As consumers, fueling our bodies is essential, but we easily eat with our eyes first because sight has the biggest appetite to fulfill. Photography is one of the most effective mediums to do this, and in these two award-winning photographs, these photographers were tasked with making food and drink as delicious for the eye as for the stomach.
“Dark Table” was photographed by American Graphis Master Laurie Frankel as a self-initiated piece, winning her a Platinum award. Styled by Alessandra Mortola and shot with a Nikon D850 camera with a 24-70 Nikkor lens, the photo is a direct illustration of the name, with a dark brown table in a dimly lit room. Upon the table sits a sparse meal of produce, with avocados, purple lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and root vegetables splayed out on a rough tablecloth. Accessories such as a pen, reading glasses, a wallet, and a half-filled water glass suggest human activity, like a person or two have just finished eating and left the table. The overall color palette is dark with blacks and browns, and even though the food provides pops of red and green, those too are dulled by the lighting, which gives the still life an almost blue tone. While eerie, the scene still feels intimate and romantic, with the food shining and standing out despite the darkness. A simple spread that calls the viewer to focus on the natural goodness of raw fruits and vegetables, it’s quiet and mesmerizing.
