If you were able to guess the idioms in the Conceptual Food Photography featured in one of our previous posts, then you must be familiar with Beth Galton and her unique style of photography. She truly excels the art of photographing food and still life in his own different ways. A long process of a lot of thinking and imagination goes before the act of photography by Beth.

The New York based photographer just loves to click and her love for photography just grows with more experiences. Blame her skills of photography if you start feeling hungry after see the food photographs by her. Also, it is amazing to see that the usual everyday objects we come across can acquire such an artistic look. All the difference is made by the ways Beth's photographs visualise her models.

Wondering where all such creative ideas emerge from? We were eager too, to know more about the artist. Read on the interview with Beth and see what all she has to share with us.

1. Hi Beth! Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been a food and still life photographer for over 30 years working and living in NYC. During this time I have directed TV commercials for many different products. My main clients are advertising agencies, packaging companies and magazines and I am always shooting personal work for myself. I have recently started selling my work through an art gallery as well.

2. When did you discover your love for photography? How did you choose food and still life photography to be your specific stream?

I fell in love with photography in college when I took a couple of B/W classes. It wasn't till after I graduated that I found my way to assisting commercial photographers. When I first began assisting, there were few women working in the field. The food and still life photographers I interviewed with were more inclined to hire me as an assistant since the physical demands were less than working for location/talent driven photographers. Once I began working for these photographers I found that I really loved this particular area.




They come from many places; friends, co-workers, clients, as well as from looking at artwork, walking around the streets and observing the world.

5. I was amazed by the 'Cut Food', 'Motion' series of yours and of course the 'Idioms' too. How did you manage to cut the food in real and how did you collect all the idioms?

The cut food series was a real collaboration between Charlotte Omnès and myself. Charlotte was the person who actually cut the food in half and brought it to life. I would put my thoughts in and make changes but the physical creation of each object was done by her. We both wanted each item to be done as real as possible so that there is as little retouching as possible. Some images like the doughnut required little retouching and others like the coffee was a combination of many photographs.

Many of the idiom images were created with food stylist Dora Jonassen. We'd come up with an idea and then both Dora and I would look for an item, which would work well for the saying.



I am interested in photographing interesting items whether food or still life. Composition, form, and storytelling are what really interest me.



I love to travel, cook, bird watch and ride my bike.

8. What are the promotional tools you use to promote your work?

I use many different methods to promote my work. How my website looks and works is most important. I try to keep up to date with new images. I send out printed mailers 4 times a year as well as eblasts created by my agent. I enter lots of contests since it's free publicity if you are accepted. And I have a printed portfolio, which we use in meetings with creatives.

9. What tips would you like to give to budding or aspiring photographers?

Follow your passion and photograph what really interests you. I think one's vision is really what makes a person successful. It's not the latest equipment or how technical a photographer is. The people who I've seen succeed have their own unique style of looking at the world.

10. Where do you project yourself in the future, say about in ten years from now?

My hope for the future is to continue working on interesting photographic projects both commercially and artistically. The Marlborough Gallery in NYC is now selling my personal work, which is an exciting opportunity for me.