Discovering Food Photography

Story by Michiah Posey, Michiah Dezirae Photography

After four years of photography classes at Nossi, I have found a specific passion for food and drink photography. Food Photography was a class that provided my first real introduction to this field, but it was my Fine Art Photography class that really helped me dive into this passion.

My project was a series of mixology photos. I titled it “Drink of the Week” and every week I traveled to different Nashville restaurants to photograph their specialty cocktail. I knew when I started this series I wanted to use this project to network and build my reputation, as well as find some great drinks to feature. I began reaching out to as many local restaurants as I could and asked if they would be willing to let me come in and photograph one of their signature drinks. With this simple ask, I was welcomed with open arms into some of Nashville’s favorite local restaurants. I was able to work with places such as Henrietta Red, Rolf & Daughters, Amerigo, Etch, Etc. and Bartaco.

In addition to building some great connections, this photo series helped to build my social media presence. During the project, I featured a new Drink of the Week every week on Instagram and was shocked at how well people responded to this. I was asked for recipes and was even featured on some bigger accounts wanting to highlight my work. I have set my focus on food and drink photography and it is all thanks to this project.

This series allowed me to step out of the classroom and gain some real-world experience. I saw a new way to shoot and not only capture the drink but the restaurants’ environment as well. Meeting and working with bartenders and owners was a great experience as well because I was able to learn more about my subjects. I truly believe that this project was just the start of a great career and focus. I plan to continue down this path and work with as many local establishments as I can.