My photographic series works to explore how the visual representation of food can alter its natural appeal. In my series various food items are captured midway through consumption and in vivid detail to create disgust and dissolve any desire to consume them. I find this interesting because though things are perfectly edible, if they are not visually appealing, people don't want them. I am very interested the different philosophies and psychological relationships people have with food.
Bill Owens is a documentary photographer who explores food in the same manner in his series “Food.” Owens captures meat, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, desserts, beverages, and sushi. The photos are taken after the food has been disassembled from its presentation state and has been prepared for consumption. Meat is depicted carnally, desserts appear gluttonous, and other items appear cheap and manufactured.
All of these themes create a sensation within the viewer. When I was viewing them for the first time my stomach turned and I completely lost my appetite. I then wanted to create images that could also evoke such a powerful response. My images differ from Owens' style of documentary photography slightly. Owens uses whole meals half-eaten, while I chose to use the up-close-and-personal route in my photographs. My photographs document food and capture this idea of altered appeal through the illustration of food in a non-romanticized, blunt, and raw way.
This steak is bland. It has no charred grill marks, no light brown seared color, and no parsley on the side. A steak with theses things is appealing to most people, but when the bright red color is gone and the fat and gristle are apparent, the visual appeal to steak is gone.
One soda or one beer is fine. A whole fridge stockpiled with several types of beverages appears gluttonous and excessive.
I thought your photographic series was very interesting for two reasons. One because i like to eat food, and two because i thought your photos did a good job in using Owens photographic technique. However, i do feel like you imitated his series to closely. I think you could have done something like taken the picures of the food chewed in someones mouth. I know it sounds gross, but this would without a doubt depict the grotesque-like feel you are trying to show.
ReplyDelete-Matt Barber
I think you did a good job at portraying food in a gluttonous and unappealing way, which contradicts how food is normally depicted in photographs. Even though the sight of any of these foods would normally appeal to me and provoke my hunger, the way they are showed - as half eaten scraps - promotes the opposite intention. However, (and this may only be because I LOVE steak, and it looks good to me no matter what), the image of the pieces of bitten steak did actually look good to me :)
ReplyDelete--Vicki Ferrary
You did a great job of representing food in a way not commonly seen. We are so used to the commercial images of food that make it look
ReplyDeleteincredibly delicious. You've turned that idea on its head and reminded us what food is really like. I took a look at the work of Bill Owens and you did a good job of emulating him with these photos. The only thing missing in my opinion would be an actual photo of someone eating, perhaps in an especially unappealing way. Other than that though, great job.
-Karl Blank