Bon Appetit

Visuals Editor: Elizabeth Jaime
Creative director: Alex Grossman
Art director: Kristin Eddington
Visuals Director: Alex Pollack
Photo Assistant: Laura Murray (staff)
Photographers:  Peden+Munk 


Heidi: How did the interaction with the subject change with a phone in hand rather than a camera with a lens?
Peden+Munk: You can maintain eye contact with a model and really play off that deeper connection that just can’t be done with an SLR in front of your face. Especially when photographing real ppl.  The iPhone is not intimidating.  It allows people to open up and show their personalities.  It is familiar.  Everyone has one, from your grandmother to your nephew.  Composing an image by looking at a live view is different than looking through a viewfinder. I (Taylor)  found that I was more conscious of the composition.

Did the shoot feel less formal?
Yes, it did. We had a small crew and were able to walk the streets, visit markets, buy a lot of street food and keep it moving. It was important to us to keep it spontaneous.  It’s travel, we know the best experiences happen when you relax and go with the flow  (and follow the good light). We wanted to make room for magic moments you can’t predict.

What type of different circumstances did you face using the iPhone instead of a camera?
There was a different workflow We were able to edit in coffee shops, out for drinks, in the subway.  It was a fantastic and liberating to be able to work on the fly and not always be on the computer.

We had to think more about the quality of light since we couldn’t use strobes. The iPhone works best in bright natural light. We wanted to embrace the sun and the harsh shadows. Thankfully our subjects were gorgeous and took the light really well.

Since this is the first time the magazine showcased a iPhone image on the cover it underscores their trust in you. How did this impact you, if at all?
We have a great relationship with the CD Alex Grossman.  We are true collaborators and over the years he has come to trust us.  We are constantly pushing each other and I think that is where really healthy creative progress is made.

We worked with Alex from the conception of the idea and contribute to its growth. In our first trip to Oaxaca, we took a bunch of test photos on the iPhone of everything from colored walls, people, places and markets. We then made an edit of those images went to Alex’s office and presented him with our vision of the cover. These images helped guide us when we went back to do the cover.

Travel and food are such a natural extension of  iPhone images, what other message do you feel like this assignment projects about photography?
It really challenges the “no-make up/ make-up look”.  Most photographers realize it is so much more difficult creating an effortless look. In the magazine world, there are meetings and teams of creatives and so much research that goes into making beautiful imagery and stories.  This project highlights the concept that Ansel Adams so keenly spoke to  “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

This assignment has more to do with good concept, casting, styling and directing talent than the camera that takes the picture. Soon technology will be so good you won’t need a big DSLR, but good ideas never go out of fashion. As my dad who is also a photographer says, “its what’s in front of the lens that’s important”.

Do you feel like this project empowers everyone to be a photographer and in turn undercut the skill involved to take skillful photos?
We think it inspires people to shoot better.  It’s so easy to test and experiment that it pushes average photographers beyond what they think they are capable of.

The iPhone has really closed the gap between amateur and professional photographers. And now there is really no gap between the conception of a shot to the realization of one. For us, the iPhone is just another tool in our toolbox.

InfoTrends’ most recent worldwide image capture forecast takes a conservative route estimating consumers will take 1.2 trillion photos in 2017, do you ever feel threatened by the notion?
No.  So much more goes into being a successful photographer than taking good pictures.  A typical consumer would have a steep learning curve when it comes to client relations, business and the creative process.  That being said,  I (Jen) continually say that anything that ups the game is welcome.

Recommended Posts