FOX 13 photojournalist Mike Hughes takes us to the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, where they are showcasing a unique exhibit that not only honors a young student to commemorate his life, but also to raise awareness about the importance of mental health.

“Red Bean Paste Balls” by Yang Zhonghua (China). Overall Winner and Winner, Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“In the rural area of Xiangshan, Zhejiang people are busy with preparations for a feast to celebrate Spring Festival, also known as Lunar New Year. This includes the tradition of making dim sum, such as red bean dumplings, steamed rice cakes, and glutinous rice cake, each of which has a legacy of traditional craftsmanship.”

A striking image of preparations for China’s Spring Festival won the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024 competition. Yang Zhonghua’s image shows a woman entering a room filled with steaming red bean paste balls in a glorious ode to tradition.

“This wonderful, perfectly balanced image is full of light, shadow, mystery, and poignancy,” says Caroline Kenyon, founder, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year. “It is clear a celebratory feast is being prepared. The food is exquisitely made, its circular shapes contrasting with the angularity of the fretwork screens, through which the light pours. Meanwhile, the woman who has made the food, weary, carries in yet another tray. Her role is to labor and to serve while the guests party and enjoy.”

Yang is one of 36 winners honored across a wide array of categories. Selected from thousands of entries submitted by photographers from 65 countries, the winners highlight food stories from around the world. From glimpses of a grape harvest to portraits of delectable cakes, the images look good enough to eat.

“Despite the challenges of an ever-changing world, we never cease in growing, gathering, cooking, eating, and celebrating with food,” says Phil Turnbull, CEO of APAL, owner of Pink Lady® and headline sponsor of the Awards. “Each year, the remarkable photographs serve as a reminder of the fundamental role of food in every culture and every people around the world.”

Scroll down to see some of our favorite winners, and then head over to the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year website to see the full gallery of finalists and winners.

Check out the winners of the 2024 Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year competition.

“It’s Raining Cake – Hallelujah!” by Ming Tang-Evans, Stylist: Tarunima Sinhaa (UK), Winner, Tiptree Cake Award, category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“A celebration of cake with ‘My Little Cake Tin’s’ signature colourful and stylish edible floral decoration.”

“Pitmaster, Big Bob Gibson’s, Decatur, AL” by Simon Urwin (UK), Winner, The James Beard Foundation Photography Award, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Chris Lilly is the multi-award-winning pitmaster at Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur, Alabama. Big Bob (Lilly’s great-grandfather-in-law), opened the business in 1925 and found fame for his revolutionary white barbecue sauce (at a time when most BBQ sauces were red and tomato or chilli-based.) His recipe of mayonnaise, black pepper, vinegar and lemon has since become hugely popular worldwide.”

“Les Liens du Vin” by Jonathan Thevenet (France), Winner, Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year – People, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“A Moment captured at the Aegerter estate in Burgundy, France. The children, the family, all gathered around the harvest. The transmission is running.”

“Blood Orange Cardamom Cake” by Barbora Baretic (Slovakia), Winner, Food Stylist Award, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Creating this image as a symbol of long-awaited spring was pure joy. Blood oranges are incredible by their texture, color, and shine, and that’s what I wanted to capture.”

“A Day in the Field” by Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn (Thailand), Winner, Tenderstem® Bring Home the Harvest, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“At the beginning of the rice farming season, a young farmer carries a rack of rice sprouts across a paddy field in Sakon Nakhon province, Thailand.”

“The Pig’s Testament” by Diego Marinelli (Italy), Winner, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year (Europe), a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“The killing of the pig is a real ritual of Italian rural culture. I was struck by the elderly man’s sense of respect towards the sacrificed animal, and I hope that the image makes us reflect on how man’s relationship with food has changed in the last 70 years.”

“Radish Salad” by Raewyn Epps (New Zealand), Winner, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year (New Zealand), a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Playing with shapes, colors, and texture.”

“Oh Beautiful Crumb” by Antonia Larrain Eyzaguirre (Chile), Winner, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year (Chile), a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Handmade sourdough bread with a crispy crust, fluffy and airy crumb, and with the perfect humidity. Just feeling its smell makes your mouth water and you cannot leave it or change it just like that. It’s a deep, unconditional, and loyal love.”

