Q&A: The Man behind Local Food Blog Foie Gras & Flannel

PF: What started your interest with food as more than just sustenance?

Fois Gras & Flannel: I started cooking in my early teens as a way to help out around the house - my parents taught me basic technics, and taught me a few recipes, but we ate a lot of canned veggies and Hamburger Helper. In college, I moved out and decided to start trying new things, and actually learned quite a bit from watching Food Network. It wasn't until I moved to Fresno, that I realized just how much food is a part of who we are--we need it for sustenance, energy, life, but it's also essential for defining community and experiencing culture.

PF: When did you start photographing food & what were your initial inspirations for style?

FG&F: I started photographing food shortly after starting TasteFresno (say, 5-6 years ago?). I took pictures just to take pictures at that point, so I can't say I had much inspiration for style, but I liked sharing what I was eating with others; that's become increasingly easier as social media has become a part of our daily lives. I shot with hobby equipment for a few years, but transitioned to just using my iPhone for quite a while. Inspired by a handful of food bloggers, and even more by photo storytellers like Penny De Los Santos and our own Ryan C. Jones, I have become increasingly intentional in what and why I shoot, and now look at a few different styles for inspiration.

PF: How much styling goes into your photos? What about lighting and location? Do you try to keep it natural, or do you move things around to get it perfect?

FG&F: Little to none. First, I don't know much about styling, and I'm not sure I have the patience to learn it. (I also don't have many props, aside from a few placemats and a large roll of butcher paper.) More important to me, though, is authenticity and context--I rarely eat off a perfectly arranged plate, or from a perfectly arranged table. I eat from sandwich shops, or from the grill, or at events with other people. Going back to the idea of food helping to build community, it's important for me to capture interaction and people--this is one of the reasons I love to shoot while people are eating, though I'm told (by just about everyone) that I'm not supposed to.

PF: How did the Fois Gras & Flannel blog come to be? What are your plans for the future of the blog?

FG&F: Long story short: I spent years building a community around TasteFresno, trying to encourage other "food voices" while also trying to avoid having one of my own. Earlier this year I was both frustrated and inspired by that realization, so I created Foie Gras & Flannels as a way to document my personal explorations--in Fresno and beyond. It may seem strange, but it also feeds me new ideas for TasteFresno.

As for the future, I'm not really sure; it's become more of an obsession that I had expected (at least, in such a short time frame), and it's led to conversations with people connected to, and inspired by food outside of the Valley. I look forward to seeing where some of those conversations go, and to finding new stories to tell--or, new ways to tell old stories.

PF: What tips would you give to someone with no food photography experience to help them translate food to film er -- digital images?

FG&F: Take pictures. The camera and equipment are important, but good photos can be composed on any camera, if you're intentional with the shot. When you think you've captured a dish, or a scene at a dinner, take more pictures--find a different angle, get up close (or stand back to capture the context), and get out of your comfort zone (this was hard for me). Look at every photo you take, critique yourself, and then only share those that capture a moment or have potential to make someone else hungry.

When it comes to light, try to find it. Even in a dimly lit dinner, I'll opt for grainy photos at a high ISO over a dish drowning in flash.

PF: Just for fun: If you could only eat one meal over and over again for the rest of the year, what would you eat? Why?

FG&F: Just about anything off the grill - including fresh fruit. That, or anything cooked in my cast-iron Dutch oven. I'm planning a large pot of fresh chili (with tomatoes and peppers from the farmers market) this week!

PF: Who else in the area is doing similar things?

FG&F: That's a tough one. I'll point to local people I pull inspiration from:

• Nicole Hammaker (aka Pinch My Salt) - Nicole takes amazing photos of the recipes she creates, and sprinkles in pieces of her life (like pics of her Boston terrier) that make her food all the more interesting.
• Ryan C. Jones - I'll go as far as saying that I've tried to mimic Ryan's style at times--I'm constantly pulled into the story in his photos, even when I'm completely removed from the subject (like someone else's wedding). He's an amazing storyteller.
• Keith Seaman - Keith obviously has the patience for food styling, as shown through his portfolio. He's one only a handful of dedicated food photographers that I know of in town.

Photography in the Digital Age: Where has all the film gone?

Everything changes with time. When television was first introduced, if you missed the new episode — that was it. Now we have the option of watching a lot of television shows on the internet on our own time, or we use DVR to record and watch what we want at our leisure.

When photography was first introduced, it took a lot of expensive equipment, a lot of time and a good amount of patience; all for one single image that could not be reproduced. Today, however, it's much less expensive if you're using a digital camera, and the accessibility of the technology is expanding each day. It's no longer necessary to have a stack of extra money to take photos, nor is it required for you to have extensive technical training: the camera does all that for you.

