I recently got to shoot new menu photos for The Gambling Cowboy Chophouse & Saloon, a true gem in Southern California’s wine country. The project began with a wonderful chance encounter at a local farm stand with the son of the woman-chef who's run the place for over 15 years. After seeing my photos of fresh produce and the dishes I'd made, he invited me to be their photographer, and I jumped at the chance. With a reputation for excellent food and a staff that feels like family, the restaurant is a genuine Temecula institution. For the shoot, we aimed for a cinematic and authentic look, having the staff themselves act as hand models to bring the dishes to life, which made every shot feel personal and full of the restaurant's unique spirit.

Before I shoot any product I study it in natural light to understand its features and the way it interacts with ambient light. Sure, the high-powered strobes in my studio render beautiful colors and take away shadows but every product has a story. This beautiful bottle that has hand-made silk screened artwork iwth a cylindrical shape and dark color to protect the olive oil deserved its own story!

I recently photographed a fall campaign for a client’s pumpkin and apple butter, highlighting their packaging and the rich flavor cues that define the brand. Alongside clean product imagery, we crafted a lifestyle story with models savoring the spreads on toast, capturing how naturally they fit into everyday moments. To bring extra energy and depth, we layered in video—playing with hard light and close-up motion to showcase the luscious, spiced butter in action.

Maw and Paw is dedicated to quality, offering human-grade dog food, supplements, and delicious bone broth. We feel fortunate to be a part of their journey in bringing such exceptional products to dogs and owners everywhere.

Here are a few of our favorite images from this exciting project!

Verb is a delicious hydration drink mix that is full on flavor and void of sugar or food color. The models loved it. We shot a huge variety on a tight timely but the creativity went to the moon!

Pawp is a first of its kind functional portable water for dogs! We were lucky enough to shoot with the founders in studio and on location to prepare a branded visual story about their product.