A Snap of Garlic

The image ‘Harvested garlic ready for cooking’ taken by Lisa Barber was the winning shot of our 2015 Food Sn-apping category in support of our chosen charity Action Against Hunger. The category sought pictures of food - any time, any place, anywhere – taken on your mobile device and £2 for every image entered into the category went to Action Against Hunger and is taking place again in 2016.

When we asked Lisa how it felt to be a Finalist for Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2015, she said she was “very happy to have been shortlisted”. She was indeed very excited to hear the news on awards evening that she had won the category, taking presenter Barney Harwood by surprise on stage! It was wonderful to see her enthusiasm!

Of food photography she said: “It is my main field of work and I love the versatility that working in this area allows me.  One day I could be shooting a pig farmer in the West Country and the next a Michelin-starred chef.”

Please tell us a little about where you live and how it influences your photography.

I live and have my studio in Brixton where there is a thriving food market and I have an allotment close by where I grow as much food as I can—I love photographing the produce before I enjoy it at the table.  I am also involved with Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses and have been working on a personal photographic project based around this site as it is an important local resource that aims to improve the lives of the local community. I visited the community greenhouses every week for a year and some of my photographs work have been exhibited through London Independent Photography. I would love to create a book about the greenhouses one day.

How does travel & exploring a different culture influence your work?

I am from a farming community in Australia originally and have travelled extensively. I am also fortunate that my work in food photography means that I often travel for work. In my spare time, I try to visit a new country every year and recently spent two months in Sri Lanka. The country is fascinating and it has an amazing food culture, also coconut is one of my favourite ingredients and is used extensively throughout Sri Lankan cuisine.

Which photographers, if any, have most influenced your work?

There are many photographers and artists who have influenced me, including Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliot Erwitt and Georgia O'Keefe.

Can you tell us about what inspires you?

Nature is incredible and it influences my work in many ways—I appreciate watching my plants grow and being able to harvest seasonal produce.  I also find the colours and design in nature a constant inspiration.

Lisa’s Latest News

I recently started work with a home economist Henrietta Clancy. We were both interested in doing a project together and came up with the idea of using tea in cooking (this was influenced by my recent trip to a Tea Plantation and Factory in Ella, Sri Lanka). Below are some of our images so far—Tea-iced Madeleines and Tea Punch.

I was very fortunate to be commissioned to photograph His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he visited London to speak at The Happiness Conference.

I was very humbled when at the end of his visit he came and blessed me.  I feel very blessed to have a career that gives me the opportunity to meet and photograph so many amazing people.

To connect with Lisa visit:

Website: www.lisabarber.co.uk

Twitter: @lisabarberphoto

Instagram: @lisabarberphoto