“Chestnut Season” by Tailai Obrien (Australia), Winner, Hotel Art Group Cream of the Crop, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Chestnuts symbolize Autumn harvest. In our family with strong Celtic roots, they are considered guardians of men and animals. The antique chestnut roaster is a family heirloom and a nod to our farming heritage. The crested dove symbolizes harmony and virility. Chestnuts are highly nutritious and a delicious food for celebrations.”

Selected from thousands of entries submitted by photographers from 65 countries, the winners highlight food stories from around the world

“Mangrove Fisherman” by Teo Chin Leong (Singapore), Winner, Food in the Field, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“A Burmese fisherman attempts to make a catch in a mangrove forest. The early morning rays of the sun create a magical atmosphere.”

“Fisherman” by Hein van Tonder (South Africa), Winner, On the Phone, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“A man selling the catch of the day in the vibrant fresh market in Pondicherry, India.”

“Biscuit Cake” by Winifred Harms (South Africa), Winner, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year (African Territories), a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Biscuits at their best.”

“Tribal Farmers Sell Their Fruit” by Azim Khan Ronnie (Bangladesh), Winner, unearthed® Food For Sale, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Boats fan out across a stretch of the lake, creating a floating market selling an array of fresh fruit. This is a floating market of seasonal fruits such as jackfruit, pineapple, mango etc. at Rangamati, Bangladesh. The tribal farmers sell their fruit every early morning at minimum price on a wholesale basis.”

“Breakfast with the Brokpas” by Debdatta Chakraborty (India), Winner, Pink Lady® Moments of Joy, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“The Brokpas are a small ethnic group mostly found in the union territory of Ladakh, India. The Brokpas traditionally claim themselves to be descendants of Alexander’s lost army. The Brokpa diet is based on locally grown barley and wheat, prepared most often as tsampa (roasted flour) and Gur-Gur Cha, a brewed tea made of black tea, butter, and salt.”

“Autumn Cocktail” by Viktoriia Kondysenko (Ukraine), Winner, MPB Award for Innovation, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Taste of autumn. Autumn cocktail with pumpkin juice and maple syrup.”

“Hanging Buri (Yellowtail)” by Matteo Alberti (Italy), Winner, Food Influencer, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Buri is Japanese for the fish Seriola quinqueradiata, known in English as ‘yellowtail’. For centuries, fishermen filleted buri, salted them, dried them for about ten days, and finally wrapped them in leaves and long rice-straw ropes before hanging them in front of their houses, exposed to the sea breeze.”

“Let Them Eat Cake!” by Lynne Kennedy (UK), Winner, Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Lucy and Tony and their children made the long journey from Kent to the Isle of Skye to get married. They didn’t want to transport a traditional wedding cake all that way, so their cakemaker produced these fabulous little ‘cakes in containers’ for them. We found a spot by the historical Sligachan Bridge and they tucked in!”

“New Year in Old Cave Dwelling” by Ren Xiuting (China), Winner, Food for the Family, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Photographed in Licheng County, Shanxi Province. During the Chinese New Year, families gather around to make dumplings and have a good time talking and laughing.”

“B.L.T. Contemplation” by Delaney McQuown (USA), Winner, Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“This photograph is part of my ongoing self-portrait project, urging women to find liberation through unidealized self-images. Excessive self-documentation fosters familiarity, enabling women to exist unapologetically in photos. Capturing myself eating a B.L.T. without inhibition felt fitting, given the complex relationships women often have with their bodies and food. I’m passionate about women embracing their cameras, leading to liberation and self-love.”

Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year.

Related Articles:

15 Mouth-Watering Winning Images of the Food Photographer of the Year

Winners of Food Photographer Contest Highlight How Our Lives Are Tied to Food

Brilliant Food Artist Turns Boring Cakes into Imaginative Miniature Scenes of Life

15 Delicious Photos From Acclaimed International Food Photography Competition’s Shortlist

Kristen Vann Photography adds elopements to list of services

Kristen Vann Griffith, owner of Kristen Vann Photography, recently expanded her services to add luxury elopement photography, jumping on a trend in which couples are forgoing a larger traditional wedding in favor of smaller weddings involving experiences.

“Elopements aren’t about running away in the middle of the night anymore,” she said. “More couples are doing adventure weddings. They are focusing more on experiences rather than a big party.”

Griffith, who first became interested in photography while working at Busch Gardens as a teen and launched her own business in 2016, had been primarily specializing in family photography until she did a wedding photo shoot in Colorado in 2022.

“It was so amazing, filled with so much love and beauty that I thought maybe this might be the direction where I wanted to go,” she said.

