This week has been full of food photography practice using my DSLR camera! I’ve been focusing on sharpening my picture taking skills [no pun intended 😉 ] and nailing down techniques, lighting, shadows, mood, emotion, and everything in between.
There have been some victories, such as these colorful pictures of Superfood Spinach Bagels, and some definite room for improvement: Pumpkin Milkshake.
Of course, since I’m new to the world of photography, the actual hands on practice has all gone hand-in-hand with a bunch of background research and learning. What I have found the most interesting in these past few weeks is something that I’ve been noticing a lot in the blogging industry and have been growing in my understanding over the last year or so. mainly- the medium of food photography and the photographer’s use of lighting, shadows, color, mood, props, emotions, etc. often demonstrates a conscious or subconscious worldview which subjects the viewer to that particular set of beliefs.
To put it more simply: certain elements of food photography are a direct result of worldviews. Our fundamental beliefs about life affect how we portray food in our photographs!
Before getting into some examples of how this plays out in the world of food blogging, I’d like to put in a word for all these photographers- weather I agree with the worldview their pictures are portraying or not. They are all very talented and truly do have God-given gifts! I am amazed at their skill and have learned a lot from them. The purpose of this post is not to undermine their work but rather make my audience more aware of the battle happening on the grounds of food photography and identify some of the elements we should be cautious of.
I would also like to clarify that this subject is something that I am still growing in, too! I will probably update this post a number of times as I learn more about photography and worldview.
Let’s start at the beginning
Genesis 1-11 [the first chapters in the Bible!] declare fundamental truths; it lays the foundation for everything including:
- who God is
- who man is
- why there is evil and suffering
- the meaning of history
- the nature of the universe
- what happens to man at death
- What is the nature of reality
These may sound like irrelavant philosophical jargon, but think about it for a second: without borrowing from Genesis 1-11, you have no reason to even wear clothes. Have families. Garden. [Gen.3]
The answers people give to these fundamental questions [either consciously or subconsciously] defines their worldview and consequently how they live. A more complex example of how the basis laid in Genesis 1-11 plays a real part in how we live would be the issue of aborted babies. In Greek culture, because of their religious beliefs, males with physical potential were considered more valuable than females or deformed newborns who were often thrown off of cliffs. The Bible on the other hand declares that human beings are made in the image of God [Genesis 2!] and that they have value because of this, not due to their physical appearance, gender, or social status.
Ever since the fall of man [Genesis 3] unregenerate man has been trying to answer the fundamental questions of life on his own. Apart from God.
This quest has taken different forms at different times in history, but it’s battlecry from the enlightenment era and on has always been the same: To find a universal truth that will encompass of of reality [aka answer those big questions up top!] without looking to God or Scripture.
At the time of the enlightenment, men were lead to believe that their reason alone was capable of producing a universal truth to encompass all knowledge. All forms of spirituality were swept to the side and instead a new movement began to take place: “Man is the measure of all things.” It was believed that no form of religion was needed and that one day men would be able to craft a reason-based philosophy that would give them meaning to their life. However, by removing Christianity from everything, they actually took away the true meaning they were searching for. In art, this transition can be seen most clearly in the popular painting The Red Virgin, by Fouquet, which was painted in the same style as a Madonna and child would be painted- except, since Christianity was being left behind, it was not Mary who was painted, but the King’s own mistress, holding a child with her entire breast exposed. All holiness was now removed and as a result of this, so was true meaning. Because everything was seen as autonomous from God, nothing really mattered.
The enlightenment movement continued through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries until the time of the philosopher Hegel who opened the door to what the evangelical theologian Dr. Francis Schaeffer calls the ‘Line of Despair.’
To go below the line of despair meant that man had finally given up on finding something which would encompass all knowledge and give life meaning… He couldn’t reasonably do it!
The Renaissance man’s quest to answer life’s fundamental questions using his own human reason and denying the authority of the Holy Scriptures extracted all the tools in his toolbox so to speak, and when he finally picked up the last tool, the sickening truth began to sink in- man could not reasonably answer life’s big questions or give things ultimate meaning apart God. Without God’s revealed will in the Bible, truth itself had no sensible explanation.
What would man do?
How would he come to terms with this destitute conclusion?
As modern man began to emerge from these wakings, he saw only one answer: If it was true that man could not find meaning using his own reason, then he must redefine truth itself and go beyond reason into the sea of relativity. He must make a blind, unreasonable leap of faith in order to give life any meaning.
After the philosophers crossed below the line of despair, Western culture began a shift into the age of non-reason.The age of Non-reason went along these lines: Man cannot reasonably find ultimate meaning apart from God. He cannot reasonably find purpose or truth. We must now abandon reason and all hope. It no longer matters. We shall embrace the fact that nothing matters and make irrational leaps to create what little meaning we need to survive as humans.
