Photo Shoot: Long Island Pulse

I love getting magazine work because the creative direction can really be left up to the photographer. The staff had a general direction they wanted to go but otherwise I was the creative director. This was for a story on side dishes for the holidays. The staff had pulled recipes from their own backgrounds and had us cook them and photograph them. My chef for this job had everything organized and flew right through them. It gave me more flexibility to find interesting angles and textiles to incorporate into the shots. I think my favorite recipe from the list was the Spinach Gratin. It was this cheesy, hot spinach mixture that smelled amazing!

Below are a couple shots from the shoot. Happy Holidays!

Photo Shoot: Culture Cheese Magazine

I had the opportunity to photograph Culture Cheese Magazine's upcoming Winter issue on Crème Fraîche. This cream can be applied to many dishes sweet or savory. The article I photographed and styled by Lisa Russell contained sweet and savory dishes such as twice baked sweet potatoes and Sticky Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Crème Fraîche. Below is just a couple shots that will be featured in the upcoming issue. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Leftover Pumpkin Puree

The holidays are coming up and I thought I should share this easy, tasty recipe that will help you use leftover pumpkin puree from your soup and pie recipes you've made for the family.

Ingredients:

-1 cup pumpkin puree

-3 cups rolled oats

-3 tbs brown sugar (dark or light)

-1 tbs cinnamon

-1 tbs pumpkin pie spice

-1 egg white

-1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

-1 tsp vanilla

-Any additional nuts or dried berries can be added, I had almonds on hand so I used them.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
-Mix 3 cups rolled oats and 1 cup almonds with 3 tbs brown sugar, 1 tbs cinnamon, and 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice and set aside.
-Separately mix one egg white with 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup honey, and 1 tsp of vanilla.
-Combine dry ingredients and pumpkin mixture; mix till coated.
-Spread on baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes mixing between every 15min. Let rest for 20min then serve.

Published Soup Cookbook

It has finally hit shelves and I couldn't be happier! A year in the making working with the publishing company Running Press. This could of not been possible without my awesome team:

Prop Stylist- Lisa Russell

Food Stylist- Brian Croney

Author- Ellen Brown

Felicia is now on Behance

Networking and getting your work out there to the creative public is an ongoing process. I'm excited to announce I have a live portfolio on the Behance network. You can find my recent work and projects in the works.

SITE: https://www.behance.net/perrettiphoto

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

Photo Shoot Recap: Maglio Fresh Foods

Maglio Fresh Foods; a Philadelphia based company in south philadelphia that makes their own sausage and meatballs. Really a quality product! I actually met the Maglio brothers when I was in high school. It was at one of my first part time jobs working for a local marketing firm trying to figure out what type of photography I want to pursue... It was a small project for the firm but a huge opportunity for me to show them what I could do. Long story short it went great, and they used the photos.

Today as a food photographer I will never forget my first introduction to food photography and how that one instance really shaped my life and the idea of being a commercial food photographer. Everything comes around and I just happen to be thinking of those guys and thought I should reach out! They were actually getting ready to re-brand themselves with some new products and needed new photography. It was perfect timing, and once again they loved the photos!

Food styling by Adam Fergurson

Imbibe Magazine: Published La Colombe

This is a follow up post from the photo shoot of La Colombe coffee with CEO Todd Carmichael. I wanted to share the published article with the image the editors chose. Enjoy! :)

Garrett Oliver Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery + HOPS Magazine

I was approached by international magazine HOPS for their New York issue where they were covering the culture of the bustling city and the beer scene. They chose to interview, dine, and drink with brew master Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery.

It was an amazing opportunity for such a unique personal sit down dinner with Garrett at the prestigious NoMad restaurant. (While we were there Robin Roberts and Barbara Walters walked in). He brought several brews of his that are still in early testing stages so it was really interesting to order the food and try different pairings with his new beers. The variety and flavors were unmatched by other beers. There was strong flavors paired well with the stronger, meatier dishes. We started out with lighter dishes that paired nicely with the crispy beers. It was a dining experience I will never forget and I have the photos to remember it by.

Art Directors Club: Photographer Of The Day

Being apart of the Art Directors Club is really an amazing opportunity and this feature is just one of the reasons I love being apart of it.

http://adcglobal.org/photographer-of-the-day-felicia-perretti/

Behind the Scenes Photoshoot: Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen

The other week I had a fun shoot up at the Poconos at the new Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen that opened in the Mount Airy Casino Resort. We had the local hospitality group there, along with the Art Director from SK+G on the west coast and Guy Fieri’s personal food stylist from New York City.

Dessert Option: Cheesecake rolled in potato chips and pretzels, drizzled with chocolate syrup

Guy Fieri’s style was not overlooked at the location; the menu items were done big and tasty. The interior details of his style you could see throughout. Definitely a hot spot for friends to hang and still serve a family crowd.

We had planned to photograph the restaurants menu items as well as some ambiance shots of people dining. The official opening of the restaurant is not until September where Guy Fieri himself will be visiting.

Behind The Scenes: Kellogg's Photo Shoot

Here’s a behind the scenes look at a recent shoot in New York for Kellogg’s packaging for some of their international brands. We were re-creating the look and feel of some packaging with more of a natural “foodie” look that’s trending in the market right now. Working with Deb Donahue my prop stylist and Dyne Benner a food stylist we had great options for bowls and surfaces. Also re-creating a milk pour with modern motion was fun. Having enough cereal for these type of images is a must. My assistant took some iPhone grabs of me working as well as cereal prepping.

