History Of Food Photography

Martin parr new brighton england 1983 85.

History of food photography. Painters of the 1800s used key aspects of interest that contemporary food photographers have adopted effects of light composition allegory and meaning and indicators of lifestyle and class. The medium has changed more in the past 10 years due in part to digital tech social media and more sophisticated food consumers than any other time in the 192 year history of the photograph. Arguably food photography has developed from this art tradition. The history of food photos from still lifes to brunch grams humans have been snapping pics of their plates for over 160 years and photos of meals have revealed a lot about the people gathered.

The book with text by the british curator susan bright is a skipping stone through photographic history of many genres art cookbook advertising journalism showing food in all its glory. And i m only partially joking. The medium was introduced to the general public in 1839 with the unveiling of the daguerrotype. In the 1930s when colour photography was first used for advertising photographers realised that they weren t just shooting food for foods sake they were shooting it to inspire people to go out and buy this food and eat it surrounded by loved ones.

But whether it takes a back seat or center stage food is the focus of the still life images conceptual fine art photography and cookbook spreads featured in the book. Bright s book which explores the history of food in photography reveals that the subjects have been intertwined for nearly two centuries almost since the birth of photography itself. In the span of ten years food photography has gone from being a niche and eccentric practice to being so popular that there are classes devoted to iphone food photography at your local whole foods why it s so popular isn t a mystery aspiring social media personalities equipped with their favorite smartphone desire to gain followers fast and. Food photography is a still life photography genre used to create attractive still life photographs of food it is a specialization of commercial photography the products of which are used in advertisements magazines packaging menus or cookbooks professional food photography is a collaborative effort usually involving an art director a photographer a food stylist a prop stylist and.