Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Madelynne Grace. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Madelynne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have been fortunate enough to have turned my passion, my art of food photography and visual storytelling into my full time career for my company Bites and Bevs Media. I made the corporate leap from event marketing and management almost 4 years ago but I have been at this for 7 years. While it might not have been a smooth journey from day one, several steps contributed to building my successful career. This is one of the hardest forms of photography and one thing I can say is the hunger for knowledge and the drive for skill development through endless practice is I am where I am today.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Madelynne Grace, Owner of Bites and Bevs Media, and food photographer turning meals into masterpieces through my passion for both culinary artistry and visual storytelling. Each photo goes beyond a simple capture, revealing the essence of flavor, the meticulous art of plating and food in action showcasing the beauty, vibrancy, and detail in every dish. I moved to Atlanta in 2012 with a degree in Sports PR, but a newly discovered love for hospitality. I picked up the camera as a hobby but turned it into my thriving company Bites and Bevs Media with a team of photographers, videographers and food stylists. My work is a celebration of the belief that food is art, stimulating not just taste buds but the visual senses. Every plate is my canvas.

I am most proud of the brand that I have built. I do believe that viewers can truly witness my expression of food through the lens.

My company offers food and product photography for restaurants, cookbooks, Chefs, commercial work, and branding. I am not a jack of all trades so I bring on other experts in their fields such as food stylists, other photographers, videographers and social media managers.

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

Art forms are inherently subjective, some may not even consider what I do as such, but it offers unique perspectives regardless. What one person finds captivating, another might view completely opposite. The most rewarding part of creating the art though, is that it is through my lens and my expression. I see food and plating as an art, so food photography is my way of contributing to the beauty and complexity of not only food as art but photography as well. My specific style of food photography is drama and action! I love a cheese pull or a splash or flour toss. Food in action or still, plated beautifully can be breathtaking!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think non-creatives struggle with seeing photography as an art form but especially food photography. I have repeatedly heard that “I just take pictures of food,” until I am hired and they see the process or they view on my instagram stories. Fod photography can be extremely technical, but it all starts with the eye. It is not the same for every dish, every shape of plate or bowl, every texture, every color, you have to photograph on the fly when every single dish comes out. The angles ahve to make sense for each dish and beverage. Angles go hand in hand with lighting. Lighting food is nothing like using natural light, or lighting models, or products. You can have the dish in the same spot with the light in the exact same position, but you take two steps to you right and it can be all the way off! That is why I say endless practice is essential because you have to pivot in every moment during your shoot. These are the things that those who think “I just take pictures of food” may struggle to comprehend by just the name of my title, food photographer.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bitesandbevsmedia.com
• Instagram: @bitesandbevsmedia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BitesAndBevsATL/

Image Credits
Bites and Bevs image of me in the hoodie – Sean Cason All other work is all of Bites and Bevs Media