Photographer Ute-Christin Cowan hasn’t had much work these days; because of the executive order to shelter in place, she has had to halt her business, which has meant that she hasn’t been able to snap a photo of a sweet family or newborn baby in weeks.
“Since I cannot photograph people until we are allowed to open back up, I decided the next best thing to babies is food,” she joked to POPSUGAR.
So, she set to work taking portraits of everything from pepperoni pizza to a half-dozen bagels to iced coffee to french fries and fizzy soda – but with an adorable spin that only someone who works with an under-1-month-old client base and a studio filled with pastel props could achieve. She added swaddling blankets around relish-topped hot dogs (talk about giving “pigs in a blanket” new meaning!) and topped a gooey grilled cheese sandwich with a tiny gold crown. She set chips and salsa atop cozy yarn!
Related: Photographer Takes Stunning Portraits Through Windows of Families Social Distancing
What’s more, she took her passion for food and did her part to support the small businesses in her town of Milford, CT. Every portrait she took featured food purchased from a local restaurant, cafe, brewery, or bakery.
“I called 13 local places and ordered one of their signature items on the menu,” she said, noting that some were delivered and others she got via curbside pickup. “I hope the images will create some joy and get people excited about trying out these local places.”
But perhaps the most rewarding part for this bored photographer? “Eating all those things after I took the picture.”
Keep reading to see her mouthwatering food-as-baby portraits!
