We recently connected with Lori Weiss and have shared our conversation below.

Lori, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

In July of 2015, I became a raw vegan fruitarian and I wanted to share my lifestyle online. In order to inspire others to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, I knew that I would have to learn how to make my dishes look beautiful and delicious. So I took pictures of my food every day and used each meal as an opportunity to hone my craft. Then, about two years ago, I got the idea to present my platters of fruit like pieces of art – and that is how I became a “fruitographer.”

Over the years, I studied other people’s food photos on Instagram and kept experimenting with the medium until I eventually developed my own style.

If I wanted to speed up the learning process, I could’ve blocked out what other people said about what I was sharing online. I was strongly influenced by people I loved and because of that, my confidence wavered and at one point, I took a long break from sharing food photos online. So I missed out on opportunities to improve my fruitography and learn more.

The most essential skills have been patience, curiosity, creativity, and of course photography.

Lori, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I became a raw vegan fruitarian in July of 2015 and knew right away that it was a passion I would be sharing online for the rest of my life. I’ve done numerous things in the industry, including health coaching and food catering, but right now, I just sell my recipe ebooks online and collaborate with brands as an influencer. One of the things I’m most proud of is that my ebooks have recipes that are easy-to-make, require very few basic ingredients, require no special equipment, and don’t contain nuts, seeds, and oil. One of the things I often found with others’ recipes was that they had an endless list of ingredients, some of which could be hard to find, and/or they required equipment I didn’t have, such as a dehydrator. I only use a blender, lemon squeezer, knife, and cutting board to make all of my recipes, as well as typical ingredients that can be found at any grocery store. I’m a minimalist and every aspect of my life and work is minimalist.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my audience on social media by using relevant hashtags, improving my fruitography, and by being authentic. I honestly threw out all the rules a long time ago. I don’t do the things that other people say you “should” do. I don’t make reels regularly (I’ve only made 7 so far) or Instagram videos, I don’t follow anybody, and I don’t jump around commenting or liking other people’s posts. I just use my platform to share from my heart and journey.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love looking at my Instagram feed! It makes me so happy just to scroll through my account and see all the bright, cheerful colors. It really invigorates me.

My own content inspires me to focus on my health goals, continue being creative with food, and keep sharing with others.

And of course, I love that my food photos inspire others to eat healthier!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/storyoflori
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/loriweiss

Image Credits
Lori Weiss