July 11, 2024 • 53 mins
Embrace the Beauty of Slow Living: A Conversation with Alanna O'Neil
Have you ever paused to consider the magic in the everyday moments of your life? How often do we truly appreciate the simple beauty around us? Today, I invite you to explore this idea with our guest, Alanna O'Neil, a designer and photographer from Maui, Hawaii. Alanna grew up on a farm in Vermont, a place where the kitchen garden was the heart of her childhood, shaping her unique perspective on life and photography.
In our latest episode, Alanna shares how her upbringing in Vermont, surrounded by nature and the rhythm of farm life, influences her work. She describes her photography with three adjectives: natural, gentle, and reflective. These words not only describe her style but also encapsulate her approach to life. Alanna’s ability to find beauty in the simple, often overlooked moments, is a testament to her belief in the power of natural light and storytelling.
She talks about the challenges and joys of shooting outdoors, particularly in Hawaii, where the weather is as unpredictable as it is beautiful. Alanna's patience and resourcefulness shine through as she waits for the perfect light, often making spontaneous adjustments to capture the magic of the moment.
Discovering Your Unique StyleAlanna emphasizes the importance of using what you have around you to create art. Whether it's repurposing old barn doors as backdrops or finding props in your own home, she believes in the power of resourcefulness and creativity. For new photographers, she advises focusing on understanding light and honing your eye for detail, rather than investing in expensive gear.
Feeling inspired by Alanna’s journey?Take a moment today to appreciate the simple beauty around you. Grab your camera, find a spot of natural light, and start capturing those everyday moments that often go unnoticed. Remember, it's not about having the best equipment, but about seeing the world with a fresh perspective and finding beauty in the ordinary.
A Powerful ReminderAlanna O'Neil's story is a powerful reminder that our backgrounds and experiences shape our creative paths in unique ways. Her approach to photography, rooted in a deep appreciation for nature and slow living, encourages us to find joy in the simple things. Follow Alanna on Instagram at @AlannaONeillPhoto and check out her books for more inspiration. If you're a budding photographer, consider joining her mentorship program to find your unique voice and style.
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Savory Shot Shownote: https://micamccook.com/guests/alanna-oneil/
Website: https://micamccook.com/podcast
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Would you like to be a guest on the show? Fill out the guest form, and we'll be in touch soon.
Special ThanksAnd before we wrap up, a huge shoutout to our sponsor, Flodesk, for supporting this episode. Don't forget to check out their email design services tailored for food photographers, and enjoy an exclusive discount just for our listeners!
So, are you ready to turn your limitations into your greatest strengths? Tune in now, and let's embark on this creative journey together. After all, the best masterpieces often come from the most unexpected places! 🚀✨ Get 50% off your first year by using the code: SAVORYSHOT50 Visit Flodesk now
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mica (00:00):
Welcome.
To the 52nd episode of The SavoryShot, a podcast about the art and
soul of working in food photography.
Y'all know who I be.
I'm your host with the most, Mica McCook.
I am a food photographerbased out of Austin, Texas.
First, I want to thank y'all, thelisteners, so much for tuning in
(00:25):
your support means everything.
It means the world to me.
It keeps this podcast going strong.
So thank you so much.
Whether it's your first time joining usor your 52nd time joining us, thank you so
much for taking time out of your day, buty'all let's talk about today's episode.
It's a doozy.
(00:46):
We have a fantastic episode linedup for y'all with a special guest
who brings a unique perspectiveto the world of food photography.
If you've ever dreamed of combiningthe beauty of natural light with
the art of food photography, theny'all, you're in for a treat.
(01:11):
This is going to be your root beerfloat, if that floats your boat.
But y'all, without further ado,I introduce you to Alana O'Neill.
Alana is a designer and photographer from.
I don't know why I struggle tosay this, from Maui, Hawaii.
(01:33):
I have to say it reallyslow, Maui, Hawaii.
I tried.
She's from Hawaii, y'all.
But Alanna grew up on a farm in Vermont.
She uses natural light to capture thebeauty of outdoor entertaining and slow
living, inspired by her travels in Europe.
(01:56):
Paris and New York city.
She loves celebratinglocal food and culture.
Alana has written two cookbookson seasonal outdoor recipes.
She also has a mentorship programwhere she mentors new food and
lifestyle photographers to helpthem find their unique style.
In this episode, Alana and I deep diveinto her creative process, the influence
(02:22):
of her Vermont roots, and how hertravels have shaped her photography.
We also talk about the importanceof natural light, the art of being
resourceful, and the magic ofstorytelling through food photography.
So I'm not gonna waste any more time.
Grab your drink, grab your tea, grabyour coffee, your cocktail, whatever it
(02:43):
is, grab it and let's start the show.
Welcome to The Savory Shot, a biweekly show about the art and soul
of working in food photography.
I'm your host, Mika McCook.
Every other Wednesday, I sit down tochat with professionals in the industry
so that you feast on only the besttips and strategies in the business.
(03:08):
All right, y'all, let's get started.
(03:52):
Alanna, I want to start off by sayingthank you so much for being on the show.
It's just such an awesome thing thatyou want to share your story with us.
So thank you for being on the show.
Alanna (04:03):
Thank you for having me.
I'm really excited to be hereand share a little bit of my
story with you and your audience.
Mica (04:10):
I am ready to get right into it.
If you are, then let'sget this show on the road.
Alanna (04:15):
Okay.
Sounds good.
Mica (04:18):
So I want to start this conversation by asking you, what three
adjectives would you use to describeyour work and why those adjectives?
Alanna (04:31):
This one, okay, this takes a second to think about
because I'm so hard on myself.
Like it's so hard to like selfreflect and think about what your
work feels like or looks like becauseyou think about it one way and then
you see it in a different light.
But I think for the three wordsor adjectives would be natural.
(04:54):
Let me see.
Gentle or like sensitive and reflective.
I think because I feel like a lot of mywork feels very nostalgic, but also has.
It's very much grounded innature and personal stories and
like a reflective sensibility.
I think that's where I would go.
(05:16):
Just from my values of my background andgrowing up, nature has been such a huge
part of why I love photography and whoI am as a person that I'm so drawn to
including that into my food photography.
Mica (05:34):
You mentioned reflective.
I remember one of the interviewsthat you did, you talked about
growing up in Vermont and your momhaving a kitchen garden and that
like having a huge impact on you.
What was that childhood like of seeingyour mom growing everything and bringing
(05:54):
that to the kitchen and seeing somethingfrom the seed to the sprouting.
What was that like?
Alanna (06:00):
Honestly, it was so rewarding and underappreciated as a kid because it was
just a given that what we ate and grewwas from the garden or what she baked or
what she felt like baking in the moment.
So we were very like spoiled and naiveand thinking that this is just how it is.
(06:22):
It also taught us to be reallyresourceful of, "Okay we can't use
these carrot tops, we can't eat them,but we're not going to throw them away.
We'll make a stock out of it or we'llmake the beet peels a stock or, if it's
like an ugly tomato, we'll eat it up andstill make it look pretty and delicious.
So not never like waste anything."
It was a really romantic andidyllic childhood because we
(06:47):
were constantly outside from dawntill dusk, barefoot, even if it's
snowing, like we'll be outside.
It just made us reallyfeel really grounded.
And I feel like nature and food, likebrings that sense of confidence too,
because you feel rooted in your placeand your sense of place and being that
(07:08):
it gives you a really good head on yourshoulders and maybe a little naive, but I
don't think that's a bad thing as a kid.
So yeah, that's the background.
Seeing my mom grow, like maple syrup,not that you grow maple syrup, but
you boil it and, growing our freshvegetables and just, it's always present.
(07:30):
It was always there.
So the kitchen was a place to bein the garden was a place to be.
And I think that's whyI'm drawn to food so much.
Mica (07:39):
You describing your work as reflective, I just, I love that word, that
description because we do need to go backand remember where our food comes from.
It is just really nice togo back and remember food,
vegetables, nature, all of that.
(07:59):
I'm like, who has a timemachine around here?
Can we go back?
I wanna go with you to your childhood.
Alanna (08:07):
Yeah, it was so special and it really makes you think.
As an adult, we're drawn to being veryconvenient and getting your whole foods
pickup order ready and DoorDash and wedon't have DoorDash here at Hawaii, but
it just, there's such a disconnect betweenwhat we consume and where it comes from.
And I think rooting back to my childhoodand nature and being on the farm, it
(08:31):
really instills those wholesome values ofappreciating what is given to us by the
earth and how we can sustain ourselvesin a sustainable and healthy way.
Yeah, that's always thecornerstone of my work.
Mica (08:46):
I also like how your mom taught you nothing gets thrown away.
Here in Austin, there is a restaurantthat has like a community fridge
for people to drop food off.
That community fridge is greatbecause it provides meals
for people in that community.
Every time after a photo shoot.
(09:06):
I'm left with all this food.
I go drop that off because I'mlike, I'm not throwing this away.
This is going to get used.
Someone needs this.
Alanna (09:15):
When I have a lot of food leftover that I cooked it's such a
hard thing for me to throw it away.
I'll just give it away tosomeone at the dog park.
If it does go bad, gointo compost or something.
But yeah, it's really importantto like, to stay resourceful, and
don't think it as a commodity.
Like it is something that you nourishyour body with and it's not just fuel.
(09:36):
It's, from the earth that was givento us and shouldn't be treated as
something we throw out unnecessarily.
Mica (09:44):
Growing up the way that you did with the childhood that you did how
did these experiences shape you and theway that you approach food photography?
Alanna (09:52):
We grew up so simply.
We didn't have much.
We didn't have a TV.
We didn't have a shower, we had a bathtub.
So we were like very simple and itreally taught me to be resourceful.
If I don't have the budget tobuy props or buy a backdrop or
buy a new lighting equipment.
(10:12):
What can I use within mymeans and what's around me?
So maybe that means I take theold barn door from the barn.
And use that as the rusticbackdrop for the table.
Or I'll go through my mom's antiquescollection and just pull out
random things to practice with.
Or I'll use like a linen cloththat I found, in the linen closet.
(10:37):
That's, was dusty, but needs justa little ironing and it's fine.
There's just like little things likethat I know like a lot of new food
photographers get so hung up on investingon so much money on gear and equipment.
It's honestly, the stuff that I usethe most often is things that I've
collected, whether it's passed downor it's like an antique or used.
(11:00):
Or it's something from like a craftstore, like just a piece of black
and white foam core, the board.
