BUN BO HUE

Studio food photography and magazine design

Inspiration

Upon doing some research, I found a liking towards dark food photography. There’s just something about the mysterious yet sophisticated ambience that comes with a dark environment which illuminates the subject matter. I knew I wanted to choose a noodle dish that ties into my Chinese/Vietnamese heritage. Before I knew it, I was sold on the idea of Bun bo Hue. The noodle soup calls for so many ingredients that I have plenty of garnishes and colors to play with! I set out to grab some bamboo mats, wooden chopsticks, and soup spoons to convey that sense of Vietnamese dining and collected dark grey napkins to establish the moody feel I wanted.

Execution

My concept revolved around the ingredients and final form of the classic Vietnamese noodle soup, Bun bo Hue. Using a plethora of herbs, vegetables, and meat, I wanted to convey the nutritious value of the dish and elevate the shot with cleanly placed utensils, table decor, and a moody, dark atmosphere with a blurred foreground. As for equipment, I used 2 softbox lights and reflective glass to capture the shot.

For the magazine layout, I designed it after a cookbook format. I wanted the page to introduce the dish’s name, history, and flavor profile then followed by the ingredients categorized by soup base, main contents, and then toppings.