Drawing inspiration from life’s whimsy, food photographer, Elysa Weitala shares how her cheerful outlook naturally spills into her work, creating a signature style that reflects a love for magic, humor, and storytelling. Get to know the mind behind the lens as we discuss the evolution of her career, the joy of collaborative shoots, and the art of finding success in a blend of passion and financial stability.
Website: elysaweitala.com
Instagram: @elysajean
Your images are often very playful, is this an intentional choice, how do you find inspiration?
Yes, the levity in my work is intentional. It has taken time with lots of exploring/experimenting to develop. With my personal work, the playful style and approach gradually grew from how I look at life and wanting to incorporate that in my photography. If you know me, I’ve usually got a smile on, am trying to inject a bit of humor into the day, and am just generally a cheery person. This outlook naturally spilled into my photography, especially as I felt more confident in my career and skills. Inspiration is usually drawn from something out in the world, giggling over a silly idea that eventually forms into a “oh that would be a fun ______ (insert subject or concept) to photograph” thought. Photography has always been magical to me, especially with the help of stop motion animation and endless capabilities of retouching. I like to create a little magic and in turn that usually ends up being playful as well.
What made you want to get into photography? How did you land in food photography specifically?
My love for photography and an eagerness to create a career out of it developed early in childhood. My first camera was a small Kodak 101 Dalmatians 110 Film Camera, which is proudly displayed with my ever growing camera collection. I grew up in a family that valued art but was also a family of small business owners and self-starters so to speak. Initially, I thought I would be an author and illustrator of children’s books. As I reached high school, still an avid artist, I was often unable to paint or draw what I saw in my mind’s eye. Photography was the next logical step – to create and capture what I envisioned. Photography is a beautiful marriage of technical and creative skills, which I love. My interest in food photography developed later in college. Growing up in a small midwest town, the only professional photographers I knew of were those who focused on portraits; family, senior, wedding, etc… I thought I would end up in the same line of work. While attending the photography program at Seattle Central Community College, my professors exposed my class and me to all disciplines of photography. From architecture to food to fashion, we learned the fundamentals of each and were then given the choice to focus on what we enjoyed most. Food and still life photography captivated me and I never looked back. I loved the endless hours in the studio building sets and sculpting light. Food has always been a focal point in life and it was very natural to hone in on that discipline with regards to photography.
Tell us about your favorite recent shoot.
Recently I’ve been shooting a lot of ecom with bright lighting and simple sets that are single product focused…..I jumped at the chance to go in the exact opposite direction and to collaborate on a test shoot with friend and food stylist Allison Fellion. We both have an affinity for the odd and curious, think curio cabinets, dark basement corners with long forgotten treasures, taxidermy with a hint of glamour but not without the macabre. From there the ideas blossomed. We let the inspiration guide our shoot and had an absolute blast creating within the world we had dreamt up. We had a loose shoot plan, which is unusual for me as I am planner and always love to have Plans B + C waiting incase of Plan A failing. It was a great exercise in letting go and letting the props / subject matter guide the way. We focused on what sparked our imagination and these images followed;
What is your favorite productivity tool or software these days?
Honestly, my calendar, a well-organized inbox with a few plug-ins such as Streak, and a handful of spreadsheets. I’ve tried my hand at a variety of different software and productivity tools from project management apps to CRM Software to pre-made marketing plans. At the end of the day, those tools are useless unless you dedicate the time and effort to integrate them into your workflow and more importantly figure out if they even add value to your workflow. Nowadays, everything goes on the calendar and although it’s taken time, I’m honest with myself as to how much time a task will take. Knowing the difference between a project and the individual tasks it takes to complete said project has been a huge help in effectively scheduling my time. I try my best to schedule out my week on Sunday or Monday. Everything from pre production meetings to post production for an individual job gets scheduled. I also make a point to set aside time for marketing emails, admin work, personal shoots, and so on. Scheduling recurring events has also been a great way to keep on top of the minutiae of running a business.
What is your favorite food?
To photograph or to eat? I’m a real sucker for French Fries – could eat them every day if it weren’t for the, ya know, all the oil and fried goodness. French Fries and Ceviche are probably my top two favorite foods, although it would be quite a sad life if those were the only foods I ate. Food is a true joy and I love, absolutely love, traveling and experiencing new cuisines. Now for my favorite food to photograph – that might have to be eggs! Such a versatile food; fried, raw, soft boiled, over easy…. the list continues! Burgers and sandwiches are also a new favorite food to photograph – with layers and a vast array of textures, there’s a complexity and science to capturing the perfect burger or glorious sandwich, a challenge I revel in.
How do you go about planning your concepts for images?
A lot of times, a concept is developed from the desire to learn a new skill, implement new techniques in my photography, or fill a gap in my portfolio. With this in mind, I usually turn to my ongoing “Inspiration Log” (which is always on hand in the notes app). Everything from a word that I’m intrigued by to lighting setup, I write it down here. I usually thumb through to find a concept that will pair well with the new technique I’m looking to learn. Once the creative spark is lit, the planning starts; How can I effectively integrate _______ (insert technique) into my photography and also what am I lacking in my overall portfolio. From there, I pull specific visual inspiration for the concept. This usually entails some googling / searching on Pinterest and leads to the occasional hand drawn sketch. Around this time in the preproduction process, I am also reaching out to many of the wonderful stylists I know and work with. Collaboration is key in creativity and also a perfect exercise for simulating real-world on the job scenarios where, as photographers, we often need to help bring to life someone else’s concept with our spin on it. From this point in planning the shoot, it’s all about aligning direction, sourcing props, setting the shot list, testing any new gear or equipment, and prepping the studio.
If you could spend a day with any artist or photographer (past or present) who would it be?
This is a tough one…. Upon first thought, my mind went to David Bowie. A photographer? No. Artist? Absolutely. Bowie was such a prolific artist. One who never ceased in exploring and finding new avenues of expression. On top of an undeniably sustained and successful career, Bowie also constantly sought out reinvention. For me this is a testament, as an artist, to aim to never stop learning, developing, and becoming more of yourself through art, whichever medium you choose. He was a purveyor of other’s art, whether producing or collaborating, for me that is another quality I admire. I hope to be continuously excited, enlightened, curious, and energized by art till my last days.
How do you define success?
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