July is National Hot Dog Month, Ice Cream Month...

As well as

• National Blueberry Month
• National Anti-Boredom Month
• Unlucky Month for weddings
• National Cell Phone Courtesy Month

Being 4th of July ; day representing our freedom the most American thing to do is eat hot dogs and ice cream so these things top my list!

Just getting back from a much needed vacation in Kitty Hawk, NC with the family. I certainly had my fair share of hots dogs and ice cream.

Honey and Cinnamon ice cream with Reese's Pieces

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

Photo Shoot: La Colombe - Todd Carmichael

I’m a huge coffee drinker. Don’t start my day without a cup! When I was asked to photograph Todd Carmichael for Imbibe I was thrilled. Not only is he the CEO of La Colombe but he is a world explorer. He holds the world speed record for crossing the Antarctic on foot in 39 days, 7 hours, and 49 minutes. He is seen on the Travel Channel and a author. Needless to say he was a interesting guy. Photographing him in his element while sipping on the various brews of coffee he has produced and their newly released coffee rum was an experience.

La Colombe cafes can be found in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, D.C., and Seoul.

To top off the trip I got some of his La Colombe roasts, their cold brewed coffee, and their signature chocolate made with Eclat in West Chester!

http://www.lacolombe.com/

Phase One iQ260

Part of running a business is to grow your business and add value to your “product.”

This is a very exciting time in my business where I’ve increased the quality of my photography making me more valuable to the client. I’ve purchased a medium format camera system that creates images you could never get with a simple DSLR camera. The color bit depth is incomparable, and the incredible detail in the image with the increased megapixel captures are just some of the simple differences but huge game changers in being a professional photographer. I know my clients present and future will instantly see the difference in what I can offer them and in the long run create beautiful images.

http://www.phaseone.com/en/Camera-Systems/IQ2-Series/IQ2-Features.aspx

Frei Brothers Wine Video

Click title to be directed to You Tube site with video

Q&A Food Stylist: Heidi Robb

HEIDI ROBB

www.heidirobb.com

@heidi_robb

1. How did you get into styling?

Chef Michael Symon is somewhat responsible! While working as recipe tester on his first cookbook, “Live to Cook”, he asked if I would assist the New York stylist traveling with the (now defunct) “Dear Food Network” that was taping some holiday segments out of his home. I worked with stylist Greg Lofts (now senior styling editor at Martha Stewart Living), which was love at first assist. From that moment, I knew styling would be the natural segue for my set of skills.

2. What could you consider your first break through job?

Greg hired me on his crew for the Martha Stewart/Hallmark production, "Mad Hungry” with Lucinda Scala Quinn. Everyone involved was the cream of the crop, which made for rapid initiation. The job was intensely challenging as a newcomer, yet so incredibly rewarding.  One show led to another, and opportunities presented themselves. Show styling is vastly different than still work. I’m deeply grateful for the cross training.

3. Do you tend to work more on still shoots or T.V. shoots?

The brunt of my current work is still with a smattering of video.

4. Have you traveled for your work? If so where’s the farthest you have been?

I travel often for work - guessing 50-50 Cleveland/travel. A repeat Nashville gig logs the most air miles.

5. Any clients you aspire to work for?

Any editorial world travel opportunity would be a dream come true, as would a beautiful cookware client such as Le Creuset or Staub. I have an abiding fondness for braising and pots.

6. Where do you get your inspiration?

Travel is the obvious answer, both for my recipe development and styling work. Creative collaborations with my talented colleagues! For visual print imagery, I frequently look to the UK and Aussie food photographers and stylists. They possess that naturally disheveled-yet-elegant aesthetic I adore and literally drool over.

7. Do you ever do propping for shoots or do you solely style the food?

Yes, I sometimes contribute or collaborate with propping. Dishware, glassware, cutlery, flowers - I’m good. There are a million other things I’d rather mess with than table linens.

8. What is the hardest food or drink you had to style?

Recently, I needed to style one of those “perfect" commercial sandwiches that was not intrinsically tricky, but the client had sent only ten hoagie-style buns to work with. Seven of the tops were damaged beyond redemption in transit while the remaining three were dry and dying. It took a good and meticulous portion of the day to achieve the hero's desired panini-pressing combined with the über-specific set of grill marks. Three was the charm with an extra three cheers going to Corn Husker’s Lotion. I haven’t used that smelly stuff in forever but you just never know.

9. For aspiring food stylists what would you tell them about getting into the business?

Make sure your culinary chops are well-honed. Most of us have logged years of restaurant, catering and personal chef experience, which not only helps with the actual shopping/cooking/styling, but in anticipating what needs to happen ten steps ahead. Next, get out and start assisting stylists whose work you admire. Cookbooks, magazines and food packaging all serve to keep your eye fresh - don't stop looking and stay inspired!

Eating Well Tears

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to photography Eating Well's Healthy In A Hurry section with my food stylist Brian Croney and Prop Stylist Geri Radin. It was an ambitious list but in the end we made great imagery for their section.

The issue hit stands a couple weeks ago and wanted to share some of the tears:

Available for stock

A lot of clients have approached me for certain images that fit the mold for quick turn around projects, as well as agencies in general asking for "sell able art."

My stock photography site with Offset based in New York has been growing and becoming an amazing tool in the creative process to better serve my clients. If your looking for an image that can be applied to a general Ad, promo for one of your food clients I have a constant growing library of food images just for that.

Please do not hesitate to reach out and find more about my services to you or purchase directly at your convenience from Offset.