Welcome to The Food Experience: an ongoing conversation on food, culture, and passion. Featuring Muna Coterie Chefs, catering companies, bakers, food photography experts, and special guests from the culinary world.
Self-proclaimed foodie and acclaimed photographer Nicole J. Leverett of Stay N Focus Images has mastered the art of food photography.
While her path into photography is a long and winding one, she is reaping the benefits of following her creative passions and pursuing her dreams.
Her creative intuition started during childhood.
Nicole recalls, “As far back as I can remember I have had a creative outlet. From drawing and painting with my grandfather to calligraphy, cross stitching, and graphic design as a preteen and teenager.”
Graphic design was her gateway to understanding photography. Even in high school, she found herself online designing websites and logos instead of hanging out with friends.
“I have been playing with Adobe Photoshop since 1997,” she admits. “I have loved creating digital art, as well as retouching and manipulating other people’s images.”
From snapping Polaroid selfies in the ’80s to her point-and-shoot Konica Tomato camera in the ’90s and cellphone cameras in the 2000s, photography was always something she was drawn to.
It wasn’t until 2019 that Nicole considered pursuing photography seriously.
After stepping away from graphic design in the early 2000s, I realized I was missing a creative outlet in my life.
– Nicole J. Leverett | Stay N Focus
At the time, she was taking tons of photos with her iPhone. She figured why not get a “real camera.”
So she purchased her first professional camera and started photographing everything from architecture to insects, weddings, and eventually, food and beverages.
“I was not initially thinking of starting a photography business,” Nicole shares. “I just wanted to be creative again.”
Never having been taught the basics of photography, she was starting from scratch. Bolstered by natural talent and determination, Nicole was constantly seeking to understand how her camera worked and how to improve the way her images looked.
Unfortunately, shortly after buying her first camera, the world shut down.
Stuck in the confines of her own home due to Covid-19, Nicole could have given up on photography. Instead, with some ingenuity and creativity, the pandemic became an opportunity for growth.
I found myself with more time on my hands to create but limited in subject matter since we were stuck inside. I really poured myself into food and beverage photography because that is what was always available at the time.
– Nicole J. Leverett | Stay N Focus
Amidst a global shutdown, Nicole’s world was rapidly expanding.
With her newfound love for photography and her old flame for graphic design still flickering in the background, she realized she could combine her passions to create really unique and artful images.
Taking a leap of faith, in 2019, Nicole created an Instagram account (@staynfocusimages) and began sharing her work with the world.
To her surprise, people responded to her work. With whimsical details, carefully crafted compositions, and dramatic use of light and shadow, viewers were intrigued.
Her following increased overnight and soon clients started pouring in. As her network continued to expand, the idea of creating a photography business came about organically.
By November of 2019, Stay N Focus was born!
“I began working with clients while continuing to learn along the way,” she shares.
Today, Nicole still captures all things from big moments like weddings and events to the little things, like flora and fauna; however, at her core, her niche market has quickly become food and beverage photography. And she’s loving every minute of it!
I am thankful for the series of events that have led me here; I have found so much joy and fulfillment in finding my voice and my own style in photography.
– Nicole J. Leverett | Stay N Focus
Some of her biggest projects so far include her photo work for Thirsty Magazine’s Gentleman Jack “Culture Shakers” (celebrating Black and Hispanic Bartenders in cities across the US), and her partnership with Figure 8 and the Pepsi Dig In program (supporting Black-owned restaurants), and so many more amazing collaborations.
Keep scrolling below to read our exclusive interview with Nicole J. Leverett of Stay N Focus Photography — prepare to be inspired (and hungry!).
- Series: The Food Experience
- Featured Guest: Nicole J. Leverett of Stay N Focus
When did you first fall in love with food photography?
The start of this romance began with Mixology Mondays.
Back around October 2019, I had a crazy idea that I proposed to my then fiancé, now husband, Frank. He was always mixing up a cocktail for me, friends, family, and guests and I thought what if every week he created a cocktail, and I photographed it then blogged about it… kind of like a personal project to help me improve my images. He agreed and this idea morphed into way more than I ever could have envisioned.
Not only were we intentionally collaborating weekly, but I was also getting better with food and beverage styling and photography. Over the last few years, we have continued to create together for Mixology Mondays with the Leveretts and have shared some really great drinks including mocktails. We have also made great connections with brands and some amazing people in the bar and mixology industry.
This idea not only fueled my love for photography, but it’s also firmly intertwined in my husband and I’s love story. (Aww!)
What is your favorite project so far?
This is such a tough question!! There have been so many great projects food related and beyond that I have been a part of! One of my favorite unexpected collaborations in the food and photography space happened with the launch of the platform Club House during the Covid lockdown.
Clubhouse is a social audio app where users can communicate in audio chat rooms. I made some amazing connections in the food blogging, restaurant, and photography world. It was the perfect way to connect with those in the field while we technically couldn’t leave the house.
For the last almost three years, I have been a co-moderator in the club, The Food Blog School, and have had the opportunity to share my knowledge of food and beverage photography and connect with others in the industry!
These connections have also helped to motivate me and have inspired me. So while the club isn’t solely my own project I am so glad and proud to have been a member and contributor since its creation by Jessie Sierra Ross.
