It’s that time of year again, backyard barbecues, fireworks, family get-togethers, and sweet summer treats. Living in the Northwest, July is the official kick off of warm weather and neighborhood potlucks; which inspired photographer David Bell to give an homage to the jiggly, colorful, childhood favorite, JELL-O! Read below for David’s thoughts on Jell-O:
Fun. Funny. Love It. Hate It.
An American Classic,
Perfect for the 4th of July
From all of us at Studio 3, have a Happy 4th of July!
Individuals who call the Pacific Northwest home are all about celebrating the sunshine days, often times that’s through picnicking, bbqing, happy hours, really anything that involves delicious, unique food creations. At Studio 3 we celebrate by shooting our favorite food via amazing food photography. It’s about the ooooh and aaaah moments experienced when taking a first bite. When talking with food clients, it’s all about how appetizing the food looks on that package, advertisement, or in store display, with that in mind Studio 3 sets out to create more than just one appetizing moment, but a series that leads up to the big meal. So, belly up and enjoy a pork sandwich meal, inspired by Seattle’s Paseo, food photographer David Bell was all about capturing the tradition of this local favorite:
The sandwich is an absolute mess, one of the messiest foods you can possibly order, yet one of the most delicious. My challenge when approaching this project was ensuring messy not only looked good, but also looked appetizing. Oh, the joys of food photography! This sandwich has a mind of it’s own and is often times hard to contain. It was all about making sure the sandwich looked authentically messy, therefore bringing the viewer into the moment, the moment of when you sit down at Paseo or any table and are served a pork shoulder sandwich. I believe the best part of this series is the overall end result; creating an essence of being there, on a summer day, about to enjoy a delicious meal.
When approached with such a fun project, the whole studio tends to try and get involved, whether it be sneaking pieces of pork shoulder or getting a chance to delve in on the creative process. No one, however, gets quite involved like our staff producer Jen Hitchcock. Read her thoughts on the shoot below:
It’s always interesting when the studio is approached with a food photography shoot. I am never quite sure what I am going to have to run out and get. Whether, ice cream starts melting too fast and it’s time to replace them with mashed potatoes, or perhaps running to get glue to hold an item together. Luckily with this shoot, everything was 100% natural, I got to step back and really see some magic happen. This series of photos was really a brain child between David and stylist Erika. They worked so well together on this, they couldn’t have made my job easier. It’s always great to see a stylist and photographer really click.
We are all definitely looking forward to the next food photography shoot, hoping perhaps there are enough leftovers to feed the entire studio. 🙂
Check out the images, inspired by Paseo’s pork shoulder sandwich below:
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Lee Mendelsohn, Portland’s Photography Representative, gives her two cents on one of Portland’s culinary gems, Enzo’s:
“Without hesitation my favorite restaurant in Portland is Enzo’s Italian Cafe on Alberta in the northeast. Every time I go it feels like I am at home which is one of the many reasons I have brought my entire family, all of my friends, and many of the wonderful people I have met while working at Studio 3. This is a neighborhood restaurant where everyone knows your name! Enzo lives a satisfying life and it shines through his food.
Immediately upon entering, you are greeted by name and served homemade delicious warm bread right out of the oven paired with authentic olive oil from Italy. I personally recommend the Cavatelli with Basil – WOW – out of this world! The antipasto, his homemade sausage, and tiramisu are must-haves as well. When asked about his favorite menu item, Enzo responded without hesitation, “Orechiette e cimedirape” which means “little ears” in Italian. Intriguing. If it’s Enzo’s favorite, this will be my next meal for sure!
Enzo (owner/chef) grew up in Puglia, Italy and learned the art of cooking from his mother at a very early age. Prior to introducing his restaurant he spent many years opening coffee shops, traveling, and working in manufacturing. Enzo always dreamed of bringing the flavors of Italy to a restaurant environment and now that dream is a reality.”
Stay tuned for Enzo’s upcoming events in April! Easter Brunch, Special Wine Dinner (introducing 6 new Italian wines), and an event where he will be discussing an upcoming trip to Italy. He will be inviting 25 lucky guests to tour his hometown. Also, Enzo will be hosting a one year anniversary party during the Alberta last Thursday Event on April 26th. A must visit for any Portland resident or tourist!
Be sure to visit their website and like them on facebook!
This mornings Eblast had us salivating. How could it not? Featuring the delicious mouthwatering Smores Theo Chocolate, we were mesmerized!
This photograph is more than meets the tastebud.:) Photographer David Bell has a passion for food and chocolate is no exception. Inspired by Theo Chocolate and their organic roots, David Bell wanted to photograph an image that stayed true to Studio 3’s values: fresh, local, and organic. This is his interpretation of the smores chocolate: shot on natural wood and crumbling to visual perfection.
We can’t wait to see what else David Bell has to offer us in his wonderful world of food photography! Our tummies are growling in anticipation.
Back in action yet again, Studio 3’s food photography knight in shining armor, David Bell has got a series of photos that has us all ready to get down and messy with some breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and everything in between! It’s no news that we love all of David’s work here at the studio and this shoot was no exception. Much like with his condiments series, David’s new photographs focus on one of food’s finest compliments rather than any specific food itself. And this time the culinary companion wasn’t a thing so much as it was an action…a spectacle if you will: The Perfect Drip! Have a look at the amazing, scrumptious, time-stopping photos below and see if you can keep yourself from getting hungry (here’s a tip: you won’t be able to)!