The luxury elopement trend is growing worldwide. Griffith’s dream is to capture adventure wedding moments in Iceland, one of her favorite places. She’s been to the country multiple times, where she’s taken workshops on elopement photography and done a few gigs, including one during a blizzard.

“Iceland is so pure and beautiful, with the Northern lights, the waterfalls,” she said. “It’s like you are on a different planet.”

She noted that elopement photography isn’t necessarily about traveling to an exotic destination. Memories can be captured locally as well.

“Even in Colonial Williamsburg, there are so many intimate spots where you can marry,” she said. “I really like the smaller weddings.”

In 2019, Griffith and her husband, Scott, had plans for a bigger wedding, but opted instead to marry at York River State Park, where her husband proposed, surrounded by a small group of family and friends.

“It was so intentional and intimate,” she said.

Griffith’s goal is to provide the same experience for her clients through her new services.

“It’s about enjoying the moment,” she said. “I love that I get to be invited to be a part of the most special moment of someone’s life and capture it.”

For more information on Griffith’s services, visit kristenvann.com.

___

Coastal Thirst opening storefront at Yorktown waterfront

Jamie Albertson and Tina Borra, co-owners of the food truck Coastal Thirst, have announced plans to open a brick-and-mortar establishment in Yorktown. Coastal Thirst Beach Deli is anticipated to open this summer at 524 Water St. in the space that was formerly occupied by Larry’s Lemonade.

“The food truck was always a stepping stone to help us better gauge market demand and what types of menu items would be successful in our local community,” Albertson said. “The flexibility … has allowed us to bring our cuisine to a variety of different events, businesses and neighborhoods, introducing what we have to offer to a wider market than just being in one place.”

Albertson and Borra first began operating their food truck in 2020. The truck specializes in tacos, quesadillas, burrito and burrito bowls, as well as a variety of burgers and hot dogs. They plan to open their restaurant for breakfast and lunch.

“We will continue to feature local favorites like our brekkie burritos, breakfast tacos, avocado toast, specialty lattes and raw juice and will expand our breakfast menu to include things like specialty bagels, smoothies and smoothie bowls,” Albertson said.

In addition to tacos, burritos and burgers, the lunch menu will feature flatbreads, salads, sandwiches and grab and go items from a deli case.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring our creative vision to the Yorktown waterfront and expose locals and tourists from around the world to our food,” Albertson said. “We are excited to have consistent hours, and an extended menu. Also, you sure can’t beat the view.”

For more information on Coastal Thirst, visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/coastalthirst.

___

New business brings trash and recycling to the curb for you

A new business will help people bring their trash and recycling bins to the curb for pickup. Brandon Hughes, owner of Pink Panda LLC, first came up with the idea while working as a landscaper.

“If the customer had a trash/recycling container sitting at the street while we were working on the property and it had been emptied, then I would retrieve it from the street and simply place it back to the home where the customer wanted it,” he said. “But the idea to really make it a business came when one day I noticed my elderly neighbor struggling with her cane in one hand and her trash container in the other. I asked if I could help her and with a look of relief, she accepted. I thought about how many days she struggled to do this absolutely necessary duty.”

The business is designed for older adults, those who are disabled, busy single parents, people who are headed out of town, owners of short-term rentals and “the busy and forgetful, the ones that just absolutely despise taking the trash out,” Hughes said.

Pink Panda offers monthly subscriptions, as well as one-week services for individuals who typically take care of the trash and recycling themselves but need someone else to handle the responsibility on occasion.

“In the early morning of your scheduled collection day, we will come to your home, move your trash/recycling containers and bulk items to the street for collection and send you a time stamped picture of the items sitting curbside,” Hughes explained. “Later that day, after your items have been collected and disposed of, we will return to your home and retrieve your containers from the street and return them to their original placement.”

The goal of Pink Panda, which began in May, is “to provide our customers with the peace of mind that they never again have to worry about dragging their trash and recycling containers to the street,” Hughes said. “My favorite part of this business is knowing that I’m helping someone. I am a strong believer in the power of helping someone.”

For more information on Pink Panda, call 757-810-4073 or email pinkpandallcva@gmail.com.

