Deciding college wasn’t for her, she worked her way up through restaurants in Atlanta, leading to an introduction at Farm Star Living, a produce industry blog. “They partner with produce brands and through educational videos, recipes, and blogs, teach people about where their food comes from.”
“I ended up working there full time and wore a lot of hats. We really grew the recipe video program, tying in the produce companies. I would be the hands in the video, and sometimes do six recipes a day. We grew the crew to include a chef, videographer, photographer, assistant, and I was there directing.”
In 2019 Moore was visiting her long-distance partner in Dayton when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I had a carry-on of clothes for five days, and I was like, well, I think I should just move now. So we drove down to Atlanta, packed up all my stuff in three days, and moved back. It was a crazy time.”
Moore learned to pivot like so many of us did during the pandemic. She got a camera and proposed creating recipes with photos remotely for the blog.
“My food photography journey started out of necessity to keep the business alive.”
She started her own business, Feed Creative Photo, shortly after. She has photographed food behind the scenes in and around Dayton for Butter Cafe, Lily’s Bistro, and Austeria Wine Boutique. She has also worked with the Gem City Catfé, Pink Moon Goods, and the The NEON.
Moore, 37, lives in South Park with her partner Kevin, whose two children, Jake (12) and Jenna (14), spend every other weekend with them.
STRONG START
“Usually I’m in the gym at 7 or 8 a.m. every day. Something that is really important for my mental health is getting exercise. I love going to the Downtown Y or Space Three on St. Claire, a few doors down from Val’s Bakery. It’s a private gym that offers classes.”
“I come home, make some coffee. I could be behind my laptop managing social media, or spending a lot of time editing. I feel like photography is 5% photography, 95% laptop time.”
A KNACK FOR IT
“I have a weekly meeting at Knack Video & Photo, where I work part-time as a photographer and assistant producer. I love working there because the people are fantastic and knowledgeable. Being a photographer can be isolating, and getting out with others and learning how they work has really opened me up.”
“For the food brands I work with, I create the recipe out of my home. I’m getting the right shots as I’m filming and shooting the recipe. I turn my whole kitchen and dining room into a set. I have backdrops, props, lighting.”
“When I started Feed Creative I went to Goodwill and different thrift stores. Pretty much everything I have in my prop inventory is thrifted. Napkins, silverware, plates, cups, bowls.”
“Our coat closet downstairs is my prop closet. Instead of having our coats, it has dishes, props and photography equipment. Thank you everyone in the house, it makes my life a lot easier.”
IS IT CAKE?
“I have a heat gun and a torch, really fun stuff to play with, but I keep it as edible as possible. If I can’t eat it, because I’m vegetarian, I hit up my neighbor and bring it to his doorstep. He’s a cook and is always super happy to eat my leftovers.”
“Some food stylists and larger production studios use fake food or style it in a way where it isn’t edible anymore. I use all real food because I’m big on not wasting and making sure that if it can’t be eaten it’s composted.”
SHOPPING LIST
“Recipes are such a process if I need very specific ingredients. I often have to go to three stores to get everything that I need. I’ll start at Kroger and then go to Trader Joe’s if I need to. I often like to use florals in photography. Then I’ll head over to trusty DLM for odd ingredients you can’t find anywhere else.”
“One big success I’ve had was working with Sweet P’s, the popsicle maker. I felt like a real food photographer when they put the photos that I took on their boxes and are now for sale in Dorothy Lane Market. They’re made in Dayton and are delicious and from a great family too.”
ON SITE
“Sometimes a restaurant might have a manager who used to work in marketing and can take videos and photos with their phone and post them and it’s not a big deal, but sometimes people just don’t have the capacity to worry about that, which is where I can help. The most enjoyable part of my job is working with small local businesses who haven’t had professional photography before, so they can see how great their food can look through someone else.”
“I’ve photographed pastries at home, but usually for a restaurant I photograph on location in their space. I try to make it as real to the space as possible, photographing it in obvious corners or tables.”
“I might go to the Catfé to take photos of their menu items and adoptable cats. I recently took some photos for Austeria of igloos that they installed on their patio.”
MEAL PREP & FAVES
“I’m a meal prepper. I’ll make one big meal and eat that throughout the week. I just made a huge jar of veggie curry with potatoes, chickpeas and carrots.”
“Little Fish is one of my favorite restaurants! I love Jollity. And Ordinarie Fare, who have now rebranded to Indigo, has been such an inspiration. I’m really excited for her to open in the Silos.”
GETTING STEPS IN
“I will go to Ghostlight to get out of the house a little bit. Or I just take a little walk around the block to get out from behind my laptop and get some steps in and fresh air. I love living in South Park.”
DOING GOOD
“I spend some of my time volunteering — mostly with the South Park Cat Care Collective and Gem City Action. I also offer my photography services to some of these organizations as a way to raise funds – I have raised $1,000 for the Historic South Park’s Blommel Park playground renovations, and over $500 for the South Park Cat Care Collective, an organization that spays and neuters stray cats in the neighborhood to help control the stray population.”
AMERICA’S GAME
“I really thrive on a routine. I try to stick to normal working hours and wrap things up by 5 or 6. That’s when I will shut my laptop for the day. I try not to continue to look at emails and social media. I really need that time to disconnect from working from home.”
“Every night I make dinner and I gotta watch Wheel of Fortune and then Jeopardy. It’s America’s game!”
“I’m in bed around 9 or 10. Getting good sleep is really important if I want to work out the next day and feel good. Moving to Dayton has helped me put those healthier habits into a concrete routine. During the pandemic, it was routine or die.”
DAYTON STRONG
“I absolutely love living here. There’s such a great community, so many small businesses and artists. Just being able to walk from one side of the city to the other, having all these great bike paths and kayaking, it’s a total lifestyle change from Atlanta, and I love it.”
“People kind of looked at me funny when I told them that I was moving to Dayton from Atlanta. I think everybody in Dayton already knows this, but it’s just the best. I’m so happy that I made the move and decided to take that extra step with my partner. I have cherished my time here and made some really good genuine friendships and connections.”
MORE DETAILS
Find out more about Feed Creative Photo at www.instagram.com/feedcreativephoto.
Credit: Brieanna Moore | Feed Creative Photo
Credit: Brieanna Moore | Feed Creative Photo
Credit: Brieanna Moore | Feed Creative Photo
Credit: Brieanna Moore | Feed Creative Photo
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