There's so many ways to beresourceful as a new photographer.
Mica (11:10):
My gosh, you are speaking gospel.
I don't know how many timesI've told new photographers.
You got light, you've got a camera,you got some food in your fridge,
you got some props around your house.
You've got a photo shoot.
Like when you started approachingphotography, did you feel like you
(11:32):
needed to have everything right at first?
Alanna (11:36):
At first I felt a little intimidated by seeing a lot of the more
commercial food photography, just becauseyou Instagram is new that and they
like you go on and see all these likebeautifully styled and lit photos and I
got a little intimidated, but it's like,I was like, okay that's not me, but I'm
going to try what I got, and make it work.
(11:57):
So I did feel a little pressure, butthen budget's budget and it's you can't
bend it if you're just starting out.
So it's I can't afford a 3,000 dollar backdrop set up.
So it's I'm going to as well just usethis beautiful window that I have here.
What you really need is just abeautiful natural light, a decent lens.
You could even just use a 600dollar camera as long as you
(12:19):
have a really nice, decent lens.
And some fruit and someprops with some character.
I think you really have the makingsof a little story foundation for
a shoot or a portfolio piece.
It really doesn't take much.
When we are resourceful and whenwe're limited, I think that's when our
creativity really shines and we have theability to push ourselves more and grow
(12:43):
in those moments when we are restricted.
Mica (12:46):
Absolutely 110 bazillion thousand percent agree with you.
It really like ties into thestatement of less really is more.
You really do get so much more.
And I feel like being out in nature,being out on a farm, that natural
golden light, that's just somethingyou can't create in a studio.
(13:06):
You just can't.
It just has to be authentically in nature.
Alanna (13:11):
No, I totally agree.
And also, we underestimate the powerand ability that we have to find
it, whereas it's all about patience.
Patience to find the right lightand the right moment and just
waiting for that golden hour.
And sometimes I'm waiting for whatseems like hours and hours when it's
(13:35):
reality is just like 30 minutes,just for the sun to break over the
cloud and then to light the scene.
But natural light is truly yourbest friend when it comes to
creating like authentic feelingmoments in food photography.
Mica (13:49):
What's a memorable experience where waiting for the
perfect light really paid off?
Alanna (13:56):
Oh gosh, there's so many.
Because Hawaii, the climate, yeah it'ssunny, but it changes so much because
it's one minute could be rainingand then the next minute it's sunny.
For my cookbooks, I shot themajority of them outside.
So what I would do is I would set upa table, out in my backyard and then
(14:17):
capture and wait for the right moment.
Cause I really wanted the dappled lighteffect because it's a book about picnics
and you want to feel like it's sunny anda cheerful, like playful energy and light.
So, I would wait until the cloud wouldpass over, and then I would run outside
climb up the ladder and shoot, andthen, boom, then done, and then the
(14:39):
storm comes, and then the rain comes,and then, everything's destroyed.
Shooting outside for mycookbook was a challenge.
Even in Hawaii, because I'mconstantly looking out the
window wait, is it cloudier?
Is it cloudier?
It's not.
And then my hair is like this wild rat'snest because I'm like in the tree above
shooting down at the picnic spread.
(15:01):
But those are the momentsthat really count.
It's like you can't replicate good lightand it's really worth waiting around for.
Mica (15:09):
I imagine that you look at like the weather channel or like some kind of app.
Is there really any way to anticipatewhat the day is going to be like?
I imagine you having an umbrella justin case it rains having a windbreaker
in case it's windy and then justhaving backup plan upon backup plan.
Alanna (15:27):
Yeah, that's how it is.
Cause a lot of this stuff I did formy book was outside and it's just,
Yeah, it's out of your control.
But the thing is I would go intothe shoot or the day like, Okay,
I need to shoot this recipe.
How do I want this recipeto look and feel like?
Some days it's overcast and it'scloudy and now it looks like
a big softbox over everything.
(15:48):
You just have to go with theflow and it's okay, fine.
I'll just relinquish control.
This is not the look I wanted, butI've put all the time and energy
and creating the recipe and shootingin the dish and preparing it all.
I 'm not going to spend another dayto wait again, unless it's absolutely
like the cover or something, but yeah,that's just like shooting outside.
(16:11):
You really have to let nature takeits course and like work hand in hand.
You'd be like, okay, like you're notgoing to cooperate with me today.
Then I guess this shoot isjust what it's going to be.
And this is just the lightthat it's going to be today.
Sometimes you get these like reallybeautiful, like unexpected things
(16:33):
that you can't plan or predict likea bird will fly into the frame or
on the table, or the wind blowsthe flower petals across the table.
And it just looks so lovelyand, beautiful, like you just
can't plan those things and itreally makes and breaks a shot.
Sometimes you have to have roomfor spontaneous moments like that
(16:54):
when you're shooting outside.
Mica (16:55):
I love what you just said about relinquishing control because I feel
like photographers struggle with that.
And they're like, Oh you takeon artificial lights so that
you can control your light.
You can control everythingabout the shoot.
I feel like we need to relinquishcontrol a little bit more and just
(17:15):
let creativity flow through andwhen we're trying to control every
single thing, it can be stifling.
Alanna (17:22):
I think that's part of the thing about using natural light in general,
it's like you really can't control it.
If you're shooting indoors, say aportrait or something, there is a
way so you can manipulate light andyou can do the same thing outside.
Sometimes if I don't particularly likethe light, how it's falling on this
picnic spread I did for my book, I'llhold a tree branch, and hold it over, so
(17:45):
I create the dappled light that I want.
Yeah, it's really about just letting go,and, embracing the beauty of the moment.
That's my theory about shooting outside.
Mica (17:57):
One of the reasons why I love Dutch art, classic art paintings is because
a part of me knows that this beautiful,wonderful image was created with natural
light and the imagination of the artist.
Alanna (18:14):
Yeah, totally.
And that's why I love naturallight with food is because food
is such a sensory experience Lightjust plays up on that feeling.
Even if you're shooting like a stilllife like you said, like a Dutch master,
like Caravaggio, where it's like verymoody and there's like contrast and
sharp shadows and kind of filtersand drifts off into the darkness,
(18:36):
like that's all natural light, butit's just a way of capturing food in
a different way and feels different.
Mica (18:43):
Oh my God, you mentioned Caravaggio and I just wanted to jump through the
screen and give you the biggest hug.
That's one of my favoriteartists of all time.
Alanna (18:52):
I just, I pull on his like inspiration, like his still lifes
and like the way he does this,like the chiaroscuro, like I'm
really been getting into that more.
Embracing the shadows and showing thenot seen and how there can be mystery and
just leaving the abyss and the darkness,because I'm such a natural light, I love
(19:12):
bright light, but there is somethingto be said by just letting the shadows
flow away from the bread or the cheese.
There's really a mystery to that.
Mica (19:24):
So I wanna take it to an interview that you did with Persephone Social.
I loved how she formattedthat whole interview.
I thought it was just really beautifuland it laid your work out very beautiful.
But one thing that I lovedabout that interview is how you.
(19:44):
We've been talking at length about usingwhat you have around you to create art.
How can photographers, especially thosewho are just starting out, working
with limited resources, how can theyadopt this mindset to foster their
creativity and produce stunning workwithout relying on high end gear?
Alanna (20:03):
Yeah, that's a really intimidating trap that new photographers go into is
that they feel like they need to have thisbig wardrobe of props and tools and lenses
and cameras and filters, and you reallydon't need much because I truly believe
that what matters most is the abilityto see and truly see light, understand
(20:31):
light, and being able to capture afeeling or emotion about something.
The more beginners can hone in ontheir photographic eye and how they
can really see moments of light andbeauty, whether it's they're walking
through their farmer's market andthey see the little dew drops of
tomatoes, or the flowers, or the waythe cabbage is crinkled on the edges.
(20:56):
Little details like that.
And just having to hone your eyejust will be with you for life.
Like the more you can hone andcraft in on the ability to see.
And then secondly, use what you have.
If you don't have a budget or ifyou feel like you're limited in
what you have, I'm gonna be honest.
(21:17):
I shot my cookbook with one lens.
I shot it with just a 50 millimeterprime lens and one camera I
didn't have any fancy lighting.
I didn't have any fancy backdrops.
I didn't have a studio.
I used things that I found online on Etsy.
I borrowed from friends, I found someold wooden doors and wood planks.
(21:41):
It's just like seeing around you andokay, this is what we've got to work with.
Like we can make it work.
Let's just play and experiment.
In terms of cultivating or creatinga prop wardrobe or equipment, I think
you just start with what you have.
You don't need to buy expensive gear.
(22:02):
You can borrow from friends and youcan happily trade with other industry
professionals in your area, your field.
Maybe you could create a style shoottogether where you both combine both of
your skill sets and come up with a conceptand then shoot it and photograph it.
So you both have contentand photos to keep from.
Mica (22:22):
Oh man first of all, you shot a cookbook with one lens,
prime lens, that is like the mostimpressive thing on the planet.
Was it with both cookbooks orwas it your first cookbook that
you shot with the 50 millimeter?
Alanna (22:38):
Yeah, I shot both with the 50 millimeter.
Honestly I did because I couldn'tafford a new lens at the time.
So I was like, you know what, I'vegot a 50 millimeter prime lens 1.
4, I can work with this.
Like this book was thrown at me to write.
I pitched the idea, but the secondbook, they, my publisher was
(22:59):
like, how about this other bookidea for outdoor entertaining?
And I was like, okay Iguess I'll take it on.
It just comes down to beingresourceful and using what you've got.
And it worked out great.
I have all the photos that Ineeded just with that one lens.
It took a little bit more movingaround and manipulating on my part.
So I had to maybe get upon the ladder instead.
(23:22):
But, yeah, the first book wasvery personal to me because
it was a collection of picnicrecipes inspired by my childhood.
Growing up on a farm, we really didn'thave much to do other than be outside
and play with animals or the horses.
And my mom, in order to get us outof the house, she'll say we're going
on a hike, or we're gonna go on asnowshoe, we're gonna go skating,
(23:44):
we're going to go to the lake.
And she would put together a meal, likea little picnic, that's very humble and
simple and wholesome of bread she madeor sandwiches and nothing fancy at all.
Mica (23:57):
And your first book, it's called The Outdoor Table.
When did The Art of Picnics come out?
Alanna (24:04):
So the picnic book actually is the first one.
That was the first one.
That one is like the, Ihad a concept for that.
