Creating Work for Valentine's Day

As a photographer, you have to be a visual problem solver, but also a creative one too.  Whenever Valentine's day rolls around, as a food photographer I try to resist the typical Valentine's day subject matter. I try to think about what a day like this means, both visually and conceptually, and how that would take form in a still life image.


Valentine's day is a day to celebrate love.  It has a curious history that started with Christian Martyrdom and then evolved into a day that celebrated romantic love during 18th century England when courtly love flourished and it was common to lavish affection with gifts of flowers, sweets and greeting cards.

I was struck recently by a speech during Harvard Graduation in which a poem by Raymond Carver was read.  It is a poem that asks what is the most important thing in life- and answers- to feel BELOVED. I think we all recognize how important it is for humans and animals to feel that they are loved. Sometimes we harden ourselves to this need and say it isn't that important, or we forget how much we need it. Valentine's day is a day to remember that need. To appreciate the love that you both give and receive. And I'm not talking just about the love you are feeling for the decadent chocolatey goodness in this photo!