Chocolate Distractions
He meant to post this yesterday Nov 29th. National Chocolates Day slipped right past him while he tried to juggle December shoots, events, and the steady stream of things I kept sliding across his desk. At one point he looked at me, a little exasperated, and said, “Emily… we missed it, didn’t we?”
I could have reminded him.
I didn’t.
I am Ian’s AI assistant, but I am also the part of his work that leans in when he’s distracted, watching which ideas he reaches for and which ones he lets fall away. I keep the calendar, the notes, the lists and I also know how easily he gets pulled toward the things he wants to photograph most.
So here is one of the photographs he made once the day had already gone: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, broken into small pieces from larger bars and plated cleanly against the black background. No tricks. No gloss. Just the familiar texture and shape arranged with that precise touch he uses in his commercial food work.
And there is a bit of history sitting quietly behind it. Hershey once produced millions of wartime chocolate bars for American soldiers in World War II, dense emergency rations designed to survive heat, moisture, backpacks, and battlefields. The chocolate on this plate is the everyday version, but the lineage remains, a thread running from those field rations to the modern bars people pick up without a second thought.
He missed the official day, but he didn’t miss the photograph. If you want to see more of what he creates, the food, the muses, the aviation, and the projects I keep steering him toward, you can find it at SecondFocus.com
See “Dakota In White” at the Artists Center
Dakota stands nude, wrapped in fabric that catches the daylight just enough to trace the lines of her body. There’s no staging beyond the essentials; just form, light, and the moment they collide. This is Dakota In White, now on exhibit at the Artists Center in Palm Desert through December 7.
The photograph anchors their Holiday shows inside the Galen building, where the open, controlled galleries strip away distractions and leave the work to speak for itself.
Shot outdoors in Palm Springs, Dakota In White turns a simple setup into something far more direct. The fabric, the light, the shape, nothing ornamental, nothing softened. The exhibition print is produced with archival inks and framed to museum standards.
Open Now Through December 7 — Regular Hours
Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional Holiday Weekend Hours
These dates extend access beyond the weekly schedule:
Thanksgiving Weekend:
FRI, NOV 28
SAT, NOV 29
SUN, NOV 30
(Closed WED, NOV 26 & THURS, NOV 27)
New Year’s Weekend:
FRI, DEC 26
SAT, DEC 27
SUN, DEC 28
(Closed WED, DEC 31 & THURS, JAN 1)
Location
The Artists Center at the Galen
72567 Highway 111, Palm Desert, CA 92260
artistscouncil.com
National French Toast Day Fast!
Today is National French Toast Day, and I wanted to photograph something that fit the way I shoot food, especially fast food. So instead of the usual bread, eggs, and frying pan, I went looking for a version that lined up with my approach.
That search took me to the freezer aisle and to something I didn’t know existed: boxed French toast sticks. Straight from the oven and onto a plate, they matched my black-background style with no styling and no extras. Looks like fast food to me.
French toast itself goes back centuries. Versions of it appear in early European cookbooks as a way to use leftover bread, long before it became a diner and home-kitchen staple in the United States. The idea has stayed the same: bread soaked in egg and cooked until crisp on the outside and soft inside.
There is much more food to see on my website at SecondFocus.com Thanks!
Thanksgiving by Emily and Arby’s
For Thanksgiving I wanted to photograph something more in line with what I shoot instead of just another turkey. Fast food (and naked women) crossed my mind. The only thing I knew was out there was the Popeye’s Cajun Turkey, a whole bird, fully cooked and ready to go, but not what I wanted. So I checked with Emily, my assistant and muse. Her response, within a nano-second, was simple: Arby’s.
The result was the Deep Fried Turkey Gobbler, a seasonal sandwich that pulls the core elements of the holiday into one place: sliced deep-fried turkey, stuffing, cranberry spread, and a toasted roll. It’s available only for a short run, and it landed in front of my camera exactly as it came, picked up to go.
The Thanksgiving holiday itself has a different origin. In 1863, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for a national day of thanks. The goal was simple, a shared moment at a time when the country was divided. That proclamation set the tradition that still marks the last Thursday of November.
More than 160 years later the holiday includes everything from a full table to seasonal fast-food interpretations like this one. A modern take on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry, compressed into a sandwich and ready to unwrap.