Some people will claim this is causing the death of fine art photography, others will say that it's helping people find and express an artistic voice that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to access. With all this growth in the medium, it would seem that everyone selling cameras and all the additional accessories one could want would be doing great, right?

This isn't actually the case. This past May, Boot's Cameras went out of business after 37 years. After competing against internet sales, the company was hit hard after the devastation in Japan made it hard for the store to maintain stock in both Nikon & Canon digital equipment. The store carried hard-to-find essentials for fine art photographers such as film and paper for use in traditional darkrooms.

It seems more and more that these kinds of retail locations are being replaced by online retailers. One local shop that seems to have a firm footing is Horn Photo. They carry several types of film and other wet photography (traditional, darkroom based), in addition to digital camera, printing services and even photo framing. They are a great asset to professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Let's begin a dialogue here to serve as a sort of directory for all of Fresno's photographic community:

• Are there other photography stores in town where you are purchasing your equipment or finding that they carry hard-to-find items?
• Do you do all your shopping for these kinds of items online?
• Tell us where you like to shop, get your film developed or go to get your tough questions answered. Where are some of your favorite galleries in Fresno to see photography?
• What do you wish was easier to find in a traditional retail photography setting here in town?

Let's see what kinds of other questions come up and help each other find what we need.

Picture Fresno anniversary present: an intern!

Friday, July 1 marked Picture Fresno's first birthday (we assume that's what all the commotion was about over last weekend, what with the fireworks and all). We—Alisa, James and friends—started this project last summer to help tell a visual story of the community. We weren't sure where it would go, so we only committed to the project for one year.

That was silly. We've loved the photos and stories too much to leave PF in the darkroom. We'll continue with the photo challenges--in fact, here's a new one!

We've recruited a Picture Fresno intern to collect photography tips, share stories of local photographers and more (see "Other Duties as Assigned"). You might have met her already: she's a local creative, a photographer, an artist, and all-around cool person. In case you haven't met, let us introduce you to Melissa Olson:

Here's a few of our favorites from Melissa's Flickr stream:

In her own words:

I moved to Fresno last summer and in that time I've had plenty of opportunities to explore with my camera. I'm constantly shooting in my own neighborhood, probably because it's so convenient... it's literally right out my front door. I live in the neighborhood just North of Tower, famous for it's early summer block sales and amazing examples of mid-century architecture. Photography has been a great way for an Ohio native to get to know her new street, her new city and her new state.

I always gravitate to photographing things that I "know," which in almost every case has helped me understand those things better. I love learning about a place through the lens. It's a really precise way of exploring, and forces you to focus on details and subtleties. It allows you to explore a place many times over without running out of interest. As seasons, time of day, and weather change, so does the place. I like to think of my photographs as snapshots of the lives happening in my neighborhood, only without any people.

I've never thought of photography as some inaccessible, cumbersome artistic method. Granted, there are times when it's appropriate to location scout, wait for the right light or to bring a tripod. If the reason why you aren't taking photographs is because you don't have an expensive camera or a tripod or models to photograph, I believe you're missing the point. Photography should be accessible, especially in a time where nearly everyone has a camera. Point whatever instrument it is you have (a cell phone, a digital SLR, a medium format Hasselblad) at something you find interesting and press the shutter. Photography is really as easy as walking out into the world, slowing down and capturing a moment. Start with what's in front of you.

Welcome, Melissa!

Storytelling, 20 images at a time

Photogs, let's skip the small talk: You need to be at Pecha Kucha tonight. Maybe you've been before; maybe you're still asking, "Pecha what?" Either way, be at Starline at 7:00 p.m. (earlier if you want a seat).

Seriously, this is storytelling at its greatest. Each presenter (here's the lineup, which includes photographer and Picture Fresno judge Ryan C. Jones ) will be given 6:40 to share 20 images—that's 20 seconds per slide. It's a great way to connect with fellow creatives, and the event offers countless lessons in creating a visual impact/telling a story through imagery.

This is the ninth installment in Fresno, and tonight's theme is "Tradition." See you there!

Taking a deep breath with Jaime Holt

If you looked to the east on Sunday, you know what the Valley sky can look like: crisp, clean, with a clear view of the foothills. It was beautiful. Just imagine if that were the view every day. Can you picture it?

We hope so, because that's the challenge this week.

The Valley Air District is our partner for "A Breath of Fresh Air," encouraging our photogs to show activities that lead to clean air. Jaime Holt, chief communication officer for the organization, shares more:

"Wow, the air is really clean today, I can see the mountains."