Because I wanted to baseit around the seasons.
Just, like my parents and mymother did when we were young,
we would go out every season.
Spring, summer, fall, winter, stickseason, how we call Vermont, like
mud season, we would be outside andevery season is a wrap or every picnic
(24:28):
has a little menu or some recipesuggestions and a story around it.
that was the concept for that first one.
Mica (24:35):
What surprised you about these two books that you didn't foresee when
you first went into it looking back?
Alanna (24:44):
I didn't realize how much work it is and they truly are a
labor of love because the rewardsare like, it's definitely like a
personal project because everyoneis like, Oh, I want to write a book.
I want to write this.
And that's fantastic.
That's wonderful.
And I support everyone who wantsto write their own cookbook.
(25:06):
But unless you have a really establishedaudience and following, it's really
hard to, make something from nothing.
A lot of publishers won't give you anadvance so you can actually support
yourself while you're making the cookbook.
So you have to really know whyyou're doing it and not that it's
just like a monetary financial,thing to check off your box to do.
(25:30):
And so like for the first book, it was adefinitely like a personal project of like
it came from the heart and I really wantedto share the stories and these recipes.
you have to really know whyyou're doing something because
food's expensive and it adds up.
Especially in Hawaiieverything's basically imported.
The cost of things are more expensive.
(25:51):
So shooting a book about a veryslim budget is very challenging.
So I encourage people of your audience,if they are interested in shooting
for cookbook or making their own,it's to really think deep and like,
why, would I be okay shooting this?
On neither no budget or for very littleor maybe just to have the returns
(26:15):
far far like years down the line.
Mica (26:18):
I will say that out of all the shoots that I've done, nothing felt
more magical than holding an actualcookbook in my hands that I photographed.
That's why I'm a big component ofprinting your work, because if it's on
a screen, it just doesn't feel real.
But when you print your work out,there's just something different,
(26:41):
something timeless about holding atangible thing with your work on it.
It just feels elevated and so special.
Alanna (26:49):
Totally.
Yeah.
It's just something you really can'tdescribe unless you've done it.
It's just like, wow,like I shot this book.
This is me, printed and published.
It's like a big deal for anyone.
Or even if you print out one ofyour favorite image that you've shot
and you've framed it on your wall.
You can feel it and it'slike wow like that's me.
(27:10):
That's my work.
Mica (27:10):
Oh, for sure.
I want to take it to your career pivot.
I love hearing about career pivots.
So take me to that moment in your life.
What was missing in your lifeat that time, and how did
photography fulfill that need?
Alanna (27:27):
Yeah, soo this is a while back, but after I graduated college,
I started in global studies in French.
And then I went to Parsons and Istudied fashion design in New York.
And like every young person, youreally don't know what you want to do.
Years later, I, you know, Iend up in Calvin Klein doing
(27:50):
their runway collections.
The hustle and bustle of New York City.
It's so invigorating and it'sso depleting at the same time.
Coming from such a small town in Vermontand a horse farm where I was surrounded
by green grass and pasture and trees andflowers and animals like to just be living
(28:12):
in the dirty streets of New York City.
It was such a contrast to whatmy soul felt and when I needed.
While I love fashion design andI appreciate fashion design.
Working with like top end clientsand like seeing your work on the
runway is so it's definitely, it'sjust a surreal moment because so
(28:34):
many people want to be doing this.
Thinking it's like a dream jobwow, you're a fashion designer.
You're swatchingg fabrics, you're stayinglate, you're eating lunch at your desk.
You're never seeing the sunbesides the tiny half hour you
have to go get your coffee.
And there was just a part of methat was like, This isn't me.
(28:55):
It was just like one of thosemoments inside that only you can
know that this voice is tellingyou this is not meant for you.
This, there's something more here.
Like your soul, there'syour soul's hurting.
Like this is not it.
And one day after it was the lastseason of Calvin Klein, it was like the
final runway the spring season show.
(29:18):
And I was like, okay, I'm done.
This is it.
I moved back home to Vermont.
I settled and just took a yearjust to think of what does that,
what do I really want to do?
And it boiled down to, I love beauty.
I love art.
I'm very sensitive.
I'm very perceptive.
I've always loved photography.
(29:39):
It's just always something that'sbeen in my background of my life.
Because my mother was a photographer.
But more of a hobbyistwith like black and white.
We had a dark room in ourbarn and we would be in there
helping her develop film.
And so it was always there, but Ialways was interested in shooting
animals or landscapes or stars.
(30:00):
I love nature like astrophotography too.
So it was just always somethingin my background that I never
thought I could do for work.
The more I played with it and themore I just shot and practiced every
day, I slowly realized like, this issomething that I really enjoy doing.
This is just something Iwould do naturally, on my own.
(30:23):
And then when coming to Hawaii, I know Ifelt guilty because I have this expensive
fashion design degree from the top schoolin the world that people try to get into.
Now I have to make this degree workfor me when it's not aligned with
my direction of where I'm going.
I found a company in Hawaii thatwas doing active wear design.
(30:46):
I made that work for a littlewhile and I moved out to Hawaii.
Having never been to Maui, the more Iwas surrounded by nature, and just the
slow way of life, and the sun, and justbeing in the raw elements of Hawaii,
I was like, and I'm photographing, youknow, like, all the time, it's like, how
(31:07):
can I tie all my interests together?
So it was really like a moment of cominghome and just like focusing on what I
value and how I can fit that into thelifestyle I want because I knew that
the lifestyle I was living in New Yorkwas not healthy for me and my soul.
Mica (31:27):
I'm from Austin.
I grew up in the city, but I went tocollege in San Angelo, Texas, which
is much smaller city than Austin andit's in a very rural part of Texas.
It was hard to adjust, but I wouldn'ttrade it for anything because the
friendships that I built there are just.
(31:49):
still my closest friendships, butI know that I could not live in
San Angelo for the rest of my life.
But it was a good period andthe lessons that I learned from
that I carry with me today.
New York is a great place.
I'd love to visit it, but Idon't think I could live there.
I'd like to think Icould, but I know myself.
Alanna (32:10):
Yeah.
To your point, it's like we go throughso many seasons of life where one place
fits us where we are in that moment,but that doesn't mean it's forever.
And it's like a letting go of likethis chapter and it's like, it's okay.
Like that was that time.
And that doesn't mean I have to completelydisconnect and leave those friends or
leave that connection to that place.
(32:31):
But it's just this is where I'm going now.
Honestly, like New York taught me somuch that I probably wouldn't have
the hustle and the grit and the drivethat I do if I didn't live there,
because even now, some people arelike, you walk so fast, just slow down.
I'm like, whoa.
You can't take it out.
Like I just walk fast.
(32:51):
I'm going to Target, but I'm walking fast.
There's bits of it you take it's likewherever you go you can take pieces and
lessons from it and then carry with youforward in your next chapter and I think
New York really taught me to not onlyknow and recognize the values and just
the grit and persistence and the likeI don't give a fuck like I'm gonna just
(33:16):
keep emailing and plying and being superpersistent on things because New York has
that fuck you attitude of I'll send you amillion emails and you're gonna reply and
if you don't and you block me then Fine,but it's just you have to have that grit
and drive like when you're just startingout and if especially if you're like an
(33:36):
entrepreneur as a photographer, you needto have tough skin and I lived such a
sheltered life on the farm that New Yorkreally taught me to toughen up in terms
of you want something, you go after it andyou get it whether it's writing your book.
Whether it's starting your own business,moving to Hawaii if you want something,
(33:56):
you, no one's going to give it to you, youhave to really find it and go after it.
And then same with like, when I workedat Calvin Klein, to come back to this
point is like, what I did for that isI would choose the photography images
that would be on the backdrop for therunway, so I would curate all of the
photos that would be the inspirationor the mood board for the collection.
(34:22):
So it's like you take these piecesof what you learned and what you have
done in your past experiences andthen use it to project you forward
into your next chapter of life.
Mica (34:34):
Oh my gosh, something you said earlier cracked me up so hard about
New Yorkers like being fast walkers.
Yeah.
Because it's so true.
So true.
There's a YouTube video.
I'll have to send it to you andI'll post it in the show notes.
So everybody can enjoy this together,but it's a parody video where they
(34:57):
call Johnny T at Johnny T's adviceon how to be a tourist in New York.
He says, if you're going to be out inNew York, I need you to get out of the
way between the hours of four and eight.
Whatever you do, get out of the way.
You want to take a pictureof the Empire State Building?
That's fine, but get out of the way.
And I'm like, that's all of New York.
Alanna (35:18):
Yeah.
I have to be careful of that tooin Hawaii, where it's like there's
a million tourists everywhere andI'm just like, get out of the way,
I'm just going to Whole Foods.
Mica (35:27):
You said something earlier that I just, I want to touch on about
letting go of the guilt of getting adegree and then feeling like you need
to do something with that degree, evenif your heart isn't in it anymore,
and it's not serving you anymore.
I truly connected with that.
(35:48):
So my question for you is what helpedyou with letting go of that guilt?
If there's someone out there who is ina similar boat or a similar situation
as us, what advice would you givethem to help them get over whatever
guilt they may be feeling right now?
Alanna (36:04):
Yeah.
It's definitely a challenge toovercome because we feel guilty for
maybe disappointing our parents ordisappointing ourselves or the grief
of letting go of a dream that wethought we were going to fulfill.
And that's like the pathand the trajectory we're on.
And now we're on somethingcompletely different.
(36:24):
I think for me that guilt was justchanging it and transforming it and
seeing it in a different light of it'sguilt, but it's, maybe it's a new door.
Like maybe I'm opening a window,maybe instead of feeling guilty,
I'm moving somewhere else.
I'm going forward and through something.
(36:44):
So there's a new opportunity.
And I keep coming backto the feeling like.
I have one life, like life is so short.
It's too short to feel guilty.
It's too short to shortchange yourself.
It's too short to not befulfilled and happy and work an
(37:05):
unfulfilling job and a nine to five.
It's too short to be shaving foranimal skins for 3, 000 handbag all day
long for someone who doesn't need it.
So like life is too short and we only haveone and it's cliche, life is really what
you make it and we may not seem like wehave choices, we have choices to change
(37:31):
and move the trajectory in our life.
And I think If I had kept going downthat path of, I need to stick it out to,
to make these loans worth it, I wouldfeel such a resentment for not only
myself, but just the life that I couldhave lived, the life that I could have.
