June 21, 2023

027: Savoring the Art of Food Photography and Storytelling

Delving into Food Storytelling: Uncovering the Art of Photography with Acclaimed Photographer Penny De Los Santos

EPISODE SUMMARY

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the captivating world of food storytelling? Join me, Mica, on The Savory Shot podcast, where I interview renowned photographer and food storyteller Penny De Los Santos. In this episode, we dive into Penny’s experiences traveling to over 30 countries and how they shaped her unique perspective as a food photographer. We discuss what makes a great food photo, the importance of food storytelling, and the ways in which food can connect people and cultures. But that’s not all! We also highlight the challenges of being a professional photographer in a changing industry and the transformative power of travel. So, get ready to be inspired and join us on The Savory Shot. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave your comments and questions. Let’s explore the world of food photography and storytelling together!

  • Food photography and storytelling
  • Interview with Penny de la Santos
  • Importance of food and culture
  • Career journey as a photographer
  • Love for food and cooking
  • Capturing moments and creating a story
  • Building trust with subjects
  • Being a photographer in NYC
  • What makes a good food photograph
  • Importance of warmth and inspiration
  • Challenges in the publishing industry
  • Pursuing passion and finding joy

About Penny – Photographer & Food Storyteller

Penny De Los Santos is a latinex storyteller who began photographing as a way to understand her own diverse cultural background and identity.

Born in Germany to an American military family that eventually settled in small-town- Food photography and storytelling

– Pursuing passion and finding joy Texas, with generations of family history tied to the Texas-Mexico border, Penny’s background no doubt inspired curiosity about culture.

From the historical all-male dining clubs of the Basque Country to Jerusalem’s most historical markets, photographing culture has been at the heart of Penny’s work. She has been fortunate enough to travel extensively throughout the US and to over 40 countries on assignment for various clients.
Penny trained for the first 10 years of her career with National Geographic Magazine.

Her photographs have received numerous grants, fellowships, and awards, including:
– The National Geographic Photography Grant
– Recipient of the Prestigious World Press Joop Stewart Master class
– College Photographer of the Year
– Eastman Kodak Photography Grant
-Canon USA Photography Grant
– The Eddie Adams Photography Grant
– California New Media Award, Ohio University School of Visual Communication Photography Grant
– The Parson’s School of Design Marty Fortier Fellowship.

Penny has a Masters degree from Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication and an Undergraduate degree in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She has been a featured speaker at many universities and industry conferences throughout the US and abroad.


Episode Breakdown

  • Celebrating a big moment [00:00:58]
  • Reflection on the last episode [00:01:06]
  • Preference for home cooks [00:10:49]
  • Wanting to visit New York [00:12:58]
  • Emotions invoked by a photo [00:13:36]
  • Question about how many countries Penny has visited [00:15:28]
  • Reflection on traveling to different countries [00:15:44]
  • Gratitude and taking shots [00:25:05]
  • Identification of a photo [00:25:21]
  • Elements of a good photograph [00:30:45]
  • Dealing with moments where you don’t feel anything in your photo [00:31:09]

Resources

  1. National Geographic
  2. Aglaia & Costa’s Table
  3. Saveur Magazine

food storytelling

Transcript

learn more

Do you think you or someone you know would be a good fit for the podcast and has all the best bits to share? Fill out our super awesome form!

Have nuggets of wisdom to share?

BE OUR GUEST

The Savory Shot Podcast
with Mica McCook

subscribe

We release new episodes every week with tons of special guests. Become a subscriber wherever you listen to podcasts and never miss an episode again!

Ready to become a Subscriber?

Never miss out!

Are you ready to level-up and expand your knowledge and create a business workhorse, browse more topics on the blog

keep Exploring

Nominate yourself or a fellow creative pal

You want to connect with like-minded pros.

You keep things authentic and inspiring.

You're passionate about creative storytelling.

You have real stories to share from the field.

You love learning and growing with others.

You believe in community over competition.

You share wisdom with a dash of humor.

You're killing it in food photography world and want to share your journey.

You're a good fit for The Savory Shot Podcast if:

We'd love to hear from you. Complete the form below so we can chat!

Nominate a Guest

Thank you friend! We will be in touch soon about your submission.

Much love, Ophelia