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One of the main skills Birmingham, Alabama-based commercial and editorial photographer Art Meripol learned while working as a travel photographer for Southern Living for 25 years was that “great travel shoots are about letting the people tell the story of the place.”
His recent project for the State of Alabama Department of Tourism required him to photograph 60-80 places, all with one thing in common: southern barbeque. The photos are for a book on barbeque in Alabama, scheduled to come out this fall. Art has already documented 40 places, with another 30-40 to go.
Art said he was thrilled to get the job, but it’s also a challenge: “How do you make sure it’s not page after page of brown food?”
The solution to the challenge of incorporating variety into his shots included making them not just about the food, but about the people.
The writer I’m working with is researching in advance of my shoots. Her shot lists have been good at helping me decide what to shoot at each place. The pit masters and personality photos are the most fun.
Although the pitmasters add an important aspect to the book, at the end of the day, people want to see what the food looks like. Art found himself going for close-up shots more often, focusing on all the yummy details:
I want people to see the detail in the burnt edges, the smoke ring and whether it’s pulled, chopped or sliced. The basic repertoire of shots consists of the staff, exteriors, interiors, customers, signs, plate shots and grills, pits and smokers. Within that I look for as much variation as possible.
Another challenge has been keeping himself fresh and energized despite shooting so many locations in such a short amount of time. (In the heart of southern summer at that!) Art keeps ample amounts of water and apples within reach and does everything he can to limit taste testing. He has been updating his fan base via Instagram and Facebook (hashtag: #mysummerofsmoke). He had his annual physical before he started shooting, and is aiming to keep his cholesterol consistent despite all of the delicious temptations!
Although there’s a plethora of yummy food and variety of locations, Art says that this book is all about great craftsmen, with each location a new challenge and new story to tell. He will rise at 4:30 a.m. most days, sharing the quiet pre-dawn hours with just the pitmasters, talking barbeque and life in Alabama.
Art’s favorite part of the project thus far? Getting to explore his own state:
I traveled out of state and across the south for almost 25 years for [Southern Living] magazine. When I came home from trips I stayed home to be with family. I’m now going down the back roads and seeing all the towns and rural areas that were just places on a map before. There’s some real beauty I never knew existed.