Something’s Growing in the Bathtub
Victoria Granof and Her Journey in the Food Media Industry
We spoke to food stylist and director Victoria Granof about her creative process, some fun anecdotes, her upcoming projects and her unique photo-series, A Carp in the Tub.
Creative Direction: Victoria Granof , Photographer: Louise Hagger , Prop Stylist: JoJo
Why did you choose a career in food styling?
I started food styling back in Los Angeles. I had a degree in Visual Arts and went to culinary school. I started by assisting a food stylist who actually had a very bad cocaine habit.
I was dating a food photographer, and one day, on set, there was a woman cooking and I was like… “Who is that?” “What is she doing here?” I had no idea that existed. So I asked, “How do you become a food stylist?” I was told that there was no school for that and that the only way to break into the industry was by starting as an assistant.
I asked for the name of the best food stylist, and everyone was reluctant in giving it to me because he was notorious for having a really bad cocaine habit. He was the first person that I called, and he gave me a job. However, most of what I was doing was picking him up from strange places and bailing him out of jail. When I finally got serious about food styling we had a shoot with Bon Appétit and I was there on set already, waiting for him to arrive, until he called me and asked for me to go pick him up. The client looked at me and said “LEAVE HIM THERE, YOU CAN DO THIS” so I did and that was my big break.
It was years before we spoke again… I don’t know if you remember the “Got Milk?” ad, but he was the one who created the milk mustache. We were once at the same studio doing different jobs and on the second day “something happened” and he didn’t show up. They were all ready to shoot so he calls me and he says: “I know you are next door with another client but can you put the milk mustache on the model?” I was like AGAIIIN, but I did, and we were good again.
What’s the difference between the industry in Los Angeles and in New York?
In Los Angeles, it is more celebrity-based and film. The industry is more vegan and green, comparable to Australia. In New York, we set the trends. I moved to New York to do more conceptual work. There are a couple of good photographers in Portland but in general you find more European clients in New York, definitely a wider market.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
I worked for about 10 years with Irving Penn, he was doing all the food photography for Vogue. I started working with him in 1999 until his death in 2009. He really had the most effect on my development.
Tell us about your series A Carp in the Tub?
That was actually published as a booklet and a poster. The booklet had the story and recipes of each one of the photographs. It was captured as a “docu-drama” of my journey to Ukraine when I went to adopt my son back in 2004. These pictures are all recreations of actual memories, food and things that happened in certain places.
I had to rent an apartment from a nurse at the orphanage where my son was living. That part of Ukraine is very very poor. I was there around February and the nurse warned me that if I wanted to take a shower I should do it as soon as possible because she was bringing in a carp that was going to live in the bathtub until May for Easter. What they do, is they go and bring home a small fish that then they raise in the bathtub for months until it is big enough to feed 20 people!
Creative Direction: Victoria Granof , Photographer: Louise Hagger , Prop Stylist: JoJo
What projects are you working on right now?
I’m working on a personal project with Amy Lombard and it’s all about bad table manners and bad etiquette and it takes place during the course of an evening at a dinner party. I’m also working on something for the New York Times food section and, as a director, I’m working on a treatment for some commercial clients.
What are some trends that you see coming now after the pandemic in the industry?
During the pandemic it was all about sourdough bread and cooking from home and safe comfortable stuff. Now it’s happy, joyful and light colors, there is no more moody anything. Now home is becoming a place where we entertain, where we express, so the concept of home and how we photograph it is definitely changing. It is so funny because when there is a Republican president in office, steakhouses and black and white photography are huge, and when there is a Democrat in office it is all about frozen yogurt and colors.
Any advice for those who want to start or are starting in the industry?
Educate yourself, get informed, go to museums, read books, know your art history, know about the principles of design, know about color theory and composition. Not just say “oh I can take a pretty picture, that’s fun”. We are always aware of things that we like, but what expands our knowledge and vision is to look at things that don’t please us. It’s a good exercise. Victoria is currently looking for a couple of assistants that can help her out with her current projects. Get in touch with her by following her @victoriagranof.