Making the leap- Why so sterile?
Alright, enough of the philosophy paper stuff. You’re probably wondering where in the world photography fits into all this! Well, it’s actually not too far off, because historically the arts have been one of the very first spheres to be affected by the ideas of the philosophers! This means that the artists felt the shockwaves of going below the line of despair almost immediately- and the effects were truly devastating. No longer could artists portray humans as human beings with personality, meaning, and a God-given “manishness.” This can be seen in almost all modern art- however it is worth mentioning the man Pablo Picasso whose paintings conveyed despair and a view of humanity which was notably less-than-human. One of his most famous paintings, Les Demoiselles, portrays women as geometric shapes, splintered planes, and obscure African masks. Many of his works also exhibit different perspectives in a single object, such as a person’s face. Not only does Picasso use pastel techniques to blur the lines of his works making them intentionally abstract and relative, Picasso’s pictures clearly depict man’s hopelessness apart from God as each figure seems to cry with despair: “Who am I? Why do I exist? … Oh wait- it doesn’t matter anymore.”
In a word, the line of despair completely stripped away any meaning to things. It reduced them to bare shapes. Lifeless, steril, chaotic, meaningless masses.
Because there was no intrinsic, God-given value to creation, it became meaningless.
And this is where photography comes in.
Minimalism Movements In Art And Culture
If you haven’t watched my video on Reasons I’m Not a Minimalist, I would encourage you watch the first part where I explain how the minimalist movement is the direct offspring of the line of despair. Minimalism brings to fruition the bleakness of modern man in the form of art and later as a complete lifestyle that has been creeping into our homes at an alarming speed!
The Encyclopedia of Britannica defines the minimalism movement as:
- “characterized by extreme simplicity of form and a literal, objective approach.
- “The Minimalists, who believed that Action painting was too personal and insubstantial, adopted the point of view that a work of art should not refer to anything other than itself.” [there is nothing to back it up with real value. No intrinsic worth. No defined purpose]
- “it rejects both lyrical and mathematical composition because, even in this simplified field, they are a means of personal expression for the artist” [it is impersonal. There is no humanity that comes through or connection.]
This is a a study I have been growing in and am still continuing to learn about, however nothing has confirmed my convictions regarding this as did researching food photography.
As I looked at pictures of food, I could clearly see the different worldviews captured through the photographer’s lens as he or she used something as simple as food to convey a very real worldview.
Some pictures, I noticed, were engaging. They made me excited to be a food blogger. Excited about life. Happy. I felt so blessed to have the resources available to create dishes that would bless others. There was purpose and personality in them.
Other pictures drew me in and spit me out feeling slightly depressed. The approach was bleak and sterile. There was no life or purpose. The colors were not vibrant but instead almost had a sepia, unreachable look about them. There was sharp contrast, no personality, and an overall superficial feeling that almost made me feel like a fake object myself.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these pictures were taken with those intentions in mind by the photographer. These photographers probably do not know the history behind the niche they claim. However I am saying that minimalism in photography has a very real effect on the mood and emotions the viewer experiences when they come into contact with their photography and that their photography serves a purpose and conveys a message. Sadly, this purpose and message is one which says: there is no real, definite purpose.
To illustrate, I’ll give a few examples of different food websites that are authored by people who claim to have a minimalistic approach. Please note that I am not saying these sites are terrible [see above.] I have actually learned a lot about blogging and photography from them. I am simply using them as an example to demonstrate the mood and emotions that result from different photography techniques and worldviews.
Example #1 [just scroll through the page for a few examples]
There is also a definite overall feeling to them that is a bit bleak. To be sure, they are beautiful, but are they inspiring in the sense that they make you feel enthusiastic? Do they feel alive or steril? Superficial or in the context of God’s reality? Personable or impersonal?
Maybe those things don’t jump out at you right away. I found it extremely helpful to compare those pictures to the ones on THIS website [not a minimalistic approach.] The differences were absolutely astounding!
Do the pictures convey personality? Do they look more meaningful? Is there life in them or are they sterile? The entire mood is completely different!
And this, my friends, is what I’ve been learning
Even something as simple as food Photography really does reflect who I believe God is, who I believe man is, and what I believe about life’s purpose. Even more exciting, food photography can be done unto the glory of God!
Because God is immanent and personal to His creation, creation itself has both purpose and meaning! This includes human beings as well as physical objects such as food. Christ has personally died in real space time history/reality to redeem His people and He will return to redeem His creation, too!
Because God is Lord and Creator over all things, as biblical Christians, we are commanded to bring all things under His Lordship and sovereignty unto His glory. I still have a lot to learn, study, and practice, but I’m looking forward to continuing the pursuit of food photography with a renewed purpose and can’t wait to bring you all along for the ride.
I hope you all have a great weekend!
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
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