Photographers Should Practice What They Preach

For Photographer Jason Lindsey, Lifestyle Imagery Is About Keeping It Real

“If I am going to bring a vision to lifestyle photography, it’s going to be rooted in who I am as a person.”

Jason Lindsey

By Missy Hunter

As a lifestyle photographer and director,?Jason Lindsey?is inspired by life’s big moments, small moments, and anything in between, realizing that so many of?those moments involve food.?And while he is not a?traditional food photographer, Jason recognizes how much food is part of our every day life and wanted to create a project about just that.?The?result is?cinematographic?food imagery from a?different perspective.

Clients often seek photographers who practice what they preach. “Farm to Fire” is a project showing how Jason and his family live life, connected to nature, underscoring his belief that in order to make authentic imagery, you need to draw from your own life.?Since Jason grew up exploring and creating, always outdoors, it was no surprise that he spoke to me about this project from his hammock, nestled under the trees in his backyard.

What did you learn on this project?

The idea for the project was to source food locally and cook it over an open fire. All of it was organic, seasonal, locally made; including our homemade maple syrup, — a live-off-the-land in your backyard approach.

It was fun to shoot this and see how naturally beautiful food can be from a photography standpoint. This series gave us the chance to let things happen and take a documentary cinematic approach.

Any moments you care to share?

Our production was very informal. We had no crew and no food styling. Like the food, we wanted to experience and the process to be organic. We were cooking to eat, rather than cooking to photograph.

What would you like people to know about you?and your work?after seeing this?project?

I like to photograph in a cinematic, documentary style; to use natural storytelling. There’s a reason my portfolio has a “food life” section in it. Almost all of the big moments we celebrate in life involve food. In my work, even with commercial projects, I bring the story, the moments, and the food to the table because I believe food is incomplete without the life that surrounds it.?

Follow Jason on?Instagram?for more stories that take you deeper.

Heather Elder is the owner of Heather Elder Represents; an agency dedicated to representing photographers and directors. Steeped in service, she is inspired by those with the gift to craft moments, tell stories visually, and who do it for a living.