About fifteen years ago I moved from Charlottesville, VA to New York to become a photographer. I was 26. About all I knew about photography was some f-stop, shutter speed and darkroom basics from Photo 1 in highschool and that I wanted to get out and go. Much to see and much to do. Initially I had my sights on fashion and celebrity photography and I quickly found myself on those sets as an assistant but I also found myself around chefs and food shoots too. One of the first photographers I assisted was Tom Kirkman who specialized in food photography. Tom was a riot. Certifiably insane. Fortunately, I guess, he happened to live on the fifth floor of a five floor, rent controlled, walk up building on the upper west side. Tom had done a stint working at B&H, probably for the discount, and could not leave for a shoot with less than 5 MASSIVE cases carried by yours truly. The blessing I guess is that I had little technical knowledge but I could haul cases all day with a smile on my face. I am not talking about 5 camera cases. I am talking about cases with every photo still life accessory ever created. Like every glass filter ever made. I’m also not talking about portable flashes. I am talking fresnel lights–large metal housings with very breakable glass diffusion faces. Stands circa WWII, etc. We had a blast. I helped him on one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s cookbooks at his newly opened restaurant Jean Georges in the Trump Tower building. Tom also used to shoot the dinners at the James Beard House. Eventually he asked me to sub for him and I did so gladly! Each week there was a new guest chef busting out incredible fare for the members and I was responsible for capturing each dish, at my own table, before devouring them. I mention all of this because what initially was an interest in fashion photography evolved into a passion for portraiture and event photography. I have been extremely fortunate to travel extensively and shoot incredible individuals and locations. None more so than Jacques Pépin and The Pebble Beach Food and Wine.  Jacques Pépin is a culinary legend and I was honored to get to shoot his tribute dinner last year at The Pebble Beach Food and Wine(PBFW). Our studio, Barnaby Draper Studios, has covered PBFW for the past four years. This is one of my favorite shots:

Jacques Pépin, Thomas Keller, Roland Passot, Michel Richard & Claudine Pépin Tribute Dinner, PBFW 2010. Photo Barnaby Draper

Ming Tsai, Jacques Pépin, Thomas Keller, Roland Passot, Michel Richard & Claudine Pépin Tribute Dinner, PBFW 2010. Photo Barnaby Draper