While food photography can always get our taste buds itchin’ for some action, the drips in David’s new series had us all thinking beyond the poppin’ images and more about the essence of what each photo represents. The gooey, sweet, warm stream of honey drizzling down, perhaps onto some early morning toast, reminded us of the comfort of having that first bite of food every day; the savory soy sauce cascading off of the succulent shrimp, letting the excitement and fun of a nice dinner out flow freely; the thick, creamy coat of chocolate hugging the strawberry, of the ultimate “treat-yourself” nights spent under covers with some sweets and a good movie! Here’s what David had to say about his shoot:
I wanted Bright, Fresh, Fun, and Delicious images that make you want to eat. YUMMY was a key word for me. Action, movement, just dipped, ready to drip, and going to get it on me! Using a white background was the only option for these bright, clean images, really letting the items’ colors POP! I had to make sure that the strobes were set to fire as short as fast as possible so that I could stop the motion and capture the moment.
As with any of his shoots, David turned to his trusty Hasselblad H-39 and Speedotron Studio Strobe Lighting setup to create the jaw dropping, stomach-growling photos. Great job David, now let’s go get some grub!
We are excited to share David Bell’s recent food photography series that not only focuses on sauce, but tends to bring the foodie out in all of us. Inspired by classic condiments and the edible items that compliment them, this series has us begging for more sauce and food photography of these delicious items. With David Bell’s ability to shoot food and product, this was a perfect combo, highlighting his ability to make a product look like a hero and food to look nothing short of delicious. David used his creative energy to incorporate different backgrounds, themes, and traditional favorites to get his idea across. Read below to find out the inside scoop on what inspired David Bell for this food photography shoot:
I love food, especially good food. When brainstorming the intent behind this food photography shoot, I knew one thing, good food likes good condiments. I myself enjoy the classics, tried and true, making almost anything these condiments are paired with even MORE delicious. The examples below are Big and Bold, making sure to highlight the product, reassuring the viewer the condiment is the real hero. Pairing these condiments with American food favorites, such as sandwiches and a Chinese food to go box, offered a well known visual nostalgia I couldn’t be happier with. When deciding on lighting I knew it had to match the flavor of the styling, therefore deciding to use bold lighting techniques that ensure the condiments look larger than life, just like their flavor. The lighting was essential to making the condiment not only dominate the image, but to also look beautiful enough to be an accessory at your next dinner party.
Scroll down to view David Bell’s food photography interpretation of well known condiments and the foods that compliment them:
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The home of the cactus sign and hand-rolled burritos we all love, Taco Time Northwest is not the average Mexican quick-service eatery. Their attention to using only the freshest, top quality ingredients and preparing everything in house every day is what they say makes the “deliciously fresh difference”. With so much importance placed on their ingredients, Taco Time sought a way to communicate the pride they take in their preparation to all their guests and hired Studio 3 to help out with some new food photography.
Our beloved food photography guru David Bell knew the way to showcase fresh ingredients is through clean, vivid, invigorating images. The series he created brings all of Taco Time’s key ingredients down to their most basic level, showing customers exactly where their food is coming from. Says David about the series:
Fresh, Local, Made in store. These were the key words given to me. Taco Time NW wanted me to shoot beautiful images of what goes into making their food. These images are being used for decor in the restaurants. We wanted the images to be art ~ beautiful, yummy ingredient shots.
Yummy indeed!Having stemmed off of the original Taco Time franchise in the company’s early years, Taco Time NW’s mission has always been to provide its customers with fresh, locally grown ingredients and food made in store with care and skill. A family-owned and operated company, they make it a priority to give back to the Northwest communities where their guests and employees live and work. Over the past decade, through their fundraising efforts, Taco Time NW is honored to have donated nearly $2 million to over 600 different charities in Western Washington!Their love and care for the people they serve and work with as well as their integrity behind their trade let you know that they’re real Northwest community members!
These 3 photos are part of the series that will be featured inside the local restaurant chain alongside others David shot.
To View More Food Photography Check Out Our Food Photography Portfolio!
Studio 3, Inc. and long-standing client Burgerville, Inc – the Northwest’s socially responsible fast food joint – have joined forces to produce monthly, mouth-watering food photography shoots, which focus on gourmet seasonal offerings.
Renowned food photographer, David Bell, was commissioned to shoot the new gourmet Burgerville look, based on his extensive high-end food photography and drink experience from shooting for such clients as Starbucks, Widmer Brothers Brewery, Publix Super Markets, Inc. and Coca Cola. The results are nothing short of delicious.
Every month until December 2010, Burgerville plans to highlight one seasonal, locally available ingredient through food photography. The new campaign kicked off in January 2009, with Studio 3, Inc. shooting Yukon Gold potato menu items. Rosemary, spinach, and asparagus recipes are scheduled for upcoming months. Burgerville is also considering adding regionally produced beer and wine pairings to its seasonal menus, which will perhaps add some new drink photography to their repertoire. All recipes are developed by local food chef Grace Pae and the Burgerville Chef Council.
David Bell couldn’t be more excited to work with Burgerville, especially since they are known for their progressive practices and commitment to local services. David highlights his experience of helping develop food photography for Burgerville’s seasonal ad campaigns:
I knew I needed to make these food photography images absolutely mouthwatering. The styling and art direction was client provided, but I had a bag of tools to create an epic image that would have customer’s begging for Burgerville’s seasonal offerings. In order to create that ready to bite shot I used a wide angle lens to make sure the image was nothing short of in your face. I was lucky enough to have the capabilities to create the image and having the background white allowed me to play. The final image was later dropped on a graphic background, that only added to the highlighting of the delicious burger. To keep things real, I used strobe lighting to ensure all looked natural. I absolutely love working with Burgerville and am definitely behind their initiative of keeping things fresh and local. I can’t wait to try and shoot their next seasonal food product. YUM!
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