Created and envisioned
(37:52):
but what I do know is that if I keptgoing down that path, I would feel
very empty and that's not how I wantto live this one life that I have.
Mica (38:02):
Yes to all of that.
Yes.
To every single thing that you just said.
One thing I've learned as far as likeletting go of whatever guilt I had, and
it was a lot of guilt is just knowingthat everything that I learned in theater,
everything I learned from that time in mylife, I still use today as a photographer.
Alanna (38:26):
Yeah.
And it's also like a partof letting go of the guilt.
It's to what you said about takingyour skillset and your experiences onto
your new path, like all those things Iwouldn't regret what I did in New York.
I wouldn't take back that experiencebecause I learned so much, like all those,
the fashion lessons, the creating bodicesand tailoring and, creating mood boards,
(38:50):
like all of that has influenced the workthat I do now and my own perspective.
The more we can turn that mucky yuckyexperiences into gold and fuel it really
makes you so unique because there's noone else like you and that's your unique
experience and it's like your uniqueperspective as a photographer, because
(39:13):
maybe there was someone who went to medschool and now they're in photography.
What from your past experiences canyou bring into the work you do now
as a photographer from med school?
So it's like changing and seeing thingsin a different light and how we can bring
that into the new path that we're on.
Mica (39:34):
I've had guests on here who have come from such interesting walks of life.
DJ was an architect beforeshe was a food photographer.
Catherine Bernard was a waitressbefore she was a photographer and
learned, how to build relationshipswith people, how to talk to people.
DJ mentioned how architecture impactsher art and how she uses a lot of
(39:55):
angles in her food photography.
With that being said, what have youtaken with you from the fashion world
into your work as a photographer?
Alanna (40:05):
In terms of fashion composition and color really
translate over well into photography.
And also just like the creativedirection of a collection,
especially the preparation andconception of the collection.
It's so similar to a food shootbecause it's okay, so what do we
(40:26):
want this food shoot to be like?
What did we want it to feel like?
What are we capturing?
What do we need to shoot?
What are the angles,what are the subjects?
And it's like the same thingfor a fashion collection.
What is this inspired by?
How does it feel?
What do we want the person tofeel like when they're wearing it?
What are the color schemes?
Like all of the planning andpre pre process of planning
(40:50):
something out for a collection.
It translates so well into a foodphotography product shoot and
just in photography in general,because fashion It's more than
just clothing and it's design.
Art is art and multiplemediums are still as art.
So like color theory, composition evenjust sketching, like sometimes I'll
(41:15):
sketch out a food shoot or a table.
So okay, I want this here.
I want the cup here.
I want the pole here becauseI'm such a visual person.
Then I can sketch out, okay, I wantthe table to look like this and I'll
refer back to it when I'm in the shoot.
So I know okay, that's the sketch.
That's what it's going to look like.
And I've got an idea and in mymind before I go out and shoot.
(41:37):
We would work with fashion modelsduring live drawing classes.
And you'd think what does it haveto do with food or food photography?
But it has to do with everything becausethe body symmetry, like the lines, the
model's hips and how the S curve and theC and all the lines doing the fashion
live model drawing where it's like thethird, she's in the third of the frame.
(42:01):
This all translate into photographybecause it's seeing your subject in
a way and then translating it ontoa piece of paper, which essentially
then translates into your lens.
So it's related.
Mica (42:13):
Oh, yes.
Yes, it is.
Something you mentionedjust now, you talked about
fashion, drawing the shots out.
I love Fashion Runway and when theydraw, they show the renderings,
like what they're going to do.
I think that's the coolestthing on the planet.
You are literally creatingsomething out of nothing.
What you're envisioning even ifyou're not a good drawer, just draw
(42:34):
something and put it out there.
Alanna (42:36):
Yeah, it's just giving you an idea like you don't need to be a
master, masterpiece, our master artistsjust like I sometimes just take a
scrap piece of paper, maybe it's likean envelope on my desk and just say
like, Okay, I know the windows here,I'm going to put the plate there, lines
this way, the fork this way, it helps.
(42:57):
And even just another simple trick toois, If you're not into drawing, just
before you actually bring your cameraover to the food scene, take a quick
snap with your phone and just see,like, how does it look in your phone?
Oh, okay.
I like that composition.
And then just take a fewsnaps with your phone.
Cause it's so much easierthan your actual camera.
(43:17):
And then you can referback to it on your phone.
When you're shooting the actual dishor recipe or whatever with your camera.
So it's like another little reference.
If you don't want to draw somethingout, just sketch it out on your
phone, just take a quick snapand then you can look back at it.
Mica (43:31):
I want to close out today's interview and I'm sad that we're
closing it out because I feellike I could talk to you forever.
You mentioned how storytellingis central to your work.
What are some fundamentals ofstorytelling in food photography that
can help elevate a photographer's workand connection with their audience?
(43:53):
You touched on it a few minutes agowhere you talked about composition
and taking snaps with your iPhoneand drawing out your shots.
Whenever you approach a photo shoot,do you already have a story in mind?
Or it's like, I want to create thisfeeling or I'm feeling this sort of way.
(44:13):
I know that's a loaded question.
So whichever part of it you wantto answer, I'm totally game for.
Alanna (44:21):
Okay.
Yeah.
I think storytelling is suchan innately human thing and an
experience that it really comes downto what makes a good photograph.
What's the message here?
What's happening?
Because storytelling to meit's more than just conveying
information there's something more.
It's not just, there's apiece of bread on a plate.
(44:42):
It's someone ripped this bread becauseit just came out of the oven and
it's slathered in butter and jam.
There's crumbs on the table and there'stea stains from the old teapot, and
there's the knives over here, andthere's like butter on the knife, like
all these little things, they're sosubtle, but it really makes the story,
(45:05):
the frame come alive, and I thinkfor me, why I love food photography
and specifically is because it wantsme to just jump right into the scene
and like tuck in and dive right inand just get in there and mess it up.
It's like, how can we make this framefeel like a shot out of a life, and
(45:27):
how can we make it feel authentic?
I see a lot of food photographers bereally precious about their styling of
their food, where they are so careful.
It's to place the knife just so,and the crumbs just this way,
and the plate just this angle.
And that's all well and good.
And I do that too, but I don't getso hung up on the little details
(45:49):
because there's a bigger picture here.
There's bigger context.
Where's this happening?
Is this in Italy?
Is this in Greece?
Is this in your backyard?
Is this at a family barbecue?
Is this at a dinner?
Dinner party in August ona balmy summer's night.
We just create the story and thatwill help you style and compose
(46:13):
the shot and give some context tothe food and like what's happening.
The one trick I can give for storytellingand for food photographers is if you
think when you go into a restaurantand you walk past all the tables and
empty tables, there's plates stacked,there's napkins tucked on the chair,
there's some spilled wine, there'sbreadcrumbs, there's the salad, olive
(46:35):
oil spilt on the white tablecloth.
All of that says something, eventhough those patrons are not there
anymore, like no one's sitting thereanymore, but it still says something
like the mood, the meal may be over,but there's still something there.
And so when I think of foodstyling, I think of okay, what
if I create and style this scene?
What's the story thatI'm going to tell here?
(46:57):
Act as if I'm cutting the bread, I'mpouring the wine, I'm scooping up
the soup or scooping up the stew, andthen take a step back and then remove
yourself, as if you just disappeared.
That's where it really feels authentic,as if you're actually getting
in there, messing up the scene,acting as if you're enjoying this.
(47:17):
Honestly, I'll like eat as I'm shootingthe food because it makes it feel real.
If I just get so preciousabout how I cut the cake.
It doesn't feel authentic and real.
And I think the more you can actuallyengage and participate in the scene
and then just step back as if you know,we're a ghost and just disappeared.
(47:38):
It makes it feel like such amore compelling and engaging
story for the viewer.
Mica (47:44):
Oh, my gosh, when you were describing the bread and the butter,
I was like, Oh, my God, I want that.
But it just proves the point that youjust made that a food photographer's
job is to take the simple act of eatingand turning it into this experience.
Alanna (48:07):
It's so simple.
It's like we all innately knowthis because we see it all
the time in our daily life.
Mica (48:13):
When you.
were developing as a photographerand bringing in that storytelling
element, what were some thingsthat helped you in the beginning?
What are some things that maybehelped you or was it something that
just felt organic and natural to you?
Alanna (48:31):
I think it's always been there since I was a girl, cause I've been
such an imaginative child and alwayswas into fairy tales and stories.
So I'm just a naturally ofstorytelling type of person.
But I think if you're, if you strugglewith that and you're more of like a one
track linear mind or more like logisticaland practical, and you just think of the
(48:54):
here and now and what needs to be done.
I would just challenge yourself toget more imaginative and playful and
think of what if I move the knifeover here and I place the bread and
cut it in half and just let looseand put it on the plate and eat it.
Just didn't touch it and left it likejust start asking yourself questions
(49:16):
like what if I tried this or what if Itried that how can I stir my imagination
up and then maybe it means that you lookthrough cookbooks or you do a little
research and kind of see what other workis out there to stir your imagination up.
But I think it's comes down tolearn to play and have a more open
(49:40):
relationship with food as a subject.
It's something that as humans,we innately consume and we need,
and it's part of our daily lives.
And it's okay let's play with it.
Let's just see what happens if I movethe dish this way and I move the candle
over here does that feel like it fits thestory that I wanted to create and share?
Mica (49:59):
Oh, man.
What do you hope the listenersget from today's episode?
Alanna (50:03):
Oh, boy.
I think it has to come down tojust trusting your intuition and
knowing what's right for you.
And if that's food photography, so be it.
If it's painting, if it's art, ifit's being an engineer, whatever
it is, just stay true to you.
And if you love food photography,just be persistent and consistent.
(50:27):
I think consistencypaired with persistency.
It's just the magic where it all happens.
I can't tell you how many no's andemails that never got a reply and it's
just keep putting yourself out thereand just keep trying and know that one
door, you may reach 10 doors and theyall are closed, but the next one is open.
(50:50):
Just to keep putting yourself out thereand staying true to you and to know if
that's your path and you just keep goingforward and follow your north star.
Mica (50:59):
Where can the listeners find you, follow you?
And where can they buy your cookbooks?
Alanna (51:07):
Yeah.
So I am on Instagram.
Alanna O'Neill photo on Instagramand then my website at Alana O'Neill.
com.
And I have a mentorship programover there too, that I nurture
and help new photographers.
And then my books you're going to findanywhere books are sold via Amazon, Barnes
(51:28):
and Noble, or maybe your local bookstore.
