COOKBOOKS
Your cookbook is closer than you think.
So many talented chefs carry a book inside them and feel like it is out of reach. It is not. Most of the process is more doable than you have been led to believe, and the part that feels the most daunting, the planning and photography, is exactly where I come in.
I know this because I have been you. Years ago I set out to write my own cookbook. I tested the recipes, laid out the pages myself, and hired a friend to shoot it. I had no guide, no plan, and no idea what I actually needed to tie it all together. That book still sits unfinished in a drawer, and I never want that to happen to you.
I am not just your photographer. I am your guide through the entire process, your food stylist, and a trained chef's eye behind every dish. Three disciplines, one artist. A chef's eye, a stylist's hand, a photographer's vision.
It starts before we ever shoot. I help you build the plan for your book, and carry it all the way through to the final frame. Your recipes are styled and shot by the same person, so your food looks like the very best version of itself and still looks like your food.
One eye, from plate to page.
Some Of My Published Work
MY MAGAZINE
Oh Yeah! I Almost Forgot I Built & Published an Entire Magazine
This is the part I always forget to mention, which is a little ridiculous considering what it took. I wrote every word, styled and shot every image, designed every page, and published the whole thing myself. A full print magazine, start to finish, by my own hand.
It started small. I told myself it would be easy, that every six months I would just compile a few blogs into a little guide. But true to form, I ended up with a huge vision and could not go halfway with it. That is exactly how I work. I keep my eye on the smallest details, the tiny elements that tie an entire vision together, because those are the things that make a finished piece feel whole instead of assembled.
Here is why this matters for your book. Producing a cookbook is a book length editorial project, recipes, images, layout, and flow all working as one. I have already done that, alone, from the first idea to the printed page. So when I tell you I can help carry your book all the way to the finish, it is because I have carried one there myself.
"Amanda is so worth it! She listens to you and your vision of your brand, and if you are not sure what that is yet, she can also help you solidify your dream and make it a reality! I have worked with Amanda on two different shoots and will be bringing her along on multiple other events! Having a great photo library of your work is imperative!! And by the way this is completely unsolicited ... I just saw her post and wanted to chime in!"
CEO Vedam Clementi
VeeCulinary, Atlanta, GA
WHERE TO BEGIN
Every Cookbook Begins With a Book Map
Before we ever step into the studio, we build your Book Map together, the plan that makes your whole book cohesive instead of cobbled together.
In one focused hour we map out your recipes, decode the photography terms that will help you understand the process better, and set you up so your recipe testing and planning all point toward a book that photographs beautifully.
Here is the thing no one gave me. When I wrote my own book, I did not know what a Book Map was, let alone what I needed to hold it all together. So I built the tool I wish I had. It is yours to keep and work from, no matter how long it takes to test your recipes or budget your project.
Already have a Book Map from your publisher? Wonderful, we will build from yours.
The consult is $250 and is credited toward your project when you book.
"Amanda is a delight to work with! You can tell she cares deeply about every detail and really gets to know your brand before taking photos. She is so fun and spunky. I've had a blast shooting with her on 5 different shoots and am always happy with the results."
Chef Deb Cantrell, Fort Worth, Texas
Every Cookbook Begins With a Book Map
I take a limited number of cookbook projects each year, so every author gets my full attention and every image gets the care it deserves. Whether you are self publishing or working with a publisher, I would love to help you bring your book to life.
The consult is $250 and is credited toward your project when you book.
