Last Updated on 03/07/2024 by Chris Gampat
“So, lately we have been creating some still life concepts that are less literal interpretations of food and, instead, take more of a fine art or painterly approach,” says photographer Iri Greco (She/Her/Hers) to the Phoblographer in an interview. Iri and Jim Fryer (He/Him/His) are the brains and the heart of Brakethrough Media in NYC. The work they’re doing can be described as Van Gogh playing with food and a camera. “When I was studying art, one of the first assignments we had was to draw a pepper on a table. No context needed.” Iri tells us that she wanted to revisit that energy.
All images by BRAKETHROUGH MEDIA via Iri Greco and Jim Fryer. Used with permission. Follow them on Instagram @brakethrough_bites and check out their website.
Those Behind The Lens
Iri and Jim both honed their photographic identities differently. He’s a former athlete, and Iri labels herself as a “recovering chef and artist.” Her parents were art collectors and Bohemian with pop working in film and theater, while mom owned her own picture framing company. As a photographer, it’s easy to be envious of folks like this.
Iri took up painting, printmaking, and film photography in high school. She wanted to become a cinematographer and throughout college, was a cook in restaurants. Her creativity pivoted accordingly until she stepped behind the camera again.
“Jim and I both met as video producers in 2009, and once we decided to add photography to our work, we had to teach ourselves the craft,” she tells us. “I had the eye for it, but it was the technical aspect – and the digital one – I had to tackle.” To achieve their final photographs, they use Canon gear. The Canon EOS R5, 28-70mm f2, and various adapted EF lenses are their mainstays. To light their images, they use Profoto D1s and tons of modifiers.
Both Iri and Jim learned photography as documentary shooters — so they both state that they prefer ambient and natural lighting. Beyond the lighting, though, there’s also their set design skills and their ability to Maguyver things. “I think Jim and I are pretty adept at creating utility in the objects around us; we’ve used a coffee table book to flag light, aluminum foil for a reflector…I’ve currently been playing with those sheets of silver bubble wrap that came in an Amazon package!”
Brakethrough Media on Making Delicious Food Photography
The images that Iri and Jim make remind us of Van Gogh and several other oil paintings throughout history. Their work is far different from Michael Scott Phillips and Karyn Easton — two other photographers we’ve interviewed taking inspiration from oil paintings. With that said, much of Brakethrough’s work feels like there is much pre-production.
Iri was very passionate about oil painting when she was younger. “I spent a lot of time in art museums and galleries growing up in New York; and when I traveled abroad, I was always seeking it out, soaking it in,” she tells us. “I don’t think you ever lose that knowledge or experience – it gets transplanted deep into your DNA and sense memory.” She’s formerly a chef, food stylist, and culinary producer who is now a photographer.
Across all those positions, food was either art, craft, activity, or necessity. I definitely used my artistic sensibility in my work but it was also practical: food is meant to be consumed. It is so ingrained in me to envisage foodstuffs as cooking – sometimes I forget to look at the ingredients as objets d’art in and of themselves.
Iri Greco, Brakethrough media
It’s easy to be smitten and awestruck by the work these folks are making. Though at the same time, it’s not often seen out there in food marketing and all. Brakethrough media typically shoots commercial and editorial food photography — which tends to lean more towards practicality than anything else. However, food has a very long history in fine art. Yet, it’s never sold this way. Few brands are doing it with social media campaigns advertising food and instead, it’s more present in fashion and beauty.
“…I think there is a lack of imagination and, more accurately, a lack of trust in the audience to be able to interpret what they see and make that connection with the intended commercial product,” Iri believes. “Why not make short art films or fine art photography for foodstuffs? Isn’t that as sensual and emotionally driven as cologne?” Iri thinks so — and so do I as I write this article thinking about the halva in my fridge.
Food can be one of the most erotic and memorable experiences we have.
Iri Greco, Brakethrough media
Making Photos that AI Can’t
Of course, the duo makes images that AI doesn’t make — and that’s one of the reasons why we’re so fascinated by them. Part of why their images stand out is because of them creating a humanizing element and connection. “We gravitate in general towards work that feels like the person / people that created it put something of themselves into it; that it would not be the same work if produced by someone else,” Iri shares. “I guess that’s what separates photographers (or any artist or craftsperson) with their own unique voice from generic ones?” In contrast, they see AI as very generic.
To them, it feels vapid and vacant. Art is the expression
AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT
The Phoblographer works with human photographers to verify that they’ve actually created their work through shoots. These are done by providing us assets such as BTS captures, screenshots of post-production, extra photos from the shoot, etc. We do this to help our readers realize that this is authentically human work. Here’s what this photographer provided for us.