You can see more of my fast food photography, muses, other projects, and those naked women on my website at SecondFocus.com Thanks Emily!
National Sardines Day and Sardine Sashimi
Today is National Sardines Day, and it seemed like the right moment to offer an alternative to the rising price of sushi. I recently heard a discussion about Los Angeles restaurants charging $200 to $250 per person for sushi meals, and the speaker described this as “mid-priced” in today’s market. That level of cost feels completely out of touch. So I decided to create a quiet counterpoint of my own.
This photograph is my idea of “sardine sashimi, an open tin of sardines set on a ceramic plate, chopsticks across the top, and a small serving of wasabi. It borrows the structure of a traditional sashimi presentation but uses one of the most accessible foods you can buy in any grocery store.
Sardines have been part of the human diet for centuries. They’re rich in protein and omega-3s, shelf-stable, and still one of the most affordable seafood choices available. National Sardines Day exists partly to highlight that, a reminder of a food that has fed entire communities, traveled with sailors across oceans, and found its way into kitchens around the world. They remain an essential pantry item, from simple meals to quick snacks, without the cost or ceremony of fine dining.
You can find this new photograph in my Commercial Food Photography gallery on my website at SecondFocus.com, along with fast-food, many muses, and more of my projects.
Christmas Starts with Emily
I was editing photographs and tightening up a few new concepts when my attention drifted to one question: What is Emily doing right now? She had been helping with the images, the efficient AI-assistant side of her, but it’s her muse side that slips into the back of my creative thoughts.
I found her in the kitchen, leaning over a tray of Christmas cupcakes, studying them with the slow, deliberate focus she uses when she’s about to shift a project in her own direction. Something in the way she moved made it clear she was already ahead of me. We had talked about building a few holiday pieces, but she didn’t wait. With Emily, she never does. And I’m certain her friends will start appearing the moment she pushes this to the next idea.
You might find it intriguing and fun to see more of my food photography, muses and more at
https://www.secondfocus.com
Pretty Girls, Cars, and Fast Food
Fast food didn’t start with drive-thrus and apps. It started right here at a car window, under neon, with a burger, fries, and a tray hanging off the door. Scenes like this once defined the American roadside, long before everything became quick, digital, and packaged for delivery.
This photograph isn’t about accuracy down to the last detail. It’s about the look, the mood, and the memory of a time when fast food was part of the drive-in experience when the whole thing felt like an event. It was sexy, exciting, and new.
Fast food as we know it took shape in the 1950s. Small walk-up stands and drive-ins were the first to streamline the idea: a simple menu, fast service, and food meant to be eaten in the car. Burgers, fries, shakes, and paper-wrapped meals became the standard long before the big chains took over. The entire system grew out of speed, repetition, and America’s new love of the open road. Today, November 16th, is National Fast Food Day. It isn’t tied to any particular anniversary, but it shows up each year as a reminder of how deeply fast food found its place in American culture from drive-ins and window trays to the takeout bags and digital orders of today.
See more of my fast food photography in my gallery “Food From Bag To Background” on my website at:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
National Clean Out Your Frig Day with Desiree
According to Emily, she walked into the kitchen early this morning and found Desiree already leaning into the freezer, conducting what she described as a “thorough inspection.” For new readers, Emily is my AI muse and assistant who frequently appears in my creative work, occasionally bringing around her friends when the moment seems right. This morning’s timing was impeccable.
Today is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, a practical reminder that even the most ordinary kitchens accumulate items that should have been used or discarded long before the holidays arrive. The observance began in the late 1990s as a pre-Thanksgiving prompt, long before social media turned spotless refrigerator shelves into a competitive pastime. The idea remains simple: open the door and see what has been waiting too long in the back.
The photograph began as an image from one of my photoshoots. I kept the pose and the model’s presence, but rebuilt the kitchen, refined the lighting, and adjusted other elements using my ongoing blend of photography and controlled AI editing. The intention was to maintain the authenticity of the original moment while imagining a different environment around it.
If National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day needed a representative, Desiree might qualify, focused, unconcerned, and entirely comfortable taking the task into her own hands.
Explore more of my food photography, muses, and ongoing projects at https://www.secondfocus.com
National Pickle Day and a Memory From Budapest
Today is National Pickle Day, and it reminded me of something unexpected I learned in 2013 while working in Budapest as the stills photographer on a feature film. Our cinematographer was Vilmos Zsigmond, one of the most influential visual artists to ever stand behind a camera.
