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New Food Photography Magazine Asks Who's Hungry?

By Anthony Todd in Food on Apr 13, 2012 3:00PM

Visiting Stephen Hamilton's West Side photo studio is like walking into a foodie fantasyland. Stylists are running to and fro and dishes and ingredients are piled everywhere. In one corner, a huge stack of different farmhouse-style cutting boards wait for their moment in the spotlight. In another, 15 different boxes of a national cereal brand are being ripped open and individual pieces are getting the glamour treatment. We all wonder how to make those beautiful food photos that whet our appetite in cookbooks and ads. Now, Who's Hungry, a new magazine produced by Hamilton, is going to let you in on the secrets.

Hamilton is about as famous as a food photographer can get - he's worked with celebrities, he's appeared on Top Chef, and he produces photos for major advertising campaigns. Why would he want to start an expensive, hard-to-produce national magazine? Because he thinks that there's a niche that isn't being filled. Who's Hungry will focus on food photography, combining standard food-mag features (travel articles, chef profiles, recipes) with insider tips on how to take great pictures.

Hamilton explains: "I think there are good stories to be told. I'm not only a foodie, but also a food photographer, and I want to combine the two worlds together." Unlike a traditional magazine, where writers pitch stories and the images are ancillary, Who's Hungry starts with beautiful images. "It's a visually-based magazine," emphasized Hamilton. "I'm not a writer, and i don't want to be a writer, so I hired some of the best writers I could find." Some of Chicago's best food writers (including Janet Fuller, Steve Dolinsky and Kate Bernot) fill in the copy.

The inaugural issue showcases Hamilton's unique approach. During a photo shoot in Napa, he happened to notice mustard growing between the rows of vines and took a whole series of beautiful photographs. This became the basis for a story on Mustard that is radically different from the typical "look at me, I went to wine country" Gourmet feature. It includes landscape photos, food photos from the studio, recipes and a description of the journey of mustard from plant to jar.

Other features more explicitly showcase the food photographer's trade. How do they get a slice of gooey pizza to look so good? How do they force sandwiches to stick together? And what the heck do they use KY Jelly for in the studio? You'll just have to read the magazine to find out. In each issue, one of Hamilton's photos is deconstructed in great detail, exposing everything from the arrangement of the bread crumbs to the barely-there vase in the background.

Anyone who loves food or food photography has no excuse not to get this magazine, since it's free and available online. Hamilton is releasing the magazine through Issuu, an online magazine publishing service. Even better, because it's electronic, the traditional-looking magazine can include links, embedded video and other interactive features that take it a step beyond other food magazines.

The magazine launches on Monday (the official launch party is Saturday night) so check back next week for the link. Until then, enjoy a sample of the photographs and page spreads in the gallery. Hamilton also released a video, embedded below, with some tips on how to take great food photos with your iPhone. Who's Hungry?

UPDATE: Here's the link for the full magazine. Enjoy!