It's not as new as you might think, as restaurants and chefs have long needed to capture their creations. Node, it's not all about how and with whom!
Árpád Pintér is a photojournalist, owner of the pixeltaster website and has been working in the industry for almost 20 years. In the course of his work, he and his clients soon discovered that food and cuisine suits him and his lens very well. He has worked for Good Food magazine, produced recipe books, won competitions and tried his luck abroad. Her unique way of thinking and personality is not only visible in her pictures, but she has also found her place in the kitchen.
What do we need to know about you, where you come from and why food photography stands out from the rest?
I'm originally from Gyöngyös, but I lived in Budapest for a while and now I commute. I was working for a publishing house when I was sent on a food photo shoot. It was in its infancy and they just said, „Take some food photos.” That was when the food revolution was really starting, the restaurant business was still in transition, there were few well-known, starred places and chefs.
I've known for a long time that I'm not very good at things that don't really touch me, that don't really concern me. Advertising and PR was the main area I hated. I was looking for creative jobs all the time, but I found them less and less. This led me to stick to gastro photography, as that's where you can really create. There are a lot of photographers nowadays and their vision, and even a phone can produce delicious food photos, but I always suggest to the client and I myself strive to make those photos self-identical and unique. Everybody has a different style, a different espresso, a different personality and I try to reflect that, whether I'm photographing their food or the people who make it.
Should a food photographer know how to cook?
Many people think the two are unrelated, but I think that if you're a complete stranger to the subject you're working on, you can't do it well. Yes, I think you have to know and love it, because it screams about the end result. I cook for myself, friends and family, but only for pleasure and recreation. That being said, I know the ingredients, their properties and abilities and I can use them in my work.
I can tell you that this is not a coincidence, because my family still has a restaurant in Gyöngyös, where I have been going since I was a little boy. I feel at home in the atmosphere of the kitchen.
Chefs don't really like people stamping their feet on the table and having strong opinions and ideas about everything. Where does a photographer fit in?
My family background probably helps, but I've learned my place in the kitchen. Where I'm not underfoot and where I can work in a way that suits me and them. In the kitchen, by the way, there is a hierarchy that has to be accepted, followed and that's it. Many chefs follow the fashion in shapes and colours, but there are some who give me a very unique perspective on their food. I think the latter is always more successful, but in all cases there is a compromise. Pictures of the food are important because they sell the place, they carry the reputation of the chef and because it is now a prestige to be active in the online ether. The truth is that it's much easier to photograph fine dining than a rustic kitchen or a one-dish meal. Beautifully clean forms, which is a work of art in itself. But rustic is closer to everyone, so they have much higher expectations of these images.
How do you go on, what's on your mind?
I wonder if there is room for improvement in the field of gastronomic photography. What's new that we haven't shown or seen yet. This is mostly for myself, to keep my work inspiring and exciting. I get a lot of good feedback, I think maybe they like working with me, even though I think I'm just following the basic expectations. I work fast, to deadlines, I know what I'm doing and we find common ground in a big way. I actually like my position in this role. I'm always a bit of an insider and equally an outsider. It makes me see everything even better. Gastronomy photography is a good profession because it makes an immediate impact. People take the picture, feel it, crave it and immediately want one themselves.