___

Dots & Dashes

• Papi’s Creamery LLC leased 1,200 square feet of retail space at 2900 Hampton Highway in Yorktown in the Shady Banks shopping center.
• Educational toy and supply store School Crossing, which is under new ownership in Monticello Marketplace, will hold a grand reopening on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. The event will feature activities and prizes. A ribbon-cutting will be held on June 13 at 4 p.m.
• Two burger establishments appear to have closed. The Burger King location at 759 E. Rochambeau Drive has closed due to equipment issues, according to a sign in the window, while Burger Fi, located at 6610 Mooretown Road, is also no longer in operation. Burger Fi, which had its last day on Feb. 23, posted a window sign stating in part that “it is with a heavy heart that we announce our temporary closure. This was not an easy decision to make, but we believe it is the best one for our community.” Burger Fi first opened in 2021.

___

People moves

• Williamsburg Winery recently announced that Riccardo Rinaldi has been named the new executive chef at the Gabriel Archer Tavern. Rinaldi has 22 years of professional experience in Italian, French, molecular and other cuisines.
• Michael J. Todd has been named William & Mary’s executive vice president for finance and administration. Todd, who currently serves as vice president for finance and administration at Lehigh University, will begin his new role Aug. 1.

Brandy Centolanza@bcentolanza@cox.net

The new issue of Digital Photographer is out now!

Subscribe today to get DP delivered to your door and device.

This month we have another amazing issue for you, featuring professional tips, reviews, and practical how-to guides. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s inside!

Shoot your best-ever summer landscapes

Who doesn’t enjoy going out on a sunny day to capture the natural beauty around us? However, shooting summer landscapes can be a bit tricky due to the harsh sunlight. 

Our guide starting on p36 has some great tips on how to handle these tough conditions and get the most out of your photos. Photographer Karolina Konsur shares her pro tips on taking great summer landscape shots, using in-camera features, filters, and making the most of your existing photography gear. We’ll also cover composition strategies and discuss how the latest photography gear might not always be the best choice for certain summer techniques.

Portrait retouching workshop

Then, delve into our comprehensive portrait editing workshop, beginning on page 24 to learn editing tips for delivering precisely what your clients desire. Paula Stopka, Jake Keshia Gordon, and Paul Wilkinson expertly showcase professional retouching techniques, providing step-by-step guidance. While putting a spotlight on creating authentic looks we also discuss creative dramatic backgrounds. 

Catch the stars

Astrophotographer and night-sky conservationist Josh Dury, also known as ‘Starman’, has dedicated his career to using photography to promote conservation initiatives and raise awareness about the negative impacts of light pollution. From p14 Josh also discusses his preparation for celestial events and the challenges posed by bad weather and cancelled flights, which nearly deprived him of the opportunity to capture a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event.

Royal Photography

Having spent decades documenting the British Royal Family as a Getty Images photographer, Chris Jackson has many fascinating stories to tell. Starting on p76, he sits down for an interview and explains what it takes to capture some of the biggest moments in royal history.

Our network of professional photographers has got all the inside scoop you need! In this issue, Annie Green-Armytage shines a spotlight on the value of looking after our mental wellbeing, even in the midst of shooting to deadline, Claire Gillo delves into the logistics of running a successful photography business and interviews event photographer Jules Renahan.

NEW! My dream photo kit

Photo Kit Leaderboard

Get your copy of DP Issue 280 today!

Get a digital copy instantly on your digital device

Where to find Digital Photographer

Plus we’ve got the usual tutorials, interviews, insight and opinion, from a range of experienced pro photographers from across the industry. 

Don’t miss out on all of this essential professional-level advice. Get your copy of Digital Photographer now. 

Why not Subscribe for a print copy or you can read us on your mobile device with a digital subscription. 

You can get your copy of Digital Photographer in stores – but if you can’t get out, then order a copy direct from us, either in print or digital form.

For printed back issues go to Magazines Direct

For digital editions of the magazine, you have a variety of options available:

(for iPhone and iPad)

(multi-platform app for Android and other devices)

Zinio app (multi-platform app for desktop and smartphone)

Readly (all-you-can-eat digital magazine subscription service)

Connect with us

Find us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to Digital Photographer, to ensure you never miss an issue!

Digital Photographer on Facebook 

Digital Photographer on Instagram

Digital Photographer on Twitter

Read more:

Essential exposure technique: settings for seamless backgrounds

Photo therapy: the art of patience – why it’s worth waiting!

Adapt and conquer! Learn to use lens adaptors the right way

Lighthouse photography: learn to compose images of very tall subjects