Food Photography: Black & White
Black & White food photography? At first sight, it doesn’t seem to be a good match. I started thinking about it almost two months ago and the reason for my thoughts was the creators of food art and life. Yes, the chefs!
How I would describe the life of a real chef?
I guess they are the REAL GODS of food porn who create everyday chef d’oeuvres with fantastic gourmand enthusiasm. I can determine that I’m quite lucky because I have the possibility to immortalize recipes that are going to change the culture of food, create memories, and make it into a part of history. Like movie stars or heroes of the time.
Working with passionate chefs gives you the feeling as if you’re welcomed on board of a pirate’s ship which is full of mysteries and ready for new adventures.
So, feeling like an adventurer, I just thought, why not do food photography in black and white?
We all are used to see the world in colors and that’s not our fault, because we are born this way. But why not interpret what you see? To reveal the expression of reality?
I always argue with everyone who insists that food is lifeless, that it’s some kind of “nature morte”. But can you tell me please how breathless cheese camembert baked in a raw bread does not remind you of French Provence especially when you try it with raspberry jam? How something breathless can give you such feelings and memories?
So, with this in mind, I decided to add some uniqueness and timelessness to my food photography turning it into black and white.
Good black & white pictures have a beauty that can take your breath away. By stripping out the color you become much more aware of shape, form, texture, light, and the subtle gradations of tone. It has the power of telling a story.
If you have never shot black & white before, just close your eyes and imagine the world you live in. But without colors. There is beauty inside and black & white photography is all about showing the beauty hidden in colors :)
These all proved again that food is living and breathing. Because it’s touched by the hands of the creator.
