7 Questions About Food Photography with Jennifer Davick

Jennifer Davick is currently based out of Birmingham, Alabama, and is Sr. Food Photographer at Southern Living magazine.
I’ve been admiring her work for years, and I recently sent her an email
asking if she would be willing to answer a few questions about her
career, and her photographs.

I’m a huge fan of food photography – mostly because I know how difficult
it is to do. Many food photographers can make their food images look
amazing by shooting things that aren’t real food – but Jennifer doesn’t
go that route. Everything she shoots is real food – which makes her body of work even more impressive.

1) How did your photo career get started? Where did you learn to shoot food so beautifully?

Photography is actually a second career for me. My degree is in journalism. After university, I worked for many years in the field of international PR. My job traveled me all over the world. I began taking more and more photos, and eventually decided to study photography more seriously.

In San Francisco, at the Academy of Art, I kind of honed in on food photography. For me, food really embodies travel, culture, discovery. It really captivates me. At the beginning, I was very ignorant of technique. However, over time – through working with food and studying other photographers and painters, I began to develop my visual voice. I am still evolving.

2) What’s it like working for Southern Living Magazine? What’s your job like?

Working for Southern Living is honestly really fun. It’s also very challenging. Because we explore and promote a regional culture, I shoot everything from recipes to culinary personalities to entertaining and lifestyle. In the four years I’ve been at the magazine, I’ve learned to be incredibly versatile. I work equally in studio and on location, and travel quite frequently. As a creative person, it’s a real luxury to be able to focus on assignments and not bringing in business.

3) Do you often work with a food stylist? I’ve always wondered what that’s like. From a creative standpoint, how does working with a stylist affect your photography?

Southern Living is very sensitive to photographing real food, so nothing is doctored or faked. In fact, you could eat anything on set if it hasn’t sat out too long, and we often do! But to answer your question, I work with a food stylist almost all the time – and it’s wonderful. A food stylist brings out the “yum factor” in a food image. Where I concentrate on light and composition, a food stylist finesses the food, brings movement and focus to the recipe – so that the recipe is visually appealing to the viewer.

A food stylist is both a chemist (because food dies quickly) and a sculptor of food. For example, you might love to eat your biscuits drowning in gravy; however to see a photo of biscuits drowning in gravy might not be so appetizing. In my opinion, working with a food stylist improves my photography… it’s all about collaboration.

For me, it’s very collaborative. But photographers are different. I often work with the same stylists and we’re very comfortable collaborating and pushing the limit. If the assignment is more technique-driven or service-oriented… for example, if we have to photograph how to carve a turkey… the food stylist will take the lead.

4) What type of equipment do you use to get such great results? Is everything done in a studio, or do you ever do on-location shoots?

I use a Canon 1DS Mark III and/or a Phase P45+. I work with Broncolor strobes, as well as natural light. I work both in a studio and on location. If you’re ever in Birmingham, you’re welcomed to visit the studio!

My favorite lenses for food are my Canon 90 mm tilt-shift and my 135mm. I use a medium-format Gitzo tripod on location… it’s a bit heavier, but its very stable and reduces camera shake. I also recommend using a geared head on your tripod, so you can make subtle adjustments in composing the food.

Other than camera gear, my absolute, all-time favorite purchase is my Chimera silk. There is nothing more beautiful than soft, directional light on food. Black and white bounce cards, as well as silver bounce cards are also critical tools.

I often shoot tethered and use CaptureOne software. It’s great because it allows me to study my shot on the computer before moving forward.

5) Food photography is hard work. I’ve tried to shoot food, and it always ends up looking inedible. Do you have any suggestions for mere mortals like myself – what can I do to improve the quality of my food pictures?

Simplicity is the best approach with food. Simplicity takes restraint. Less is more… Less sauce, less food, less plate. Try to be aware of scale and keep food in context. Is the food clearly recognizable? It gets tricky because you might love your light, but the subject isn’t clear. Chicken and fish can look very similar. Begin by finding some soft window light and photograph your food while it’s fresh. Remember: beautiful things make for beautiful photos, so be aware of your surfaces, plates and other details.

6) Which of your images do you like most, and why?

That is a tough question. I am always changing my mind on my most favorite images… Lately, I am very attracted to more shadow-driven imagery. Rich, deeply saturated colors, more contrasty photos… I’m not sure why. I try not to question it! I am always very aware of light. It’s fascinating. I this particular series, I worked with a food stylist and simple window light.

Window Light & Stylist – Images by Jennifer Davick

7) You shot a picture of a plate of food nearly completely eaten – and somehow still managed to convey the dish as if we were looking at an untouched plate. What’s the story behind this image?

One of my closest friends is a food stylist on staff. She and I often do personal work in our spare time. That photo is the result of one of those “test” shoots. It’s shot with window light in late afternoon. We started with the idea of shooting a mixed berry salad.

We shot the plate full of salad, then decided to play with the end of the story… what the plate would look like after it had been eaten, and after the wine had been drunk. Shooting is a process. It’s fun to let the story evolve.

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