As a self-taught photographer, what was the biggest challenge you experienced while learning the ropes of photography?
One of the bigger challenges I had early on was understanding and using artificial light. Many food photographers use natural light which is amazing but not always available to me. Being in the northeast with a full-time job, I often only had time to shoot in the evenings. My daylight was limited especially during the winter months when it was dark by 5 p.m.!
Most of the food photography books and articles I read focused on capturing images with beautiful soft daylight and didn’t necessarily teach me how to re-create that with artificial light. I began reading everything I could get my hands on regarding flash and artificial lighting outside of food photography and made some costly mistakes, buying the wrong gear with the wrong attachments!
Ultimately, with the help of many photographers’ videos and blogs, I learned how to mimic daylight with artificial light, specifically flash. Additionally, I learned how to freeze motion with flash to create awesome splash images that would be very hard to do with daylight alone. This knowledge was a game changer because I was now free to shoot whenever I wanted and never would be limited by the time of day or even the time of the year!
Tell us about some of the exciting projects and collaborations you’ve been a part of.
Let’s talk about kismet.
Early in 2022 one of my co-moderators of the Food Blog School mentioned that she saw a post in a Facebook group from the folks at Thirsty Magazine needing a cocktail photographer in NJ and she recommended me for the job. We connected and they shared details about their program “Culture Shakers”, sponsored by Gentleman Jack (by Jack Daniels).
Gentleman Jack “Culture Shakers” was created to celebrate Black and Hispanic bartenders who are rising stars, shaking up cocktail culture in their cities and crafting their own legacies behind the bar. The program shines a light on a new class of bartenders each year in various cities across the US.
I was thrilled to partner with them in 2022 to photograph the NJ class and, again, this year, 2023, to capture both NJ and NY Culture Shakers. I enjoy being part of this program and love the team at Thirsty Magazine!
I’ve also been working with the team at Figure 8 (hospitality and logistics experts) who are partners with Pepsi for their Dig In Program. The Pepsi Dig In program was created to support Black-owned restaurants, Chefs, and their communities. I have had the awesome opportunity through my partnership with Figure 8 to photograph Pepsi Dig In program participants, supporting some great Black-owned restaurants in NJ, NY, and PA.
I am proud of the work I have done to highlight my community through these channels and will continue to do my part to help these businesses shine brightly.
– Nicole J. Leverett | Stay N Focus
Who is your dream client/brand you would love to work with?
I love the diversity of clients I have, and I feel there are so many ways to succeed in this niche from packaged product shots to portraits of chefs. I would absolutely love to continue to help new and established restaurants/chefs with images to support all of their needs, but I would also love to see more of my work in print! My absolute dream would be to photograph for cookbook authors and would also love to see my work printed in foodie magazines!
How is AI impacting photography? Is it taking away from or adding to your creative process?
I’m curious to see how AI continues to evolve in the photography industry. At the moment I don’t see it taking anything away from photographers, but absolutely adding to the creative process.
I think most people when they hear AI immediately think of the ability to add elements to a photo or generate headshots on the fly from a random collection of selfies but it’s more than that and we’ve already been using AI to make capturing and editing images easier.
Many cameras have built-in facial/eye recognition focusing and tracking features already thanks to AI. There are also culling programs like Aftershoot which uses AI to automatically cull entire galleries… detecting blurry images, duplicates, closed eyes, and more within minutes as opposed to hours. Adobe Photoshop makes use of AI in various ways from sky replacement, content-aware filling to extend your scene, liquefy face editing, and neural filters to adjust facial features/expressions, etc.
Photo editing and manipulation have been around since before digital cameras. AI just makes the process quicker! So, for now, I embrace the technology and time-saving abilities it affords me!
Do you have any advice for other creatively-inclined foodies looking to dive into food photography?
- Start with what you have even if it is just a cellphone camera and the sun. It is a slippery expensive slope once you start buying gear!! Don’t get hung up on what you don’t have or what you think you need; start where you are.
- Create the types of images you love. If your goal is to attract clients, make time to play and create the images you think your ideal client will love. “If you build it, they will come!”
- Invest in learning lighting techniques, photo composition guidelines, and food styling basics. This knowledge can help elevate your images.
The final shot…
Share any exciting updates, goals, or future events that we can support you in.
If you are new to photography, especially food and beverage photography, I have created The Bite-Sized Guide for Better Food Photography. This guide is essentially what I wish I had when I first got started.
It is 100 pages long and has 6 Courses covering camera basics, lighting, composition, food styling, editing, and more. Available at https://www.nfocuslearning.com/
As for exciting updates, this year in 2023, I entered the international contest, Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year, and was shortlisted as a finalist in the short film category out of many submissions. I am excited to create new images and videos to enter again for 2024! Stay tuned!
I am also thankful to Ebony Stewart and the entire team I collaborated with for a styled bridal shoot in Belize which was ultimately published in Munaluchi Bridal magazine in March 2023!
Also, earlier this year, I got my drone pilot’s license from the FAA so I’m excited to add new services for my clients. I am also planning on creating another course focused on special effects and editing. More announcements to come!
Connect with me on social media to learn more!
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- Photographer: Nicole J. Leverett of Stay N Focus
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