But I would check those twobiggies first to find the books.
And yeah, that's where you can find me.
Mica (51:37):
Alanna, thank you so much for coming to the show, being a guest.
It really has been such a pleasurehaving you on the show and I will
definitely refer new photographersover to that mentorship because
I think that's super important.
Alanna (51:54):
I really love helping new photographers step into
their voice and their place.
Cause I've been there and I know whatit's like for all those feelings to
come up and feel like you're not goodenough, comparing yourself to others.
It's just a really wonderful program.
It's been such a pleasure to chat.
I feel like we could talk all dayabout different things and maybe
(52:15):
you'll be at the beach and we couldsit on the beach and chat next time.
Mica (52:19):
Oh, man, based on your photos, I'm not even talking about visiting.
I'm just going to move up there.
Thank you again so muchfor being on the show.
Thank you so much.
Alanna (52:29):
Thank you.
Mica (52:31):
This episode is written and produced by me, your host, Mika McCook.
Like this episode?
Give us a five star review on ApplePodcast and subscribe to The Savory
Shot wherever you get your podcast.
Or follow me, your host, MikaMcCook, on Instagram at Mika.
McCook.
(52:52):
Or you can follow the podcast onInstagram At the savory shot podcast,
if you have any questions, comments, orwould like to be featured on the show,
email us at podcast at the savory shot.
com.
Welcome.
To the 52nd episode of The SavoryShot, a podcast about the art and
soul of working in food photography.
Y'all know who I be.
I'm your host with the most, Mica McCook.
I am a food photographerbased out of Austin, Texas.
First, I want to thank y'all, thelisteners, so much for tuning in
(00:25):
your support means everything.
It means the world to me.
It keeps this podcast going strong.
So thank you so much.
Whether it's your first time joining usor your 52nd time joining us, thank you so
much for taking time out of your day, buty'all let's talk about today's episode.
It's a doozy.
(00:46):
We have a fantastic episode linedup for y'all with a special guest
who brings a unique perspectiveto the world of food photography.
If you've ever dreamed of combiningthe beauty of natural light with
the art of food photography, theny'all, you're in for a treat.
(01:11):
This is going to be your root beerfloat, if that floats your boat.
But y'all, without further ado,I introduce you to Alana O'Neill.
Alana is a designer and photographer from.
I don't know why I struggle tosay this, from Maui, Hawaii.
(01:33):
I have to say it reallyslow, Maui, Hawaii.
I tried.
She's from Hawaii, y'all.
But Alanna grew up on a farm in Vermont.
She uses natural light to capture thebeauty of outdoor entertaining and slow
living, inspired by her travels in Europe.
(01:56):
Paris and New York city.
She loves celebratinglocal food and culture.
Alana has written two cookbookson seasonal outdoor recipes.
She also has a mentorship programwhere she mentors new food and
lifestyle photographers to helpthem find their unique style.
In this episode, Alana and I deep diveinto her creative process, the influence
(02:22):
of her Vermont roots, and how hertravels have shaped her photography.
We also talk about the importanceof natural light, the art of being
resourceful, and the magic ofstorytelling through food photography.
So I'm not gonna waste any more time.
Grab your drink, grab your tea, grabyour coffee, your cocktail, whatever it
(02:43):
is, grab it and let's start the show.
Welcome to The Savory Shot, a biweekly show about the art and soul
of working in food photography.
I'm your host, Mika McCook.
Every other Wednesday, I sit down tochat with professionals in the industry
so that you feast on only the besttips and strategies in the business.
(03:08):
All right, y'all, let's get started.
(03:52):
Alanna, I want to start off by sayingthank you so much for being on the show.
It's just such an awesome thing thatyou want to share your story with us.
So thank you for being on the show.
Alanna (04:03):
Thank you for having me.
I'm really excited to be hereand share a little bit of my
story with you and your audience.
Mica (04:10):
I am ready to get right into it.
If you are, then let'sget this show on the road.
Alanna (04:15):
Okay.
Sounds good.
Mica (04:18):
So I want to start this conversation by asking you, what three
adjectives would you use to describeyour work and why those adjectives?
Alanna (04:31):
This one, okay, this takes a second to think about
because I'm so hard on myself.
Like it's so hard to like selfreflect and think about what your
work feels like or looks like becauseyou think about it one way and then
you see it in a different light.
But I think for the three wordsor adjectives would be natural.
(04:54):
Let me see.
Gentle or like sensitive and reflective.
I think because I feel like a lot of mywork feels very nostalgic, but also has.
It's very much grounded innature and personal stories and
like a reflective sensibility.
I think that's where I would go.
(05:16):
Just from my values of my background andgrowing up, nature has been such a huge
part of why I love photography and whoI am as a person that I'm so drawn to
including that into my food photography.
Mica (05:34):
You mentioned reflective.
I remember one of the interviewsthat you did, you talked about
growing up in Vermont and your momhaving a kitchen garden and that
like having a huge impact on you.
What was that childhood like of seeingyour mom growing everything and bringing
(05:54):
that to the kitchen and seeing somethingfrom the seed to the sprouting.
What was that like?
Alanna (06:00):
Honestly, it was so rewarding and underappreciated as a kid because it was
just a given that what we ate and grewwas from the garden or what she baked or
what she felt like baking in the moment.
So we were very like spoiled and naiveand thinking that this is just how it is.
(06:22):
It also taught us to be reallyresourceful of, "Okay we can't use
these carrot tops, we can't eat them,but we're not going to throw them away.
We'll make a stock out of it or we'llmake the beet peels a stock or, if it's
like an ugly tomato, we'll eat it up andstill make it look pretty and delicious.
So not never like waste anything."
It was a really romantic andidyllic childhood because we
(06:47):
were constantly outside from dawntill dusk, barefoot, even if it's
snowing, like we'll be outside.
It just made us reallyfeel really grounded.
And I feel like nature and food, likebrings that sense of confidence too,
because you feel rooted in your placeand your sense of place and being that
(07:08):
it gives you a really good head on yourshoulders and maybe a little naive, but I
don't think that's a bad thing as a kid.
So yeah, that's the background.
Seeing my mom grow, like maple syrup,not that you grow maple syrup, but
you boil it and, growing our freshvegetables and just, it's always present.
(07:30):
It was always there.
So the kitchen was a place to bein the garden was a place to be.
And I think that's whyI'm drawn to food so much.
Mica (07:39):
You describing your work as reflective, I just, I love that word, that
description because we do need to go backand remember where our food comes from.
It is just really nice togo back and remember food,
vegetables, nature, all of that.
(07:59):
I'm like, who has a timemachine around here?
Can we go back?
I wanna go with you to your childhood.
Alanna (08:07):
Yeah, it was so special and it really makes you think.
As an adult, we're drawn to being veryconvenient and getting your whole foods
pickup order ready and DoorDash and wedon't have DoorDash here at Hawaii, but
it just, there's such a disconnect betweenwhat we consume and where it comes from.
And I think rooting back to my childhoodand nature and being on the farm, it
(08:31):
really instills those wholesome values ofappreciating what is given to us by the
earth and how we can sustain ourselvesin a sustainable and healthy way.
Yeah, that's always thecornerstone of my work.
Mica (08:46):
I also like how your mom taught you nothing gets thrown away.
Here in Austin, there is a restaurantthat has like a community fridge
for people to drop food off.
That community fridge is greatbecause it provides meals
for people in that community.
Every time after a photo shoot.
(09:06):
I'm left with all this food.
I go drop that off because I'mlike, I'm not throwing this away.
This is going to get used.
Someone needs this.
Alanna (09:15):
When I have a lot of food leftover that I cooked it's such a
hard thing for me to throw it away.
I'll just give it away tosomeone at the dog park.
If it does go bad, gointo compost or something.
But yeah, it's really importantto like, to stay resourceful, and
don't think it as a commodity.
Like it is something that you nourishyour body with and it's not just fuel.
(09:36):
It's, from the earth that was givento us and shouldn't be treated as
something we throw out unnecessarily.
Mica (09:44):
Growing up the way that you did with the childhood that you did how
did these experiences shape you and theway that you approach food photography?
Alanna (09:52):
We grew up so simply.
We didn't have much.
We didn't have a TV.
We didn't have a shower, we had a bathtub.
So we were like very simple and itreally taught me to be resourceful.
If I don't have the budget tobuy props or buy a backdrop or
buy a new lighting equipment.
(10:12):
What can I use within mymeans and what's around me?
So maybe that means I take theold barn door from the barn.
And use that as the rusticbackdrop for the table.
Or I'll go through my mom's antiquescollection and just pull out
random things to practice with.
Or I'll use like a linen cloththat I found, in the linen closet.
(10:37):
That's, was dusty, but needs justa little ironing and it's fine.
There's just like little things likethat I know like a lot of new food
photographers get so hung up on investingon so much money on gear and equipment.
It's honestly, the stuff that I usethe most often is things that I've
collected, whether it's passed downor it's like an antique or used.
(11:00):
Or it's something from like a craftstore, like just a piece of black
and white foam core, the board.
There's so many ways to beresourceful as a new photographer.
Mica (11:10):
My gosh, you are speaking gospel.
I don't know how many timesI've told new photographers.
You got light, you've got a camera,you got some food in your fridge,
you got some props around your house.
You've got a photo shoot.
Like when you started approachingphotography, did you feel like you
(11:32):
needed to have everything right at first?
Alanna (11:36):
At first I felt a little intimidated by seeing a lot of the more
commercial food photography, just becauseyou Instagram is new that and they
like you go on and see all these likebeautifully styled and lit photos and I
got a little intimidated, but it's like,I was like, okay that's not me, but I'm
going to try what I got, and make it work.
(11:57):
So I did feel a little pressure, butthen budget's budget and it's you can't
bend it if you're just starting out.
So it's I can't afford a 3,000 dollar backdrop set up.
So it's I'm going to as well just usethis beautiful window that I have here.
What you really need is just abeautiful natural light, a decent lens.
You could even just use a 600dollar camera as long as you
(12:19):
have a really nice, decent lens.
And some fruit and someprops with some character.
I think you really have the makingsof a little story foundation for
a shoot or a portfolio piece.
It really doesn't take much.
When we are resourceful and whenwe're limited, I think that's when our
creativity really shines and we have theability to push ourselves more and grow
(12:43):
in those moments when we are restricted.
Mica (12:46):
Absolutely 110 bazillion thousand percent agree with you.
