Art of the Grill

THE WHISPERING FLAME

With special effects master Geoff Binns-Calvey’s custom flame rig–a snaking collection of metal valves, bottles, and glass tubes–we can control exactly where, when, and how large the flames appear. This way, they don’t disrupt an already perfectly styled piece of meat.

THE SIMULATED GRILL

This isn’t your traditional grill. Grill grates placed above a light box allows Geoff to easily manipulate the appearance of heat. When lit from the light box beneath, red acrylic briquettes dusted in grey powder look so real you would swear you could smell the smoke.

THE GRILL MARKS

When it comes to photography, where timing is everything, a product needs to be styled completely before it hits the set. After searing the pork chops, food stylist Josephine Orba created grill marks with hot metal skewers to give the meat a wonderfully charred, smoky appearance.

THE JUICE

The pork chops are left slightly undercooked so that they don’t dry out on set, where they are exposed to additional heat. A browning agent and a brush of oil makes them look extra juicy.

THE ART

of the GRILL

by

KATHRYN O’MALLEY Few things say summer like a hot, juicy hamburger fresh off the grill, or a glazed piece of pork cooked to perfection. But creating a grill shot can pose unique challenges. How do you capture the heat of the grill without disturbing (or drying out) a styled product? How do you control something as wild as fire? The answer begins with a talented stylist, calculated timing, some complex contraptions, and of course, the photographer’s vision. Click the bullets to learn more about how we tamed the flame.