FUN FACT: We have our very own photography studio and photo team right here at the Stonewall Kitchen campus! Our photo team consists of Michael, our photographer, Stephanie, our recipe developer and food stylist and me, Tori, our photo stylist. The three of us work closely to bring a cohesive look to every photo we produce.
So, you may be asking what exactly does a day in the office look like for us. We work on photography for billboards, magazine ads, packaging, store signage, catalogs, 18-wheeler trucks, trade shows, promotions, our website, social media…did I forget anything?! It’s a wide range of projects that is ever changing and always growing! While we certainly shoot for the Stonewall Kitchen brand, our jobs also include work for the other brands in our family, like Tillen Farms, Legal Sea Foods, Napa Valley Naturals, Montebello, Vermont Village and Village Candle. Below, I’ll walk you through what a typical Monday looks like for us!
9:00am: I get to the office and start in on the schedule for the week. Part of my job is to create a day-to-day schedule for us to follow so we stay on track. Each department can submit requests for their photography needs. I then prioritize projects based on when they are due.
9:30am: Photo meeting! Our Marketing, Design and E-commerce teams meet with us and we go over the expectations for the week. Here, we discuss any details that need to be ironed out in order for us to complete each project.
10:00am: Stephanie makes a run to the grocery store to pick up what we need for food and recipes for the photos. I start gathering products and thinking about propping for the photos that day.
10:30am: We start readying the set for the first photo of the day! Michael helps me set up the background and surface we’ll be using for the shot. I begin pulling items I think will work for the look and feel we are going for. We are fortunate to have a stocked prop supply. Think endless cutlery, plates, cups, bowls, serving dishes, linens and housewares! I usually use color as a jumping off point when picking props. I want everything to work together while also complimenting the food and product that will be the highlight of the photo.
11:00am: Steph brings down the prepped food from the kitchen and we finish setting up the shot. Michael takes the first photo and we rearrange the elements of the photo until we are happy with the placement. Michael adjusts the lighting and focus so that everything is looking its best. We get it to the point where we like it and send it to Mel, our Creative Manager, in the design department for approval.
11:15am: Mel has some suggestions so we take those into consideration and send back a revised version of the shot.
11:30am: Approved! Once the photo is approved we break down the set and get ready for the next shot.
12:00pm: Lunch! We have to fuel the photography somehow ;)
12:30-4:00pm: We set up and shoot 1-3 more shots depending on how involved the shots are.
4:00-5:00pm: Michael processes all of the approved images from the day and shares them with each department.
I hope this gave you a glimpse into our jobs at Stonewall Kitchen. I might be biased, but I think we have the most fun jobs here! It truly is a unique position and one that I am lucky to have!