It really like ties into thestatement of less really is more.
You really do get so much more.
And I feel like being out in nature,being out on a farm, that natural
golden light, that's just somethingyou can't create in a studio.
(13:06):
You just can't.
It just has to be authentically in nature.
Alanna (13:11):
No, I totally agree.
And also, we underestimate the powerand ability that we have to find
it, whereas it's all about patience.
Patience to find the right lightand the right moment and just
waiting for that golden hour.
And sometimes I'm waiting for whatseems like hours and hours when it's
(13:35):
reality is just like 30 minutes,just for the sun to break over the
cloud and then to light the scene.
But natural light is truly yourbest friend when it comes to
creating like authentic feelingmoments in food photography.
Mica (13:49):
What's a memorable experience where waiting for the
perfect light really paid off?
Alanna (13:56):
Oh gosh, there's so many.
Because Hawaii, the climate, yeah it'ssunny, but it changes so much because
it's one minute could be rainingand then the next minute it's sunny.
For my cookbooks, I shot themajority of them outside.
So what I would do is I would set upa table, out in my backyard and then
(14:17):
capture and wait for the right moment.
Cause I really wanted the dappled lighteffect because it's a book about picnics
and you want to feel like it's sunny anda cheerful, like playful energy and light.
So, I would wait until the cloud wouldpass over, and then I would run outside
climb up the ladder and shoot, andthen, boom, then done, and then the
(14:39):
storm comes, and then the rain comes,and then, everything's destroyed.
Shooting outside for mycookbook was a challenge.
Even in Hawaii, because I'mconstantly looking out the
window wait, is it cloudier?
Is it cloudier?
It's not.
And then my hair is like this wild rat'snest because I'm like in the tree above
shooting down at the picnic spread.
(15:01):
But those are the momentsthat really count.
It's like you can't replicate good lightand it's really worth waiting around for.
Mica (15:09):
I imagine that you look at like the weather channel or like some kind of app.
Is there really any way to anticipatewhat the day is going to be like?
I imagine you having an umbrella justin case it rains having a windbreaker
in case it's windy and then justhaving backup plan upon backup plan.
Alanna (15:27):
Yeah, that's how it is.
Cause a lot of this stuff I did formy book was outside and it's just,
Yeah, it's out of your control.
But the thing is I would go intothe shoot or the day like, Okay,
I need to shoot this recipe.
How do I want this recipeto look and feel like?
Some days it's overcast and it'scloudy and now it looks like
a big softbox over everything.
(15:48):
You just have to go with theflow and it's okay, fine.
I'll just relinquish control.
This is not the look I wanted, butI've put all the time and energy
and creating the recipe and shootingin the dish and preparing it all.
I 'm not going to spend another dayto wait again, unless it's absolutely
like the cover or something, but yeah,that's just like shooting outside.
(16:11):
You really have to let nature takeits course and like work hand in hand.
You'd be like, okay, like you're notgoing to cooperate with me today.
Then I guess this shoot isjust what it's going to be.
And this is just the lightthat it's going to be today.
Sometimes you get these like reallybeautiful, like unexpected things
(16:33):
that you can't plan or predict likea bird will fly into the frame or
on the table, or the wind blowsthe flower petals across the table.
And it just looks so lovelyand, beautiful, like you just
can't plan those things and itreally makes and breaks a shot.
Sometimes you have to have roomfor spontaneous moments like that
(16:54):
when you're shooting outside.
Mica (16:55):
I love what you just said about relinquishing control because I feel
like photographers struggle with that.
And they're like, Oh you takeon artificial lights so that
you can control your light.
You can control everythingabout the shoot.
I feel like we need to relinquishcontrol a little bit more and just
(17:15):
let creativity flow through andwhen we're trying to control every
single thing, it can be stifling.
Alanna (17:22):
I think that's part of the thing about using natural light in general,
it's like you really can't control it.
If you're shooting indoors, say aportrait or something, there is a
way so you can manipulate light andyou can do the same thing outside.
Sometimes if I don't particularly likethe light, how it's falling on this
picnic spread I did for my book, I'llhold a tree branch, and hold it over, so
(17:45):
I create the dappled light that I want.
Yeah, it's really about just letting go,and, embracing the beauty of the moment.
That's my theory about shooting outside.
Mica (17:57):
One of the reasons why I love Dutch art, classic art paintings is because
a part of me knows that this beautiful,wonderful image was created with natural
light and the imagination of the artist.
Alanna (18:14):
Yeah, totally.
And that's why I love naturallight with food is because food
is such a sensory experience Lightjust plays up on that feeling.
Even if you're shooting like a stilllife like you said, like a Dutch master,
like Caravaggio, where it's like verymoody and there's like contrast and
sharp shadows and kind of filtersand drifts off into the darkness,
(18:36):
like that's all natural light, butit's just a way of capturing food in
a different way and feels different.
Mica (18:43):
Oh my God, you mentioned Caravaggio and I just wanted to jump through the
screen and give you the biggest hug.
That's one of my favoriteartists of all time.
Alanna (18:52):
I just, I pull on his like inspiration, like his still lifes
and like the way he does this,like the chiaroscuro, like I'm
really been getting into that more.
Embracing the shadows and showing thenot seen and how there can be mystery and
just leaving the abyss and the darkness,because I'm such a natural light, I love
(19:12):
bright light, but there is somethingto be said by just letting the shadows
flow away from the bread or the cheese.
There's really a mystery to that.
Mica (19:24):
So I wanna take it to an interview that you did with Persephone Social.
I loved how she formattedthat whole interview.
I thought it was just really beautifuland it laid your work out very beautiful.
But one thing that I lovedabout that interview is how you.
(19:44):
We've been talking at length about usingwhat you have around you to create art.
How can photographers, especially thosewho are just starting out, working
with limited resources, how can theyadopt this mindset to foster their
creativity and produce stunning workwithout relying on high end gear?
Alanna (20:03):
Yeah, that's a really intimidating trap that new photographers go into is
that they feel like they need to have thisbig wardrobe of props and tools and lenses
and cameras and filters, and you reallydon't need much because I truly believe
that what matters most is the abilityto see and truly see light, understand
(20:31):
light, and being able to capture afeeling or emotion about something.
The more beginners can hone in ontheir photographic eye and how they
can really see moments of light andbeauty, whether it's they're walking
through their farmer's market andthey see the little dew drops of
tomatoes, or the flowers, or the waythe cabbage is crinkled on the edges.
(20:56):
Little details like that.
And just having to hone your eyejust will be with you for life.
Like the more you can hone andcraft in on the ability to see.
And then secondly, use what you have.
If you don't have a budget or ifyou feel like you're limited in
what you have, I'm gonna be honest.
(21:17):
I shot my cookbook with one lens.
I shot it with just a 50 millimeterprime lens and one camera I
didn't have any fancy lighting.
I didn't have any fancy backdrops.
I didn't have a studio.
I used things that I found online on Etsy.
I borrowed from friends, I found someold wooden doors and wood planks.
(21:41):
It's just like seeing around you andokay, this is what we've got to work with.
Like we can make it work.
Let's just play and experiment.
In terms of cultivating or creatinga prop wardrobe or equipment, I think
you just start with what you have.
You don't need to buy expensive gear.
(22:02):
You can borrow from friends and youcan happily trade with other industry
professionals in your area, your field.
Maybe you could create a style shoottogether where you both combine both of
your skill sets and come up with a conceptand then shoot it and photograph it.
So you both have contentand photos to keep from.
Mica (22:22):
Oh man first of all, you shot a cookbook with one lens,
prime lens, that is like the mostimpressive thing on the planet.
Was it with both cookbooks orwas it your first cookbook that
you shot with the 50 millimeter?
Alanna (22:38):
Yeah, I shot both with the 50 millimeter.
Honestly I did because I couldn'tafford a new lens at the time.
So I was like, you know what, I'vegot a 50 millimeter prime lens 1.
4, I can work with this.
Like this book was thrown at me to write.
I pitched the idea, but the secondbook, they, my publisher was
(22:59):
like, how about this other bookidea for outdoor entertaining?
And I was like, okay Iguess I'll take it on.
It just comes down to beingresourceful and using what you've got.
And it worked out great.
I have all the photos that Ineeded just with that one lens.
It took a little bit more movingaround and manipulating on my part.
So I had to maybe get upon the ladder instead.
(23:22):
But, yeah, the first book wasvery personal to me because
it was a collection of picnicrecipes inspired by my childhood.
Growing up on a farm, we really didn'thave much to do other than be outside
and play with animals or the horses.
And my mom, in order to get us outof the house, she'll say we're going
on a hike, or we're gonna go on asnowshoe, we're gonna go skating,
(23:44):
we're going to go to the lake.
And she would put together a meal, likea little picnic, that's very humble and
simple and wholesome of bread she madeor sandwiches and nothing fancy at all.
Mica (23:57):
And your first book, it's called The Outdoor Table.
When did The Art of Picnics come out?
Alanna (24:04):
So the picnic book actually is the first one.
That was the first one.
That one is like the, Ihad a concept for that.
Because I wanted to baseit around the seasons.
Just, like my parents and mymother did when we were young,
we would go out every season.
Spring, summer, fall, winter, stickseason, how we call Vermont, like
mud season, we would be outside andevery season is a wrap or every picnic
(24:28):
has a little menu or some recipesuggestions and a story around it.
that was the concept for that first one.
Mica (24:35):
What surprised you about these two books that you didn't foresee when
you first went into it looking back?
Alanna (24:44):
I didn't realize how much work it is and they truly are a
labor of love because the rewardsare like, it's definitely like a
personal project because everyoneis like, Oh, I want to write a book.
I want to write this.
And that's fantastic.
That's wonderful.
And I support everyone who wantsto write their own cookbook.
(25:06):
But unless you have a really establishedaudience and following, it's really
hard to, make something from nothing.
A lot of publishers won't give you anadvance so you can actually support
yourself while you're making the cookbook.
So you have to really know whyyou're doing it and not that it's
just like a monetary financial,thing to check off your box to do.
(25:30):
And so like for the first book, it was adefinitely like a personal project of like
it came from the heart and I really wantedto share the stories and these recipes.
you have to really know whyyou're doing something because
food's expensive and it adds up.
Especially in Hawaiieverything's basically imported.
The cost of things are more expensive.
(25:51):
So shooting a book about a veryslim budget is very challenging.
