Art & Creative Direction // CookBook by Chef Barbi
Working with a passionate client is one of my favorite things as a visual artist.
Chef Barbi was single-minded in her desire to highlight food in the phases of cancer recovery, and I was thrilled to be able to channel her energy.
When a client has a clear vision of the feeling they want to convey, creative magic can happen. Barbi gave me design freedom to execute her vision for an emotive, yet beautiful cookbook; and from there, I created a shoot which not only captured her dishes in an elegant and tasteful way, but complemented the overall themes of clarity and thriving.
We began with an initial intake session, where I learned more about her ideas and hopes for the final book. As a cancer survivor, Barbi was dedicated to the idea of this book filling a need in her community. She was filled with feelings and lived experiences which just needed an expert translator to bring to life.
Our intake session included planning for 60 recipes and shooting over five days. I worked with her to fine tune every detail - from the dishware, to which recipes should be cooked in what sequence.
As the shoot began, Barbi was on set and reviewing each image on a monitor. She was able to provide feedback immediately, and we developed an ongoing dialogue about merging her vision with my creative ideas.
This collaborative process created a short feedback loop and helped Barbi understand the scope and process of creating beautiful images for her project. In the end, we brought her vision to life within budget and on time, and I look forward to the final release of her book in the near future.
Verano Studios / Josue Salinas
Photography by Josue Salinas
Writing by Christine Cepelak
