inspire*inspire

Tara Donne photography

Today I love these gorgeous images by photographer Tara Donne:

To see the rest of her portfolio, click here.

Enjoy! xo

Teri Lynn Fisher

This talented young photographer has been in my sights for far too long. I am almost embarrassed about the fact that I have yet to show her brilliant work here.

I 'discovered' Teri Lyn Fisher while working on this feature with Matthew Armendariz, back in December. I had every intention to feature her work within the sequential couple of months but somehow it got dragged until now.

With that said, Fisher has produced some fantastic new work during that time, so I am pleased to share even more of her brilliance with you today!

Food photography:

 

 

Still life:

 

 

Interior:

All images by Teri Lyn Fisher

To see more of Teri's work, you can visit her website here, Flickr photo stream here and her blog here.

Be*inspired!

Food Photoraphy- Matt Armendariz

As promised, here is the first feature in the exciting 'Food Photography' series. Introducing talented and inspiring artists who produce food and tabletop images that look amazingly effortless and incredibly  irresistible. 

 

Matthew Armendariz's photos were some of the very first images I came across when I discovered the fabulous Flickr. In fact, one of the very first photos I tagged as 'favourite' was a sweet shot of colourful little melon balls set in citrus-skin-cups topped with fresh-mint-crowns. But it is Matthew's recent work that really blew my socks off! The range and diversity of his images reflect the years of experience he has clocked up in this field.

I asked Matt all about his background, recent work and future projects:

1. You're a Jack of all trades, and you seem to be a master of them all too! You wear many professional hats as an art director, photographer, cook, blogger and the list goes on.
How did your career begin and how develop to what it is now?

Matt:  I began my career in food as a bagger at Whole Foods Market almost 20 years ago. I needed a summer job and had friends who worked at the company when it was just a two store entity.

One day I jumped onto a computer in the store room to make a few signs and fell in love with graphic design. Over the next few years I became a designer for Whole Foods and eventually the art and creative director. I was so happy to find something I loved and spent every moment teaching myself the basics of design. I also really fell in love with the craft of art direction and working as a team to provide a vision for a specific project. It was wholly invigorating.

Design was my first passion and it led to other things. Having art directed hundreds of food photo shoots over the years, I felt it was time to jump behind the camera and try it myself. I instantly fell in love.

2. So Did you study culinary, photography or advertising?

Matt:  I'm 100% self taught. I'm a college drop-out. Sssshhh, don't tell anyone.

3. I am glad to find out that you are self-taught! I think that college is not necessarily the right path for everyone.
So what advice would you give someone who wants to start a career similar to yours?

Matt:  My advice is pretty much the same regardless of which avenue someone wants to explore: be genuinely interested, be mentally present, be early, make yourself available and never ever take the easy way out. I see too many people give up because there's no immediate payback. It's taken me almost 20 years to get to this part of my life but I never gave up and always kept going. I don't want to sound so cliché and vague but it's all true!
If you're an artist start creating. If you dream of being a chef then start cooking. If you want to be a writer then start writing. You simply have to start.

4. Did your family have any effect on your initial fascination with food?

Matt:  My family had a huge effect on my appreciation and interest in food. My parents both are excellent cooks and always encouraged us to taste and create. The kitchen was an open playground for us without rules or constraints. Plus they were big on teaching us self-sufficiency that had a lot to do with learning to cook.

5. What are some of your challenges at work? And what are your joys and pleasures?

Matt:  I think the reason I'm able to wear so many hats is that because I truly love what I do. It's almost all joy and pleasure. The opportunity to create and express myself over different avenues is what I love most. I love having the ability to envision an idea, make it, photograph it, design it and write about it. Can you say ‘control freak’?
But if there's one challenge it'd be solely the inability to hit that creative mark each and every time. Sometimes things don't always translate from the way they appear in your mind to the printed page (or computer screen, for that matter). My biggest hurdle is learning to accept that some things will be good and just OK and don't always have to be perfect.

6. How much of the food you shoot, do you cook yourself and does making it give you different insights on how to style and shoot it?

Matt:   In the beginning most of it was prepared by me. But having a very talented partner who is a working food stylist has spoiled me and now most of it is a team effort. But I'm no stranger to getting in the kitchen as well as jumping behind the camera. This has probably been my greatest asset when it comes to photographing food. Other amazing food photographers I know also love to cook and nothing is more disheartening to me than to see food photography where the food is past its peak or not the freshest. I feel like the photographer should know these things; after all, they should know their subjects in and out.

7. So are you more likely to publish your own cookbook or photography book first?

Matt:   If you asked me six months ago I would have said a photography book. But after Martha Stewart asked me last September if I had my own cookbook and that I should, well, I think you can see which topic I chose :)
It's still in the planning stage, so without revealing too much let's just say it's going to be delicious and original.

8. I’m so glad that Martha pointed it out, so we can all enjoy your book in the future!
I really believe that people tend to draw into their lives the same things that they exude themselves. You seem to have drawn into your life a job that you love, a great partner and lots of amazing opportunities.

Matt:  Well thank you :)

What is your motto or mantra that you live by?

Matt:  My mantra would be ‘do unto others’. We're all people and I find that I have much better success if I remember that. And also, here's the cheese ball factor, life is too short to worry about the bad stuff!

9. Finally, and very important, for the inspire*inspire blog, what inspires you most and where do you find inspiration for your different projects?

Matt:   I tend to get much of my inspiration from travel. It's one of the things that encompasses everything:  culture, food, personalities, tastes, smells, visuals, history, etc. I never turn down an opportunity to visit or do something new. And I'm a people person and find the connection with others is imperative. But inspiration comes in many forms and at many times. I'm always working and making notes and sketches for future projects. It's sometimes difficult for me to turn my brain off!

10. Matthew, Thank you so much for being so kind and  for sharing your work and words!

Matt:  No, Thank you!

 

Images by Matthew Armendariz

Next to come in the Food photography series, the wonderfully talented Teri Lyn Fisher.

Be*inspired!

Food Photoraphy- a sneak peak

Baby Nectarines

Food photography is, to me, the most fascinating field of the vast and varied art of photography. Being hardly any good at it myself, I admire the work of others, especially when the talented artist is also the one doing all the cooking!

Having openly expressed my interest in the field, I've received a surprising invitation from a top, London based, Food Photographer, to join him in the studio for a day of shooting; in an attempt to help satisfy my curiosity just a tad.

So to share my fascination and excitement, I've decided to present here a series of fantastic food photographers, that I find immensely inspiring.

This is a little sneak peak into the world of my first pick in the series:
California based Foodie, Matthew Armendariz.

I purposely chose to start with this photo, by Matthew, that is not a classic food shot; but is, nevertheless, food related and, in my opinion, a great appetizer before the 'main course' that is still to come... Enjoy!