So I encourage people of your audience,if they are interested in shooting
for cookbook or making their own,it's to really think deep and like,
why, would I be okay shooting this?
On neither no budget or for very littleor maybe just to have the returns
(26:15):
far far like years down the line.
Mica (26:18):
I will say that out of all the shoots that I've done, nothing felt
more magical than holding an actualcookbook in my hands that I photographed.
That's why I'm a big component ofprinting your work, because if it's on
a screen, it just doesn't feel real.
But when you print your work out,there's just something different,
(26:41):
something timeless about holding atangible thing with your work on it.
It just feels elevated and so special.
Alanna (26:49):
Totally.
Yeah.
It's just something you really can'tdescribe unless you've done it.
It's just like, wow,like I shot this book.
This is me, printed and published.
It's like a big deal for anyone.
Or even if you print out one ofyour favorite image that you've shot
and you've framed it on your wall.
You can feel it and it'slike wow like that's me.
(27:10):
That's my work.
Mica (27:10):
Oh, for sure.
I want to take it to your career pivot.
I love hearing about career pivots.
So take me to that moment in your life.
What was missing in your lifeat that time, and how did
photography fulfill that need?
Alanna (27:27):
Yeah, soo this is a while back, but after I graduated college,
I started in global studies in French.
And then I went to Parsons and Istudied fashion design in New York.
And like every young person, youreally don't know what you want to do.
Years later, I, you know, Iend up in Calvin Klein doing
(27:50):
their runway collections.
The hustle and bustle of New York City.
It's so invigorating and it'sso depleting at the same time.
Coming from such a small town in Vermontand a horse farm where I was surrounded
by green grass and pasture and trees andflowers and animals like to just be living
(28:12):
in the dirty streets of New York City.
It was such a contrast to whatmy soul felt and when I needed.
While I love fashion design andI appreciate fashion design.
Working with like top end clientsand like seeing your work on the
runway is so it's definitely, it'sjust a surreal moment because so
(28:34):
many people want to be doing this.
Thinking it's like a dream jobwow, you're a fashion designer.
You're swatchingg fabrics, you're stayinglate, you're eating lunch at your desk.
You're never seeing the sunbesides the tiny half hour you
have to go get your coffee.
And there was just a part of methat was like, This isn't me.
(28:55):
It was just like one of thosemoments inside that only you can
know that this voice is tellingyou this is not meant for you.
This, there's something more here.
Like your soul, there'syour soul's hurting.
Like this is not it.
And one day after it was the lastseason of Calvin Klein, it was like the
final runway the spring season show.
(29:18):
And I was like, okay, I'm done.
This is it.
I moved back home to Vermont.
I settled and just took a yearjust to think of what does that,
what do I really want to do?
And it boiled down to, I love beauty.
I love art.
I'm very sensitive.
I'm very perceptive.
I've always loved photography.
(29:39):
It's just always something that'sbeen in my background of my life.
Because my mother was a photographer.
But more of a hobbyistwith like black and white.
We had a dark room in ourbarn and we would be in there
helping her develop film.
And so it was always there, but Ialways was interested in shooting
animals or landscapes or stars.
(30:00):
I love nature like astrophotography too.
So it was just always somethingin my background that I never
thought I could do for work.
The more I played with it and themore I just shot and practiced every
day, I slowly realized like, this issomething that I really enjoy doing.
This is just something Iwould do naturally, on my own.
(30:23):
And then when coming to Hawaii, I know Ifelt guilty because I have this expensive
fashion design degree from the top schoolin the world that people try to get into.
Now I have to make this degree workfor me when it's not aligned with
my direction of where I'm going.
I found a company in Hawaii thatwas doing active wear design.
(30:46):
I made that work for a littlewhile and I moved out to Hawaii.
Having never been to Maui, the more Iwas surrounded by nature, and just the
slow way of life, and the sun, and justbeing in the raw elements of Hawaii,
I was like, and I'm photographing, youknow, like, all the time, it's like, how
(31:07):
can I tie all my interests together?
So it was really like a moment of cominghome and just like focusing on what I
value and how I can fit that into thelifestyle I want because I knew that
the lifestyle I was living in New Yorkwas not healthy for me and my soul.
Mica (31:27):
I'm from Austin.
I grew up in the city, but I went tocollege in San Angelo, Texas, which
is much smaller city than Austin andit's in a very rural part of Texas.
It was hard to adjust, but I wouldn'ttrade it for anything because the
friendships that I built there are just.
(31:49):
still my closest friendships, butI know that I could not live in
San Angelo for the rest of my life.
But it was a good period andthe lessons that I learned from
that I carry with me today.
New York is a great place.
I'd love to visit it, but Idon't think I could live there.
I'd like to think Icould, but I know myself.
Alanna (32:10):
Yeah.
To your point, it's like we go throughso many seasons of life where one place
fits us where we are in that moment,but that doesn't mean it's forever.
And it's like a letting go of likethis chapter and it's like, it's okay.
Like that was that time.
And that doesn't mean I have to completelydisconnect and leave those friends or
leave that connection to that place.
(32:31):
But it's just this is where I'm going now.
Honestly, like New York taught me somuch that I probably wouldn't have
the hustle and the grit and the drivethat I do if I didn't live there,
because even now, some people arelike, you walk so fast, just slow down.
I'm like, whoa.
You can't take it out.
Like I just walk fast.
(32:51):
I'm going to Target, but I'm walking fast.
There's bits of it you take it's likewherever you go you can take pieces and
lessons from it and then carry with youforward in your next chapter and I think
New York really taught me to not onlyknow and recognize the values and just
the grit and persistence and the likeI don't give a fuck like I'm gonna just
(33:16):
keep emailing and plying and being superpersistent on things because New York has
that fuck you attitude of I'll send you amillion emails and you're gonna reply and
if you don't and you block me then Fine,but it's just you have to have that grit
and drive like when you're just startingout and if especially if you're like an
(33:36):
entrepreneur as a photographer, you needto have tough skin and I lived such a
sheltered life on the farm that New Yorkreally taught me to toughen up in terms
of you want something, you go after it andyou get it whether it's writing your book.
Whether it's starting your own business,moving to Hawaii if you want something,
(33:56):
you, no one's going to give it to you, youhave to really find it and go after it.
And then same with like, when I workedat Calvin Klein, to come back to this
point is like, what I did for that isI would choose the photography images
that would be on the backdrop for therunway, so I would curate all of the
photos that would be the inspirationor the mood board for the collection.
(34:22):
So it's like you take these piecesof what you learned and what you have
done in your past experiences andthen use it to project you forward
into your next chapter of life.
Mica (34:34):
Oh my gosh, something you said earlier cracked me up so hard about
New Yorkers like being fast walkers.
Yeah.
Because it's so true.
So true.
There's a YouTube video.
I'll have to send it to you andI'll post it in the show notes.
So everybody can enjoy this together,but it's a parody video where they
(34:57):
call Johnny T at Johnny T's adviceon how to be a tourist in New York.
He says, if you're going to be out inNew York, I need you to get out of the
way between the hours of four and eight.
Whatever you do, get out of the way.
You want to take a pictureof the Empire State Building?
That's fine, but get out of the way.
And I'm like, that's all of New York.
Alanna (35:18):
Yeah.
I have to be careful of that tooin Hawaii, where it's like there's
a million tourists everywhere andI'm just like, get out of the way,
I'm just going to Whole Foods.
Mica (35:27):
You said something earlier that I just, I want to touch on about
letting go of the guilt of getting adegree and then feeling like you need
to do something with that degree, evenif your heart isn't in it anymore,
and it's not serving you anymore.
I truly connected with that.
(35:48):
So my question for you is what helpedyou with letting go of that guilt?
If there's someone out there who is ina similar boat or a similar situation
as us, what advice would you givethem to help them get over whatever
guilt they may be feeling right now?
Alanna (36:04):
Yeah.
It's definitely a challenge toovercome because we feel guilty for
maybe disappointing our parents ordisappointing ourselves or the grief
of letting go of a dream that wethought we were going to fulfill.
And that's like the pathand the trajectory we're on.
And now we're on somethingcompletely different.
(36:24):
I think for me that guilt was justchanging it and transforming it and
seeing it in a different light of it'sguilt, but it's, maybe it's a new door.
Like maybe I'm opening a window,maybe instead of feeling guilty,
I'm moving somewhere else.
I'm going forward and through something.
(36:44):
So there's a new opportunity.
And I keep coming backto the feeling like.
I have one life, like life is so short.
It's too short to feel guilty.
It's too short to shortchange yourself.
It's too short to not befulfilled and happy and work an
(37:05):
unfulfilling job and a nine to five.
It's too short to be shaving foranimal skins for 3, 000 handbag all day
long for someone who doesn't need it.
So like life is too short and we only haveone and it's cliche, life is really what
you make it and we may not seem like wehave choices, we have choices to change
(37:31):
and move the trajectory in our life.
And I think If I had kept going downthat path of, I need to stick it out to,
to make these loans worth it, I wouldfeel such a resentment for not only
myself, but just the life that I couldhave lived, the life that I could have.
Created and envisioned
(37:52):
but what I do know is that if I keptgoing down that path, I would feel
very empty and that's not how I wantto live this one life that I have.
Mica (38:02):
Yes to all of that.
Yes.
To every single thing that you just said.
One thing I've learned as far as likeletting go of whatever guilt I had, and
it was a lot of guilt is just knowingthat everything that I learned in theater,
everything I learned from that time in mylife, I still use today as a photographer.
Alanna (38:26):
Yeah.
And it's also like a partof letting go of the guilt.
It's to what you said about takingyour skillset and your experiences onto
your new path, like all those things Iwouldn't regret what I did in New York.
I wouldn't take back that experiencebecause I learned so much, like all those,
the fashion lessons, the creating bodicesand tailoring and, creating mood boards,
(38:50):
like all of that has influenced the workthat I do now and my own perspective.
The more we can turn that mucky yuckyexperiences into gold and fuel it really
makes you so unique because there's noone else like you and that's your unique
experience and it's like your uniqueperspective as a photographer, because
(39:13):
maybe there was someone who went to medschool and now they're in photography.
What from your past experiences canyou bring into the work you do now
as a photographer from med school?
So it's like changing and seeing thingsin a different light and how we can bring
that into the new path that we're on.
Mica (39:34):
I've had guests on here who have come from such interesting walks of life.
DJ was an architect beforeshe was a food photographer.
Catherine Bernard was a waitressbefore she was a photographer and
learned, how to build relationshipswith people, how to talk to people.
