Photo Essay- Behind The Scenes of Success

 

Artist Statement: 

This photo essay series showcases behind the scenes of a tasting event at La Rue's Patisserie on main street in Aberdeen. I really enjoyed being able to show the process and the end result. I enjoy cooking and always have, and I love going to events where people dress up and have a fancy theme. I was able to document both the cooking and teamwork aspect required to pull off a large event, as well as the end result of the food and the people enjoying it. I documented from start to finish of this event and process, but I have my best pictures posted above. A lot of work goes into preparing and plating food, and this event was actually extremely fast paced behind the scenes. I was able to capture the main chef's expressions during this process which was really important to my process. You can see that most of the times when he is preparing the food he has a very concentrated face and sometimes looks stressed. However, when he is able to present his food and is getting good feedback from the guests he is able to relax more and show his joy about his success. This was an important part of the process because it shows how the journey for anyone's success no matter how large or small, includes a wide array of emotions. Stress is part of the journey and it is something we all have to accept if we want to succeed. In addition it shows that there are a multitude of steps that need to be done for any goal, and especially with this one of putting on a tasting event where if anything goes wrong you may not get returning customers, or your reputation could be tainted. This reflects the normal risks of owning your own business, which I sincerely relate to as I own my own photography business, and I hope to be able to be more successful with it after graduation. Being able to document the payoff is inspiring and as well as aesthetically pleasing. 

This photo essay is a double edged sword as well because as I documented La Rue's process, I was also in a way documenting my own process as a photographer. I am able to showcase how I take photos, what I tend to focus on when given free rein, and also in a way how I interact with people as you see them through my lens. I am able to show what potential I see within each photograph, and my artistic vision. This was also my highest paying gig to date, so in addition to showcasing La Rue's successful event, I also documented my largest success in terms of business so far, which is a really special memory for me. It was also the first time I was able to use my Lightbox in a paid setting, which allowed me to really experiment and have an extra professional feel to the product photos. I learned a lot from this but was also able to prove myself in a fast paced professional setting.