Ranald Mackechnie: Advice on portrait photography

 

Food and people are bound by an unbreakable thread, woven through generations and across cultures. So it is no wonder that each year, the competition receives an extraordinary array of portrait images. From a wise nonna in her humble kitchen, to a child beaming with pride over a freshly picked vegetable garden treasure; from the wine workers undertaking the hard labour of harvest, to the quiet precision of chefs in immaculate whites - each frame tells a story.

 

A portrait by Jon Enoch of a candy floss seller in Mumbai. After winning the Street Food category, this image was crowned the Overall Winner in 2023.

 

A portrait by Marina Spironetti of a butcher called Martina in Tuscany. Marina took this image as part of her project capturing the story of a group of women being taught the art of butchery. This image was the first ever winner of the Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers in 2021.

 

This portrait by John Carey of chef James Martin was taken during Covid lockdown when restaurants were forced to shut. It was shortlisted in the 2021 Politics of Food category and is part of John’s wider series, ‘Chefs in Lockdown’, which has since been made into a book.

 

For our latest blog, renowned portrait photographer Ranald Mackechnie, who joined the judging panel for this year’s World Food Photography Awards, shares some advice on capturing people and their stories, and reflects on his work with The Felix Project, a charity that rescues surplus food and redistributes it to those in need, which supports our Food for the Family category.

 

Words by Ranald Mackechnie

This year I was delighted to be asked to join the judging panel for the World Food Photography Awards. The whole thing came about because one of the categories, Food for the Family, is being supported by The Felix Project, a cause I am very proud to say I have worked with. A few years ago, I was asked to help them portray their work through a series of shots showing the people they both employ and the communities they support.

 

 

Now as a mostly ‘people’ photographer I’m often asked what advice or tips I could give about how to make good, authentic portraits. And, most often, my reply is to say it’s not about photography, it’s about people.

 

And it seems people are just as central to the images entered into this competition as food and that is why I thought I would share some advice. For me the key is to find a way to connect, to establish a relationship with the subject so as to capture something more than just the surface, the external, and to reveal something deeper.

 

 

This is true whether I have 5 minutes or 5 hours with someone. I’m often commissioned to photograph what are sometimes called ‘real people’. This is to differentiate them from what I suppose are ‘unreal people’ ie models, actors celebs etc. Real people are usually not that comfortable in front of a camera especially if it’s a big set up with lights and crew but that’s where the art is. It’s getting them to settle, to be themselves, to be real if you like. And I think that’s why I get work, because that’s the bit I’m good at.

 

 

The campaign I shot for The Felix Project involved their staff and volunteers, all very real people, doing very real and wonderful work. It was my mission to honour and celebrate them and the difference they make in the world. I spent time at the depots and kitchens absorbing the environment and seeing how everyone worked and interacted. Then I had time with each person to collaborate and create a portrait that was true to them and their roles. After that, the photography bit was easy!

 

 

See previous finalists and find out more about our Food in the Family category supported by The Felix Project here.