B.T.S. Photo Shoot Recap: Hook Line and Savor

    What a fun project to see grow from beginning to when it hit shelves! When I get to work with new clients on packaging it’s really my favorite thing to do! You get to shoot the product and immediately see it in the design layout through tethering the camera and see the project come to life. It’s really great when the product is of high quality and taste; which of course this was! It’s a new product line Gorton’s was working on. Delicious allergy-friendly recipes and quality of fish. It’s a step away from their traditional cut and styled fish you may be custom to seeing in stores. This had a more authentic approach in the styling and props. We got to use bright light that created more shadow and depth, the packaging was overhead, and the fish fillets we used were broken open showing the meaty fish flakes inside. Yum! The three types of fish were beer battered cod, black bean crusted haddock (personal favorite), and a citrus ginger salmon. They all had a crust to them and side sauce used to drizzle over top. Make sure to find this in the freezer section next time your shopping. Check out the B.T.S. from the shoot!

See their website too! http://www.hooklineandsavor.com

Make sure to read their story! http://www.hooklineandsavor.com/about.html

Photo Shoot BTS: Conagra Packaging Redesign Part 2

Part 2! We had some more to do, which included these really cool stuffed products that had meat and cheese. Great for heating up on the go. Packaging work is some of my favorite work to do because there’s so much attention to the little details, and it can make or break a design. My team and Conagra’s agency out of Canada photographed the re-design of Odom Tennessee Pride’s breakfast and sandwich offerings sold in the frozen food section. The re-design was modern with a white wash wood surface and up to date propping and lighting to bring the food to life! It was a big project shot in 2 parts but we got through it. Excited to share what we put together so keep a look out for the items at your local supermarket.

You can see some of the final designs here: http://www.perrettiphotography.com/commissioned/

APA Proof Sheet Featured Photographer Spring Issue

Working as a commercial photographer in such a competitive world today setting yourself apart can be a challenge. When talking with other photographers and always being asked what do you do to separate yourself from the noise, I feel it’s your personal work that can really make a difference. Myself like many other photographers always have a running list of personal projects they are working on or would like to start. These are the sole vision of yourself that no one else can replicate! For me I love finding the humor in food and practicing lighting setups that I normally don’t work within to add a challenge and to see something different. With this personal project Transformation it was just that. I shot this idea a few years back and it still continues to draw new viewers in and enjoy looking at the series. It’s really exciting to see a project like this gain so much traction since shooting it and continuing to get myself and my work noticed.

APA is a great photo organization I belong to and they really showed an interest in my personal project, so much that they wanted to feature it! I was so excited to hear this I wasted no time coordinating for an interview and getting the photos to their designer. These moments really make what I do enjoyable and couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

If your just getting into the business I have to say stay hungry and shoot often!

Link to the online publication Spring Issue of APA Proof Sheet: https://issuu.com/apany/docs/proof-sheet_spring2016_single

Photo Organization APA: http://www.apany.com/

Fancy Food Show Part 2

Artichoke Basille's Pizza

I wanted to have a separate post going into more detail the vendors I met and food I tried at the Fancy Food Show this year in New York City. I think the first vendor that had the largest impact on me and was a crowd favorite was Sir Kensington. As I was walking toward to convention center I was greeted by a large billboard with Mark Ramadan and Scott Norton who brought the brand to life. There is a whole back story that I invite you to read on their website: http://sirkensingtons.com/story In the end they did walk away with a Sofi award for outstanding condiment, specifically their special sauce. Overall I did enjoy the product, dijon was my favorite as well as the packaging. It was cute.

Another favorite of mine during the show was Slate Roof Creamery. Two gentlemen, Mark and Rik were running the booth and director of operations. The products were different types of butter which were very tasty! Original concepts of theirs were sweet butters but now they’ve introduced more savory flavors which were very very good.

Some of the brands and foods I came across during the show were unique, such as Just Hemp Foods from Canada. Packaging and design drew me in first followed by a pleasant sales person. They certainly played up the Hemp name referencing the drug, either way it was a tasty and healthy product. They were sampling their hulled hemp seeds, and toasted salted hemp seeds. I personally enjoyed the hulled hemp seeds. They had a creamy texture and were not crunchy. The product could easily be eaten as is or added to a smoothie or shake for lunch. They also sell hemp seed oil and protein powder.

During the show I tried to avoid friend, fatty foods but the brand The Perfect Bite which sold frozen food, defrosted as appetizers, snacks, sides, amongst other things was surprisingly good. At the time they were sampling their mini quiches which were so good they tasted freshly made. I wish they had more out to sample but if I was convinced with the one then they were truly quality. They lived up to their name as the perfect bite.

Turning the corner I was welcomed by sunny Florida Natalie’s Juice. The booth was so welcoming I had to stop and try their juices. It certainly put a smile on your face trying their variety of juices such as orange, grapefruit, and lemonade. I gave them two thumbs up and brownie points for being so pleasant!
Once again I was blown away by a frozen food. It was a New York local company which I wasn’t familiar with. Artichoke Pizza, which started and still is currently a real pizza store front with locations in Manhattan and other spots. I have a lot of pizza places on my list to go to in New York so I don’t know how this missed the list. They were sampling their frozen pizza line and it was just like you walked into their store and ordered a fresh slice. It was packed with flavor and fresh ingredients. Once again very very impressed with the frozen food quality.

I will end this post with a very cultural, genuine experience I had with Made In Morocco. A rep from the company saw me walking the floor and insisted I come check out their booth. It could of came across as salesy but I was having such a good time I was Ok checking it out. Once I got closer I could hear this beautiful Moroccan music and a festively decorated booth full of sweets, food, and Moroccan tea being served. I felt like I was in another country being handed all sorts of food to try and given a glass of their tea in a proper Moroccan glass. It was quite the experience and their food and style of cooking is so unique with the smell and spices they use.  

Chef Chris Koch: Ice Cream Shoot

I've known Chef Chris for awhile now but have not had the opportunity to work together! We found time to collaborate on a fun project anyone could enjoy; ice cream :)

We discussed prior to the shoot date on what we wanted to accomplish. The type of ice cream, using real and fake ice cream, as well as the look and feel of each shot. Chris's amazing talent of making fake ice cream made for some great shots.

Food Stylist: Chris Koch

PDN Feature- Photo Of The Day

Like any professional photographer you should never stop creating and making work your passionate about. I always have a list of personal projects and ideas I want to create. Some work out and others may not, that’s why you constantly are practicing. My personal project Transformation that I created earlier this year was definitely one of the more unique projects I did. I’ve seen frozen food photographed before but I wanted to take it to a different level and incorporating my opinion of the frozen food culture we live in. I’m certainly a fresh food eater but sure there are times I just don’t have the time and can depend on some frozen spinach but I feel it shouldn’t be the norm. Amy Wolff, photo editor of PDN saw my project and thought it was really fun and worth sharing on their blog; Photo Of The Day. They have a great article to pair it with that really spoke on the same level.

Hope you had the chance to check it out! You can see more of the project at my Transformation link on my website and archived on PDN Photo of The Day: http://potd.pdnonline.com/2014/06/27425