Dorchester, Massachusetts
jimscherer.com
All Images © Jim Scherer
Food Styling: Lara Miklasevics, Prop Styling: D’Ette Roberts, Digital Tech: Nyla Schroeder
“10 Colors of Food”
Third Place – Series
“At first we set out to try just 6 colors, but as we progressed we thought of more and more possibilities, so we regrouped for a second day. We ended up with about 15 images, but these I think were the strongest 10. By the way, blue was the hardest!”
ASMP: What was your inspiration for taking this photo?
Jim Scherer: I enjoy collaborating with others and love the energy that comes from working together that adds to the fun and to the final result. In this case I had been talking with food stylist Sunny Ricks and prop stylist Verne Cordova about some kind of series, where we could treat various foods as still life elements, and where each photo would be in a limited color palette. We decided all the images should be from a similar angle, all shot with daylight, so there was a consistency which was broken only by the various subjects we arranged.
ASMP: What type of lighting did you use for this image or series?
JS: Simple daylight, with large fill cards on the opposite side.
ASMP: What other photographers’ or artists’ work inspires you?
JS: I’ve always admired Irving Penn’s quiet elegance.
ASMP: When did you join ASMP and what do you find most valuable about your membership?
JS: I joined in 1981 and am now a Life Member. At various times I’ve served on both the chapter leadership and on the national board. The incredible variety of what we do as photographers amazes me, and reminds me of how the act of imaging touches so many parts of everyones lives.
ASMP: What kind of gear do you use?
JS: I started out complex and have steadily moved toward more simple. In the beginning I used the 4×5 view camera for almost everything, and worked on elaborate lighting setups. I figured the harder it was, the better the result would be! My career has steadily led me to simpler solutions, often with the use of daylight and smaller hand-held cameras.
ASMP: What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started your career as a photographer?
JS: I should have known that there were more experienced photographers to whom I could have gone for advice and who would have been happy to help. We were all newbies at some point.
ASMP: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your work? Go ahead, surprise us with something unique and unusual.
JS: I enjoy mentoring newer photographers, and look forward to doing more of that in the future. We’ve bought a farm property in Maine where I’m building a new studio, and I plan not only to shoot but also perhaps to have a small gallery where other photographers could exhibit. We’ll see …