Environmental Portrait Photography for Food Technology Magazine I San Francisco Bay Area Editorial Portrait Photographer

Environmental Portrait Photography for an Editorial Publication

I recently had the pleasure of photographing June Jo Lee, a food ethnographer, for Food Technology Magazine. This assignment combined two things I love about editorial assignments, connecting with interesting people and creating portraits that tell a deeper story through their environment.

One of June Jo’s tasks as a food ethnographer is that she observes consumers in their natural settings to understand why they choose certain foods. Her research helps food companies and marketers understand human behavior and needs.

What Makes Environmental Portrait Photography Different

With environmental portrait photography, the location becomes part of the narrative. I photograph people in spaces that reveal who they are and add meaning to their story. For this Food Technology Magazine shoot, we created three distinct setups in June Jo's home, each showing different facets of her professional life and personal aesthetic.

Why June Jo's Space Was Perfect for Editorial Portraits

Sometimes you walk into someone's home and immediately know the shoot will work beautifully. June Jo's space was one of those moments. Her home reflects the same curiosity and attention to detail that defines her work as a food ethnographer:

The design layers create visual depth without feeling cluttered. Her color palette was already editorial-ready. Every corner had thoughtful touches that revealed her personality.

As someone who specializes in environmental portraits, I'm always looking for these kinds of spaces where the subject's character is already expressed visually. It makes the photography feel authentic and interesting.

Creating Variety for Magazine Editorial Work

Magazine editors need options, and for this assignment, the three different environmental portrait setups gave them flexibility to match images to different article sections or page layouts, and select the visual tone that best supports the piece.

I kept the lighting and compositional approach consistent across all three setups so the images would work together cohesively, even though each setup told a slightly different part of June Jo's story.

The Energy of Collaborative Portrait Sessions

June Jo was wonderful to work with, engaged, natural, and completely comfortable in her space. That collaborative energy matters tremendously in environmental portrait photography. When someone feels at ease in their environment, you can see it in the images.

Environmental Portrait Photography for Editorial and Commercial Clients

I work with editorial publications, local Bay Area businesses, and professionals who need portraits that go beyond standard headshots. Whether you're a magazine editor looking for compelling feature photography, a professional needing personal branding images, or a company wanting to showcase your team in authentic ways, environmental portraits create depth and tell a story that simple headshots can't achieve.

My approach emphasizes storytelling through thoughtful composition, beautiful lighting, and capturing people in spaces where they feel themselves.

Three Trees Milk Tea Brand Photography I San Francisco Bay Area Product & Lifestyle Photographer

Sustainable Brand Photography for Woman-Owned Food & Beverage Companies

I recently collaborated with Three Trees, a woman-owned plant based beverage company, to create brand photography celebrating the launch of their new Milk Tea product.

About the Three Trees Brand Photography Project

Three Trees is a female-founded, sustainable food brand committed to plant-based nutrition and environmental responsibility. Their newest product, organic Milk Tea, represents their ongoing dedication to creating clean, nature-inspired beverages.

For this product photography series, my team and I designed purposeful, minimalist compositions that highlight moments of mindful self-care. Each image captures the quiet pleasure of taking a restorative pause during a busy day, reflecting both the brand's values and the customer experience.

My Approach to Values-Aligned Brand Photography

As a commercial photographer, I prioritize working with brands whose mission aligns with sustainability, ethical business practices, and community impact. Three Trees exemplifies these values through their commitment to:

• Women in leadership and business ownership

• Sustainable packaging and environmental stewardship

• Plant-based, organic ingredients

• Transparent, nature-rooted business practices

Sustainable Brand Photography Services for Food & Beverage Companies

I specialize in product photography for sustainable brands in the Bay Area.

• Product launch photography

• Lifestyle and editorial brand imagery

• Social media content creation

• Purpose-driven brand storytelling

• Photography for woman-owned businesses

I work with conscious food and beverage brands creating visual content that communicates their environmental values, product quality, and brand story. My lifestyle and product photography approach emphasizes authentic moments and purposeful composition.

Branding Portraits for Freelance Culinary Content Strategist Clare Langan I San Francisco Bay Area Food and Lifestyle Photographer

Culinary Lifestyle and Portrait Photography in SF Bay Area

When colleagues reach out for headshots or portraits, it’s such an honor that they put their trust in me as a photographer. When chef and culinary instructor Clare Langan mentioned she was looking for headshots I jumped at the chance to work with her.

Clare is a San Francisco Bay Area chef specializing in seasonal recipe development and culinary education. As both a cooking instructor and video content creator, she needed authentic professional headshots that reflect her approachable style and creative workspace. We photographed these portraits in Clare’s home kitchen and backyard, the actual spaces where she develops recipes and creates cooking content, ensuring that the images authentically represent her work environment and creative process.

Follow Clare’s Work

Check out her Substack, On Cooking to get her thoughts on seasonal recipes, kitchen tips and the joy of everyday cooking.

Book your Professional Portrait Session

I specialize in headshots for food professionals, culinary instructors, and creative entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Photography Services Offered

• Professional headshots for chefs and culinary professionals

• On-location portrait photography

• Brand photography for food industry professionals

• Social media content creation

• Business portraits in authentic work environments

Actor Jason Veasey photographed for POZ Magazine

Actor Jason Veasey for the cover of POZ magazine! We shot this at the Toni Rembe Theater where Jason was currently acting in a musical comedy called Nobody Loves You. Shout out to the staff there who did so much to help me organize this shoot which took a lot more logistics than you would think. Since we couldn’t show any of the stage, we had to use the tippy top of the mezzanine where the seats are high up and steep. Not easy for the vertigo challenged (me).

 Jason was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met or photographed. Elegant in front of the camera with the warmest smile. This POZ cover shot came on the heels of him coming out publicly as living with HIV and I am so honored to be a (super tiny) part of that journey by making his photo for the POZ feature.

Lazy Bear for Wine Spectator

I photographed Lazy Bear for Wine Spectator Magazine to celebrate the restaurant winning the 2024 Grand Award, which meant spending most of the day with beverage director Jacob Brown (@everythingliquid) who was knowledgeable, funny, and kind. It was fun to see him enjoying the acknowledgment of hard work paying off and getting to have a moment in the spotlight. Well deserved 🥂

If you’d like to see more work I did for Wine Spectator, you can see my shoot with Press Restaurant here.

Midsummer Vibes

Midsummer vibes are in the air and I’m here for it! This is a group of images that I put together for my summer newsletter. I love this time of year when all the early summer produce is at its peak and the flowers are bursting in bloom. The air is warm and having a picnic and enjoying the sunny weather are the most important things on the agenda.

I’ve been thinking lately about the feeling an image gives you when you look at it and how I can use the light to create that feeling. If it’s on location that means planning the shoot for the perfect time of day and supplementing the existing light. And in the studio that’s creating the light from scratch. These images are a mix of location and studio shots that give me all the warm summer feels. You can see more of my food and lifestyle work here.