Murielle is a food photographer, recipe
total wellness ▪ spring 2021
developer and educator based in Canada. Through her various platforms she aims to make food photography accessible to everyone while also trying to democratize veganism!
You talk a lot about photography on your platform and part of photography is telling a story! How do you go about planning a shoot for a cultural dish that is particularly special to you?
When I shoot a recipe that is close to my heart or one that I grew up with, I always think of the emotions that dish evokes for me first. I think about how the dish made me feel and try to remember any memories associated with it. Let’s say I am shooting a frozen dessert I used to have as a kid growing up in Africa: memories of sunny warm days will come to mind. This will influence the aesthetic I choose for my shoot. I will incorporate a warmer light, use tropical fruits as props and maybe incorporate some of my Congolese patterned fabrics to convey those childhood memories.
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Why did you go vegan? How did going vegan affect both the cultural dishes you enjoy and how you share that food with other people?
I went vegan after watching Earthlings, a movie about industrial farming and the horrors that happen to animals behind closed doors. I realized I could no longer support a system that was so violent towards sentient beings. Going vegan definitely made it harder for me to eat childhood classics, but as a recipe developer, it also gave me a wonderful opportunity to recreate some of my favorite childhood foods and make them vegan.
Have you ever felt like there was a stereotype for veganism? Did that stereotype ever affect what you chose to eat or share?
Absolutely! That stereotype for me was a smoothie bowl lover, living in California who ate jumbo salads every day! Trust me, I tried that and it left me hungry so at some point, I just decided to turn away from that stereotype. I sought out other creators of color (which was sometimes much harder to find, especially a few years ago!) who were vegan and that helped me with redefining veganism. The vegan stereotype did affect the type of food I shared on social media for sure. Although my food is not super culturally rooted, I did question if there would be a market in the vegan community for recipes that were not as veggie forward as other creators or that did not contain tons of superfoods. However, with time, I realized that there is a place for everyone and as long as I stayed true to my vision, I would connect with like-minded people.
photos: murielle banackissa
Murielle Banackissa @muriellebanackissa
