Gaining Ground promoted locally grown food and Chattanooga farmer’s markets for the betterment of our community.
Throughout 2012 and 2013, I arranged 8 shoots to create the photography for the “Eat Up” series of cookbooks produced by Gaining Ground. Four cookbooks were produced, one for each season, with each composed entirely of recipes sourced from our community using locally-grown ingredients. For each issue, I visited local farmer’s markets with Gaining Ground staff to photograph the produce in season and the sellers and shoppers interacting. We also took the opportunity to create impromptu portraits of area farmers and chefs. A second shoot would follow, where I photographed the staff cooking each recipe in the issue with the produce from the market. The meals were shot straight from the kitchen to look their best, and were styled with surfaces, dishes, and cloths sourced straight from the home for a familiar feel.
