Like with so many business interactions these days, Idaho-based photographer Annie Kuster came in contact with local seafood company, Thunder’s Catch, through social media. Annie began following the seafood company after they followed her, and what she noticed was that their photography was good, but it could be better. At the time, Annie was looking to collaborate with food stylist, Alisa Lewis. As the two both love supporting local small businesses, they decided a project for Thunder’s Catch would be the perfect thing to take on.
There’s nothing I love shooting more than fresh, beautiful food, and when it’s local and supporting a small business that’s even better!
Thunder’s Catch is a family business who commits itself to providing all-natural, sustainably caught sockeye salmon to the Northwest, so Annie was definitely looking forward to supporting them and putting the spotlight on their delicious product. She and Alisa approached them with the idea to shoot a seasonal recipe for each of the salmons they offered, some smoked and some fillets.
We wanted to show off the beautiful fish in the images, and give people some ideas for creative new ways to serve salmon that were super seasonal for spring.
Once everything was set with Thunder’s Catch, Alisa hit the kitchen to develop some extra seasonal recipes, and Annie hit Pinterest for fish photo inspiration. She also did some testing with natural and artificial light. “Natural light was perfect for highlighting the amazing colors of the fish and spring produce,” says Annie.
When it came to the recipes, Annie and Alisa made sure to use all local and fresh ingredients to match up with the spirit of the fish.
We sourced all of our ingredients, everything from berries and wine to microgreens and pea shoots. You can’t go wrong with really fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Annie says that the reaction to the images has been amazing so far. The owners of Thunder’s Catch absolutely loved the photos, and they are moving to incorporate them into all of their branding, from their website, to their social media, to their new business cards. They’ve also already asked Annie and Alisa about hiring them quarterly for subsequent seasonal shoots.
Annie is thrilled that what started as a desire for a personal project turned into a hugely successful collaboration and the addition of a wonderful new client.
To view more of Annie’s work, visit anniekuster.com