editorial food photography: a Good Old-fashioned Crawfish Boil

If you're a foodie you understand the appeal of capturing a perfectly plated dish, especially in this social-centric age. But sometimes enjoying food can be messy, gritty, and fun! I like to explore that side, where you might not be able to set up the perfect composition and light but you have to document the authenticity of the experience. I had the opportunity to photograph this type of experience recently at a Louisisana-style crawfish boil at Nono’s Cafe in Littleton.

Lighting is crucial in photography, especially when it comes to taking pictures of restaurant food. Natural light can make food look appealing, but flash photography can bring a different effect. I like to think that it can make food more fun, and less precious. In this particular situation, I wanted the red color of the crustacean skin to stand out.

I also did some behind-the-scenes shooting in the kitchen, as I always find this space interesting. I like to explore the setup and seeing the tools of the trade in use.

I was photographing the crawfish boil as it happened so I had to try and utilize different aspects and vantage points even though the space was tight. Since I was using flash, which can be a little intrusive, I didn’t want to inundate the people who were enjoying the food. I did a last survey once the boil was finished, focusing on the cleanup and the detritus left behind. One table in particular had piles of the dead crawfish heads which made for a pretty fun picture (see last image).