Martin Parr, “The Turkey,” 1994
Happy Thanksgiving! It seems appropriate that we think about food this week, and the idea that photographing food is an art form. There is a long history of photographing food for commercial purposes. The following NPR article outlines a current evolution in food photography, in which more people are becoming engaged with the aesthetics of food. Compare the images in the NPR slideshow to an exhibition of food-related subjects by art photographers at the Robert Mann Gallery and âfood portraitsâ by Irving Penn, an acclaimed portrait photographer. What do you think of Food Photography?
NPRâs âAppetizing Art of Food Photographyâ
Robert Mann Galleryâs exhibit âFood For Thoughtâ
A few examples of Irving Pennâs Food Portraits
At this point, even if someone says that something is not artistic or creative enough to be called art there will be another person or organization of artists that will say otherwise. To me “food portraits” are aesthetically pleasing while some are not pleasing at all. However, if the Chef was the one to arrainge the food on a plate or bowl then credit should go to the Chef, not some photographer that just took a shot with his camera, because he did not contribute anything to puting the food together and giving the plate color or arrangement or making the food apear artistic. The only time I would give the photographer credit is if he directed the Chef or cooked the food his/her self and took the shot. I see “food portraits” as advertisment and pictures to be placed in a cook books, but they can be artistic sometimes for example Robert Mann’s images had an artistic feel to em.
to me food photography has many different uses. my favorite is commercial. even though the food never looks like they do in the picture. for example a McDonalds big mac looks nothing like the picture on the menu. it is there to make you go “oh hey that looks good”. i enjoyed âfood portraitsâ by Irving Penn because he left the food as it was he just arranged it in a way that it looked better without having to alter the image with a computer to make them look more appetizing. he also used mostly raw ingredients like the fish and eggs but it some how still had such a good artistic look to it.
Food does attract people no matter who they are and where they are. Every living thing needs food to survive and everyone would like to eat delicous food. I think its true that food does bring people together not just eating but cooking together too. I think all food is the same when it comes to photography and sure does some do dirty tricks to get people to get their products. There are food stylist to make food looks nice before taking a picture of it. Besides taking photo of foods, people like to share their foundings of food and it can be a way to help advertise restuarants.
I think the food photography is so important to a chef or a restaurant and many others. Food Photography has became a way for restaurant to advertise there food. If one looks at an amazing image of colorful and well presented food it leads to an assumption that this or that restaurant has better looking or maybe tastier food than any other. Now days on T.V you will see an amazing and very fresh looking burger or dish by a company that makes you want to get the next time you stop by. But many of these photos are Photoshopped to give it a look of really fresh or right out of the oven. I think even though some are photoshopped but these food photos are to just to advertise and increase companies sales. These photos makes you hungry at the same time.
mostly all the commercial food photography these days are staged. using plastic burgers, fake fruits etc with perfect lights are used to create the most attractive visual.
Is that art ? I think yes, Its staged, faked, enhanced and everything along the line but it delivers a message, it is attractive and its appealing as well. These art pieces are directed as show stoppers, any food lover are invited to try these great experience.
The artist and the photographer has created this art, it may not really look like the real piece but it servers the commercial aspects.