photos: Molly Wizenberg

First time I saw the photos of Molly Wizenberg was when I randomly found her blog while reading a review of Delancey, a pizza place she and her husband opened. I was quickly drawn in by her great writing and simply composed photos. I spent a lot of time reading her blog, backwards, about the ups and downs of opening their 1st restaurant and also admiring her Polaroids. All her photos of foods, ingredients and her life are truly inspiring.

Q. Can you tell me what you’re trying to capture when you take your food photos? A. Above all, I'm trying not to think too hard! Most of the time, I'm just looking to find the best natural light possible, and to keep it simple; when the light is good, the food looks good. I'm not interested in a lot of styling - or any, really - and more than anything, I just want to capture the way food looks when we really eat it. Using film is a big help, because it plays so nicely with natural light. I don't have to do a thing.

Q. Have you always been interested in photography? If not when did you decide to start taking photos? A. I wasn't particularly interested in photography until I started blogging, in 2004. I wanted to be able to illustrate the recipes and stories I was writing, so I bought a little digital point-and-shoot and started playing with it. From there, photography got its hooks in me pretty quickly! I think I like it so much because it's a natural complement to writing. It's another way of telling a story.

Q. Do you feel that Seattle has any influence on you as a writer and/or as a photographer? A. Absolutely. On a very basic level, this city just makes me feel like *me.* There's no one aspect of it that I can point to; it's all just exactly right for me. There's no place I would rather live and work. In that way, this city inspires the heck out of me! But to be more concrete and a little less cheesy, this part of the world also has amazing light. That's great for photography, and also for my general sanity.

Q. What made you switch from digital to film? A. I've had a Flickr account for a few years, and maybe in late 2007, I noticed that some of my friends there were playing around with old film cameras. And I loved the results! My friend Hannah Huffman was using a Pentax K1000, and when I told her I wanted to get one, she gave me some pointers on what to look for and how to use it, and off I went! That was early 2008, and I've used nothing but film since. I now use a Nikon FE most days, though I also love my Hasselblad 500c/m, and my Polaroid cameras. I use mostly Polaroid for my blog, though I'm almost out of film. Very sad about that.

Q. Any photography heroes? A. Oh yeah! I could name about a dozen, but for the sake of brevity, I'll keep it to only three:

Christopher Hirsheimer. She's primarily a food photographer, but she's the first photographer of any genre whose work I could recognize by eye. She's one half of the team behind the Canal House Cooking books, and whenever I get a new one in the mail, it makes my day.

Brian Ferry. Brian has become a friend, but I swear, I'm not biased! He has a brilliant eye and an incredible sense for light.

Nan Goldin. Her work was the first to ever move me physically - to really hit me in the gut and make me feel something. Her work scares the crap out of me, to be perfectly frank. It's incredibly brave. And beautiful.

All photos courtesy of Molly Wizenberg from Orangette and Delancey

Great Food Photos: Ashley E. Rodriguez

What do you get when you combine studio art, baking and photography together? You get delicious recipes and beautifully constructed images by Ashley E. Rodriguez of Not Without Salt. I wonder if there are art classes at culinary schools because it should be a required course. Everyone says we eat with our eyes so plating for a chef is quite important. And what better way to learn about plating than taking art classes right? Composition, contrast, balance, the aesthetics are all related to art and food.Q. Can you tell me what you’re trying to capture when you take your food photos? A. Food is stunning. Before we open our mouths to enjoy a bite we eat the plate with our eyes. With my photos I hope to honor my food by capturing their natural beauty and to cause its onlookers to drool profusely. If you're stomach begins to growl as a direct result of looking at one of my photos I've done my job.

Q. Do you think having a baking/pastry background helps with your photography? A. I got into baking and pastry because of my background in visual arts. Pastry marries art and flavor in a way that I fell in love with. So my interest in photography came before I dipped my hands in flour. I like to challenge myself to create a food image that is worthy of being hung in a museum. This is especially visible in some of my raw ingredient shots. Looking at food from different angles gives an entirely new appreciation for its natural beauty.

Q. Have you always been interested in photography? If not when did you decide to start taking photos? A. My husband is a professional photographer so initially I had him take my images. It was a combination of his increasingly busy schedule and my need for complete control that caused me to take over the photography on the site. I fall more in love with it each time I take a shot. It's both rewarding and maddening which keeps it exciting.

Q. Do you feel that Seattle has any influence on you as a baker or photographer? A. There is such an incredible community here of fellow food lovers. We learn from and inspire one another. There is never a shortage of amazing meals to be enjoyed in this city.

Q. Any photography heroes? A. My husband. He's always inspiring me and teaching me.

Q. Best meal so far in 2010? A. I'm pretty happy with the little breakfast I'm eating right now. A perfectly flaky Pear danish from Honore bakery and a double shot latte with coffee freshly roasted from Lighthouse.

All photos courtesy of Ashley E. Rodriguez from Not Without Salt.