by Chris Smith
Eugenia Uhl’s career as a professional food stylist and photographer began years ago in her mother’s kitchen.
“I learned to cook at an early age,” she says. “That was fun. We still cook together. I guess I just like food because I am half-Italian. I grew up around food.”
The New Orleans native has been shooting food for 18 years now. Her new show in the photography gallery of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum is simply titled “The Food Photography of Eugenia Uhl” and spans her entire career.
“I thought it would be nice to show a broad range of types of photography that I do,” she says. “I do a lot of commercial food photography, but I try to get a creative element in there to make it more artful, and not just food photo work.”
The exhibit contains work from the five cookbooks that feature Uhl’s photography.
· New Orleans Home Cooking by Dale Curry;
· The Galatoire’s Cookbook;
· The Commander’s Palace cookbook;
· The Palace Café cookbook; and
· The Bywater Cookbook, featuring recipes from the Mirliton Festival.
Uhl says that her main goals in creating an appealing photo involve focusing on the color, lighting, and composition. She frequently shoots food that she has prepared.
Uhl sometimes ventures outside of the food realm. She also shoots interiors, still life, and portraits, including pets.
The Photography of Eugenia Uhl will be on exhibit through the middle of July. Many of the photos on exhibit also are available for sale.
