Interview with Andrew Doran

The best magazine food photography erases the line between the page and the end of your fork. While visiting vineyards, artisanal cheese shops, bakeries and seafood cafes on an island-hopping tour of British Columbia's Strait of Georgia, photographer Andrew Doran used natural light and food fresh from the kitchen to conjure this trick for our summer travel issue. A veteran commercial photographer, he has shot food, architecture and sports for the likes of Expedia, Whistler Blackcomb and Coca-Cola.

		PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Doran "Editorial food photography is following the same trend as the food itself. It's simple, natural and isn't fake," says Doran. "All the food you see in these shots came to the table, was photographed right away and then it became my lunch." To see more from this tantalizing shoot, check out the summer 2010 issue of Canadian Geographic Travel. And to view more of Doran's work, visit his website.
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Q What was it like island hopping in B.C.'s Strait of Georgia?

AIt was like a little adventure had already been set out for me. I was following in the writer's footsteps since he had been there before me. This way I could match the time I spent there with the weather and pre-visualize the shots I wanted.

Q How did you capture the vibe and character of the islands?

A The things that give a place character usually jump right out at you as soon as you arrive. On these out-of-the-way islands it was the quirky stores and characters that immediately made caught my attention.

The islands are a bit of an escape from reality and there's a feeling of eccentricity there. They have a slower pace of life, so much so that it seems imaginary. It's reflected in the architecture and all the surroundings.

Q Did you get to sample the food that you shot?

A Just about everything I photographed got eaten. The writer did a great job of picking interesting places to go to. I would call in advance and order a few things off the menu. Then, when I arrived, the places just made up the food as they regularly would. There were these small slow-food places that made delicious dishes using local ingredients and delivered them straight from the kitchen. It was charming.

Read Andrew Doran's tips on photographing food.

Q What are the people who own these resturaunts like?

A All the people I dealt with just love what they do and put that love into the food they make. Bruce Wood of Bruce's Kitchen is a wonderful character who just loves to cook. And Heather Campbell, aka "The Bread Lady," was so friendly. I had just met her, but it was like hanging out with a good friend on the weekend. I stuck around her place for two hours, neighbours kept dropping by and she never stopped working as we talked.

Q I understand you're passionate about shooting architecture too. Is it similar to food photography in any way?

A It's something I've always been interested in. If I hadn't become a photographer I'd be an architect. One thing about food and architecture is that neither talk back.

You could make the argument that with both the beauty is in the details. You want to capture the whole thing, but then focus in on specific aspects of it.

One building that inspires me is the Squamish Adventure Centre. I've photographed it over and over. You want to have an interest and emotional connection to your subject, otherwise your photos aren't as engaging.

Q You've captured some really crisp night shots of buildings. How did you get those?

A Every day there are about five or ten minutes that are perfect to capture the kind of light you see in those shots. Whether or not you get it depends on a number of things. The right time comes about an hour before sunrise or after sunset. You have to have the right exposure to capture the building and wait until the brightness of the sky matches the building's surface. On a day with a clear sky you'll have about 10 minutes. The key is to have patience and take a lot of photos to make sure you get it.

Q On your website you write about how photographers can expand their style. What are some of the easiest things for beginners to start experimenting with?

A In that post I talk about using a 10-stop ND filter to create interesting effects. I used it while shooting the Olympic speed skating oval in B.C. It's an expensive filter, but the idea behind photographing the building was that it wasn't an assignment. I was just shooting something that I love, and that's my piece of advice to beginners.

If people are looking to improve, it's important to photograph something that you love. With digital photography the key is to just take lots and lots of photos. It's such a great learning tool because you get immediate feedback, unlike with film. If you don't like how your last shot turned out you can adjust things on the spot.

One thing I hear often from beginners is that they want to learn how to shoot in manual mode. Take the plunge. Put your camera in manual mode and just play around with the settings and it won't be long before you're comfortable with it.

Q How important is it for a photographer to have their own website?

A My website has definitely brought me more clients. I'm buying into the philosophy that you get more by sharing what you know than by hiding it. Having a photography blog and sharing how I got particular shots generates interest.

Q Do you read other photographer's blogs?

AI do. There's quite a few I follow such as Chase Jarvis, who is one of the lead guys promoting the whole 'share what you know' philosophy. Photographer Joe McNally likes to write a lot about his day and how it is to work as a photographer. For more specific real-estate photography I turn to Scott Hargis. It helps to get information from people who are learning and creating great stuff because they love what they do. I'm learning all the time too and it's nice to share what I know and learn from others at the same time.

Interview by Graham Lanktree