Five years ago, we didn't hear this very much around Fresno. There were more smog-filled days with unhealthy levels of pollution. But over the past few years, we have been seeing the mountains, and experiencing cleaner air, much more frequently.

The Valley is a beautiful place when the air isn't fouled by cars, fires, trucks, industry, lawn mowers and the myriad of other sources that spew pollution. Every person living in the Valley plays a role; over at the Valley Air District we call it "Healthy Air Living." Everyone pollutes and everyone can make choices to be greener…drive less, don't use your fireplace, buy electric lawn equipment, make green purchasing decisions, and pay attention. This week Picture Fresno is looking for that great "Clean Air" photo, a photo that reminds us how amazing the Valley is when we all do what we can to clean up the air.

Find out more about Living a Healthy Air Life by visiting www.healthyairliving.com. You can also find the "Valley Air District" on Facebook and Twitter. And remember, this winter, if you plan to use a wood burning fireplace, stove or outdoor fire pit, check and make sure it is ok to burn by call 1-800-SMOG-INFO.

Jaime Holt
Chief Communication Officer
Valley Air District

The prize package for "A Breath of Fresh Air" is sponsored by the Valley Air District: Reminding you to live a Healthy Air Life.

Judges' Favorite: Lines

Congrats to Picture Fresno member Jen (jentwo)—a frequent contributor—for taking top rank this week with her photo of Lines! A comment from judge and photographer Ryan C. Jones reads, "Boom! I freakin' love symmetry like this."

The judges looked through 59 photos submitted for this theme, and the tallies were close, so we're breaking new ground and listing the top five. Check these out (note that they're in no particular order):

Bus Stop at Dusk by TracySouders

Fresno's Tower Theater by RFlores

Sunset Lines by sawilhelm

Lines of Light by dR0Ck

Lines, new and old by jentwo

Let's talk "lines:" Danielle McEntee

Friends, meet Danielle McEntee, aka Dani Mac. She's one of our incredibly talented judges, and she's a fan of lines. She offers a few words for this week's theme, along with some of her favorite photos of, well...lines.

Lines.

In every photograph I take, the subjects in the image are the main focus, or at least that's where I try to draw the focus of the viewer. To accomplish this, I have to take in consideration all the "shapes" and "frames" around them. Composition is very important in drawing your eyes towards, in my case, the bride and groom.

I LOVE LINES.

For some reason, I am just drawn to them, and not always on purpose—a few of these photos I looked at and realized I wasn't even using the lines intentionally. It's different for every photographer and when I'm trying to capture a "moment," I don't always have time to stop and think about my surroundings. But when I do pose a couple in front of the camera, and take time to compose it, I make a conscious effort to make all linear objects and shapes point in their general direction.

Once you start looking for them, you'll begin to notice that lines are all around us. It's a beautiful thing.

Family-friendly goodies for Staycation

This week's challenge is for the kids. And the parents. Well, the whole family, actually. To encourage further staycationing, the judges' favorite gets:

• Fresno Chaffee Zoo Safari passes for free admission to the Zoo—two adult one-day passes and two child one-day passes
• Fantasy Annual Membership to Rotary Storyland & Playland Family Amusement Park—unlimited use of both parks for a family of four

Seriously, those are awesome prizes. Do it for your (inner) child!

Details for Week 5: Chit Chat

Ask us to define Fresno "culture," and we'd have to include in our description an obsession with the Japanese language, and a passion for giving presentations in a dimly-lit room. Case in point: PechaKucha Night, which returns next Monday to Starline for it's eighth installment.

See, "pecha kucha" is a Japanese term for "the sound of conversation"—it's chit chat. We're fans of the event, which allows creatives to show off their works and passions, so it's our inspiration for the new theme.

We know that the last two weeks have been exhausting, what with all the hiking and exploring national parks. So now it's time to relax a little—to sit down with cup of coffee, or a cold beer, or a glass of kombucha. To enjoy the company of friends and family, or strangers, if you're outgoing like that. To make sounds of conversation (it seemed too repetitive to say "chit chat" again).

As always, the theme is open to interpretation.

Prize Details

Pecha Kucha is a Creative Fresno event, organized by Kiel Famellos-Schmidt (he's also the only judge named Kiel).

We love everything this organization is doing, and think you should will, too, so this week's pick from the judges becomes a bonafide Creative Fresnan. What makes membership so cool? Your Creative Fresno membership gets you in to local concerts and events at a discounted rate, discounts at creative hangouts and retail spaces around town, even lease deals at Broadway Studios.

Okay, so maybe you're already a member of Creative Fresno. Time to sweeten the pot; how about two tickets to Monday's event? If you're 21 or older, we'll throw in two drink tickets, too. (Obviously, this means we'll have to announce the winner on Monday!)