Editor’s note: You may have already noticed, but we believe that visuals can be equally as compelling as the written word. Each Edible issue is a visual bounty of local talent curated by our skilled photo editor Scott Gordon Bleicher. Scott is a winner of a 2014 PDN Taste Food Photography Award for his depiction of Harlem Shambles, as well as a major creative vision behind many of our Edible Films.
Since he clearly has an eye, we asked him to round up his favorite shots of 2014 for your viewing pleasure. In no particular ranking, and scrolling from left to right starting with the foraging photo above, here are his picks:
- Forager extraordinaire Ava Chin is master of her domain, surverying the land in the dense recesses of Central Park. The thoughtful composition by Lauren Volo makes Ava seem a small, sentient creature in a much wilder world.
- Eric Medsker trekked to central Pennsylvania to nail this portrait with the guys of Happy Valley Meat Company. Strong, simple composition with lovely browns and blues and a solid bovine integration. Quite the iconic farm shot.
- The calm before the storm. Sharon Radisch lays it all on the table while photographing Megan Peck bake a Linzer torte. With great interplay between stong circular shapes and light dustings of spices and rind, there’s both control and chaos.
- A picture perfect breakfast-in-bed at the Harbour House Inn, Cheshire, MA as photographed by Erica Gannett. The soft, even light and layers of patterns and textures from the walls to the china make it hard to resist the idea of munching on a scone and dozing off all afternoon.
- I made the two hour drive up the Hudson to Coppersea Distilling at the crack of dawn earlier this year. On arriving, I jumped out of the car, ran in and pulled Christopher Williams out to the field behind the distillery to grab this shot before the gorgeous morning fog burned off. I’m struck by the overall tonal range and diffused light, as well as how he seems to fit just right into the environment. Might be the outfit, might be the career.
- A teacher at Manhattan’s Earth School walks the hall after a bountiful day with her class. The beautiful framing by Nancy Borowick, a strong range of shapes in the foreground along with perfect name placement and a deep vanishing point help to create a mood of working hard for a better tomorrow, moving toward it step by step and loving every minute of the journey.
- Tim Forrester of Harlem Shambles poses with a hog’s head at his shop. Fun fact: The hog’s head had to be crosscut down the snout to make it easier to hold against his apron. This shot is also one of PDN’s Taste 2014 Food Photography Awards winners in the editorial category (photo by Scott Gordon Bleicher).
- I’m not sure if there’s another photo this year that made me thirstier. Matt Furman‘s specific light on a roiling sea of suds and bubbles at Hospoda on Manhattan’s Upper East Side shows a storm in a mug. Gorgeous gold and copper tones.
- Patrick Kolts takes us into an ice cutter’s workshop at Hundredweight Ice. Strong vertical and rectangular components fill the frame, supported by a wall of tools that could tell their own stories.
- Great framing by Erica Gannett at NY SunWorks goes a long way to impart a youthful sense of wonderment and discovery in the girls’ upturned eyes and smiles while digging in the dirt.
- This is how I spent my Memorial Day. Fun fact: I actually ran out of People’s Pops sticks! The back wall of the house had a pretty large gap, but the angle of the shot successfully hid it.
- A picture truly is worth a thousand words here, as Ashley Sears won our “Story Behind the Shot” contest in our current holiday issue. She tells the story best, and it’s easy to see why we wanted to hear it: bold lines, smart framing and the juxtaposition between man, machine and animal draw you in. Welding sparks don’t hurt either.
- The staff at Telepan Local wear their mantra on their sleeves, or in this case, on their hats. Strong lines on a monochrome backgroud really help the gold of the hat to pop (photo by Scott Gordon Bleicher).
- Kat Bryant captured a table scene at Aaron Burr Cidery that feels quite timeless and sublimely textured. Just look at that book!