DJ mentioned how architecture impactsher art and how she uses a lot of
(39:55):
angles in her food photography.
With that being said, what have youtaken with you from the fashion world
into your work as a photographer?
Alanna (40:05):
In terms of fashion composition and color really
translate over well into photography.
And also just like the creativedirection of a collection,
especially the preparation andconception of the collection.
It's so similar to a food shootbecause it's okay, so what do we
(40:26):
want this food shoot to be like?
What did we want it to feel like?
What are we capturing?
What do we need to shoot?
What are the angles,what are the subjects?
And it's like the same thingfor a fashion collection.
What is this inspired by?
How does it feel?
What do we want the person tofeel like when they're wearing it?
What are the color schemes?
Like all of the planning andpre pre process of planning
(40:50):
something out for a collection.
It translates so well into a foodphotography product shoot and
just in photography in general,because fashion It's more than
just clothing and it's design.
Art is art and multiplemediums are still as art.
So like color theory, composition evenjust sketching, like sometimes I'll
(41:15):
sketch out a food shoot or a table.
So okay, I want this here.
I want the cup here.
I want the pole here becauseI'm such a visual person.
Then I can sketch out, okay, I wantthe table to look like this and I'll
refer back to it when I'm in the shoot.
So I know okay, that's the sketch.
That's what it's going to look like.
And I've got an idea and in mymind before I go out and shoot.
(41:37):
We would work with fashion modelsduring live drawing classes.
And you'd think what does it haveto do with food or food photography?
But it has to do with everything becausethe body symmetry, like the lines, the
model's hips and how the S curve and theC and all the lines doing the fashion
live model drawing where it's like thethird, she's in the third of the frame.
(42:01):
This all translate into photographybecause it's seeing your subject in
a way and then translating it ontoa piece of paper, which essentially
then translates into your lens.
So it's related.
Mica (42:13):
Oh, yes.
Yes, it is.
Something you mentionedjust now, you talked about
fashion, drawing the shots out.
I love Fashion Runway and when theydraw, they show the renderings,
like what they're going to do.
I think that's the coolestthing on the planet.
You are literally creatingsomething out of nothing.
What you're envisioning even ifyou're not a good drawer, just draw
(42:34):
something and put it out there.
Alanna (42:36):
Yeah, it's just giving you an idea like you don't need to be a
master, masterpiece, our master artistsjust like I sometimes just take a
scrap piece of paper, maybe it's likean envelope on my desk and just say
like, Okay, I know the windows here,I'm going to put the plate there, lines
this way, the fork this way, it helps.
(42:57):
And even just another simple trick toois, If you're not into drawing, just
before you actually bring your cameraover to the food scene, take a quick
snap with your phone and just see,like, how does it look in your phone?
Oh, okay.
I like that composition.
And then just take a fewsnaps with your phone.
Cause it's so much easierthan your actual camera.
(43:17):
And then you can referback to it on your phone.
When you're shooting the actual dishor recipe or whatever with your camera.
So it's like another little reference.
If you don't want to draw somethingout, just sketch it out on your
phone, just take a quick snapand then you can look back at it.
Mica (43:31):
I want to close out today's interview and I'm sad that we're
closing it out because I feellike I could talk to you forever.
You mentioned how storytellingis central to your work.
What are some fundamentals ofstorytelling in food photography that
can help elevate a photographer's workand connection with their audience?
(43:53):
You touched on it a few minutes agowhere you talked about composition
and taking snaps with your iPhoneand drawing out your shots.
Whenever you approach a photo shoot,do you already have a story in mind?
Or it's like, I want to create thisfeeling or I'm feeling this sort of way.
(44:13):
I know that's a loaded question.
So whichever part of it you wantto answer, I'm totally game for.
Alanna (44:21):
Okay.
Yeah.
I think storytelling is suchan innately human thing and an
experience that it really comes downto what makes a good photograph.
What's the message here?
What's happening?
Because storytelling to meit's more than just conveying
information there's something more.
It's not just, there's apiece of bread on a plate.
(44:42):
It's someone ripped this bread becauseit just came out of the oven and
it's slathered in butter and jam.
There's crumbs on the table and there'stea stains from the old teapot, and
there's the knives over here, andthere's like butter on the knife, like
all these little things, they're sosubtle, but it really makes the story,
(45:05):
the frame come alive, and I thinkfor me, why I love food photography
and specifically is because it wantsme to just jump right into the scene
and like tuck in and dive right inand just get in there and mess it up.
It's like, how can we make this framefeel like a shot out of a life, and
(45:27):
how can we make it feel authentic?
I see a lot of food photographers bereally precious about their styling of
their food, where they are so careful.
It's to place the knife just so,and the crumbs just this way,
and the plate just this angle.
And that's all well and good.
And I do that too, but I don't getso hung up on the little details
(45:49):
because there's a bigger picture here.
There's bigger context.
Where's this happening?
Is this in Italy?
Is this in Greece?
Is this in your backyard?
Is this at a family barbecue?
Is this at a dinner?
Dinner party in August ona balmy summer's night.
We just create the story and thatwill help you style and compose
(46:13):
the shot and give some context tothe food and like what's happening.
The one trick I can give for storytellingand for food photographers is if you
think when you go into a restaurantand you walk past all the tables and
empty tables, there's plates stacked,there's napkins tucked on the chair,
there's some spilled wine, there'sbreadcrumbs, there's the salad, olive
(46:35):
oil spilt on the white tablecloth.
All of that says something, eventhough those patrons are not there
anymore, like no one's sitting thereanymore, but it still says something
like the mood, the meal may be over,but there's still something there.
And so when I think of foodstyling, I think of okay, what
if I create and style this scene?
What's the story thatI'm going to tell here?
(46:57):
Act as if I'm cutting the bread, I'mpouring the wine, I'm scooping up
the soup or scooping up the stew, andthen take a step back and then remove
yourself, as if you just disappeared.
That's where it really feels authentic,as if you're actually getting
in there, messing up the scene,acting as if you're enjoying this.
(47:17):
Honestly, I'll like eat as I'm shootingthe food because it makes it feel real.
If I just get so preciousabout how I cut the cake.
It doesn't feel authentic and real.
And I think the more you can actuallyengage and participate in the scene
and then just step back as if you know,we're a ghost and just disappeared.
(47:38):
It makes it feel like such amore compelling and engaging
story for the viewer.
Mica (47:44):
Oh, my gosh, when you were describing the bread and the butter,
I was like, Oh, my God, I want that.
But it just proves the point that youjust made that a food photographer's
job is to take the simple act of eatingand turning it into this experience.
Alanna (48:07):
It's so simple.
It's like we all innately knowthis because we see it all
the time in our daily life.
Mica (48:13):
When you.
were developing as a photographerand bringing in that storytelling
element, what were some thingsthat helped you in the beginning?
What are some things that maybehelped you or was it something that
just felt organic and natural to you?
Alanna (48:31):
I think it's always been there since I was a girl, cause I've been
such an imaginative child and alwayswas into fairy tales and stories.
So I'm just a naturally ofstorytelling type of person.
But I think if you're, if you strugglewith that and you're more of like a one
track linear mind or more like logisticaland practical, and you just think of the
(48:54):
here and now and what needs to be done.
I would just challenge yourself toget more imaginative and playful and
think of what if I move the knifeover here and I place the bread and
cut it in half and just let looseand put it on the plate and eat it.
Just didn't touch it and left it likejust start asking yourself questions
(49:16):
like what if I tried this or what if Itried that how can I stir my imagination
up and then maybe it means that you lookthrough cookbooks or you do a little
research and kind of see what other workis out there to stir your imagination up.
But I think it's comes down tolearn to play and have a more open
(49:40):
relationship with food as a subject.
It's something that as humans,we innately consume and we need,
and it's part of our daily lives.
And it's okay let's play with it.
Let's just see what happens if I movethe dish this way and I move the candle
over here does that feel like it fits thestory that I wanted to create and share?
Mica (49:59):
Oh, man.
What do you hope the listenersget from today's episode?
Alanna (50:03):
Oh, boy.
I think it has to come down tojust trusting your intuition and
knowing what's right for you.
And if that's food photography, so be it.
If it's painting, if it's art, ifit's being an engineer, whatever
it is, just stay true to you.
And if you love food photography,just be persistent and consistent.
(50:27):
I think consistencypaired with persistency.
It's just the magic where it all happens.
I can't tell you how many no's andemails that never got a reply and it's
just keep putting yourself out thereand just keep trying and know that one
door, you may reach 10 doors and theyall are closed, but the next one is open.
(50:50):
Just to keep putting yourself out thereand staying true to you and to know if
that's your path and you just keep goingforward and follow your north star.
Mica (50:59):
Where can the listeners find you, follow you?
And where can they buy your cookbooks?
Alanna (51:07):
Yeah.
So I am on Instagram.
Alanna O'Neill photo on Instagramand then my website at Alana O'Neill.
com.
And I have a mentorship programover there too, that I nurture
and help new photographers.
And then my books you're going to findanywhere books are sold via Amazon, Barnes
(51:28):
and Noble, or maybe your local bookstore.
But I would check those twobiggies first to find the books.
And yeah, that's where you can find me.
Mica (51:37):
Alanna, thank you so much for coming to the show, being a guest.
It really has been such a pleasurehaving you on the show and I will
definitely refer new photographersover to that mentorship because
I think that's super important.
Alanna (51:54):
I really love helping new photographers step into
their voice and their place.
Cause I've been there and I know whatit's like for all those feelings to
come up and feel like you're not goodenough, comparing yourself to others.
It's just a really wonderful program.
It's been such a pleasure to chat.
I feel like we could talk all dayabout different things and maybe
(52:15):
you'll be at the beach and we couldsit on the beach and chat next time.
Mica (52:19):
Oh, man, based on your photos, I'm not even talking about visiting.
I'm just going to move up there.
Thank you again so muchfor being on the show.
Thank you so much.
Alanna (52:29):
Thank you.
Mica (52:31):
This episode is written and produced by me, your host, Mika McCook.
Like this episode?
Give us a five star review on ApplePodcast and subscribe to The Savory
Shot wherever you get your podcast.
Or follow me, your host, MikaMcCook, on Instagram at Mika.
McCook.
(52:52):
Or you can follow the podcast onInstagram At the savory shot podcast,
if you have any questions, comments, orwould like to be featured on the show,
email us at podcast at the savory shot.
com.
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