Michael Pollan states in his book A Botany of Desire: A Plant Eye View of the World, that: “the food chain that begins with seeds and ends on our dinner plates is in the midst of revolutionary change.” He refers to Monsanto, a St. Louis agricultural biotechnology and herbicide company, and its new genetically modified spuds.
Agriculture, as we know it today, invest millions of dollars in the care of crops. Pesticides, among other chemicals, are the paramount product in the business of growing crops. But the face of pesticides is changing. GMO revolution that started in the 80s is taking over the pesticide market.
Pollan mentioned that the set of “inputs” as they are called, to all the extras involved in the harvest’s process, are a heavy load for farmers to carry. But a new-patented pesticide that grows inside, and with the product, is the kind of plant “new pesticide” that will rescue “American food chain”. It will replace expensive and toxic chemicals with expensive but apparently “benign genetic information” rooted inside the crops.
Pollan, figuratively, compares this new technology to Microsoft OS software: “With genetic engineering, agriculture has entered the information age, and Monsanto’s aim, it would appear, it to become its Microsoft, supplying the proprietary “operating systems”… to runs this new generation of plants.”
Next time you buy food, do not forget to read the small print on the label to avoid become a food-hacker: remember that the fact that you don’t know a law do not exempt you of breaking it.
Potato GMO picture Book Cover Approach
For both pictures I would like to use even light. No shadows. White clean background.
I would shoot a potato, with the American Flag on the top. The American Flag has GMO write it on it. The potato is surrounding by death bugs. Even all around. No shadows.
For the FreshDirect Picture
I will bring a cooked potato, I will fixed with some ranch cream and green parsley. I would like to use one of white tables in the room because I will try to lit the potato from behind though the vinyl. I would like an even light all over. Like the pictures you see in supermarkets: white background and great light that make the vegetables and the food healthy. No shadows.
See if you can think of a solution that does not rely on type. I am also not sure about the idea of using the American flag. Monsanto might be an American flag and our laws about this things might be looser than the laws in Europe but I don’t think GMO is limited to the US. Se if you can use light to make the potato look eerie or unnatural.
We will use the shooting tables and you can make a shot with a potato where the light is very even all over. You might want to experiment with shallow depth of field here. It is a convention in food photography.