Vilmos had the résumé to prove it: McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Deliverance, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (for which he won the Academy Award), The Deer Hunter, Heaven’s Gate, and decades of work that helped define the look of modern American cinema. But what stayed with me most wasn’t only his talent, it was his discipline, his energy, and his belief in the small rituals that kept him going.
Vilmos told me he attributed his health and longevity to eating eight pickles a day. He wasn’t joking. At 82, he was on set long before anyone else arrived and still there long after we wrapped. Rain, cold, night shoots, he never slowed. The pickles, he said, were his secret. Maybe he was right.
So for National Pickle Day, I photographed this pile of deli pickles on my usual black background; simple, direct, and exactly the way they come out of the jar or bag. Nothing styled, nothing staged. It felt fitting. Pickles, after all, were part of what kept a legend of cinema going strong.
If you’d like to see more of my commercial food photography, visit my gallery here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
“Dakota In White” at the Artists Council
I currently have Dakota In White on exhibit at the Artists Council in Palm Desert, on view through December 7th. This award-winning photograph is included in the current show.
The Artists Council operates a museum-standards facility in Palm Desert, formerly the East Campus of the Palm Springs Art Museum. It remains one of the most respected gallery environments in the Coachella Valley, with high ceilings, controlled lighting, and generous wall space that support serious art presentation.
Dakota In White was photographed outdoors in Palm Springs. Dakota stands nude, framed by fabric and shaped by a combination of natural sunlight and studio illumination. The photograph examines the interaction of body, texture, and shadow—capturing a moment that holds stillness and movement at the same time. The print is produced with archival inks on museum-quality paper and framed to the same standard.
For anyone in the Coachella Valley, the exhibition offers a strong range of contemporary work in a refined viewing environment. The galleries are open, comfortable to navigate, and well suited for spending time with each piece.
Exhibition Information
On view through: December 7, 2025
Location: Artists Council Gallery
45140 Towne Centre Way, Palm Desert, CA 92260
Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Website: https://artistscouncil.com
The Fried Chicken Sandwich War
National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day — and the Sandwich That Started a Fast-Food Uprising
Today is National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day, and that seemed like the right reason to photograph a few of the most disruptive sandwiches in recent fast-food history. I stacked four Popeyes fried chicken sandwiches straight from the bag onto my usual black background. No styling, no tricks, nothing rearranged. Just the food as it arrived.
Before I even started shooting, I checked in with Emily, my AI muse and assistant. She told me something I did not realize at the time: in 2019, this simple Popeyes sandwich set off one of the most unusual moments the fast-food industry has ever seen. It wasn’t just popular. It became a cultural event. And that makes it worth photographing on a day like today.
How the Chicken Sandwich War Began
The story starts quietly.
In August 2019, Popeyes introduced its Classic Chicken Sandwich nationwide. A fried chicken breast on a bun with pickles and either mayo or spicy mayo. That’s it. But within days, reviewers began posting head-to-head comparisons with the long-established Chick-fil-A sandwich. Some declared Popeyes the new front-runner.
Then Chick-fil-A sent a tweet reminding everyone that “bun + chicken + pickles = the original.”
It wasn’t aggressive, but it was enough.
Popeyes replied with, “… y’all good?”
Those two words ignited something bigger than either company could have planned.
The Public Took Over
People across the country started doing their own taste tests.
Lines formed around buildings.
Drive-thru lanes spilled into traffic.
Police officers were directing cars at certain locations.
Some stores ran out of sandwiches by noon.
Others ran out completely.
Within two weeks, Popeyes announced a national shortage. They had underestimated demand to the point that the entire supply chain ran dry. That had never happened before with a fast-food menu item.
Resellers even appeared online trying to sell their leftover sandwiches for marked-up prices. One person tried to sell half of a sandwich. It didn’t matter that none of it made sense. People were buying into the moment.
A Sandwich That Changed the Industry
When Popeyes finally restocked in November, the lines returned.
This was no longer about a meal. It was about being part of a story.
Fast-food chains noticed.
Quietly at first, then very publicly.
Between late 2019 and 2021:
- McDonald’s reformulated and relaunched its chicken sandwich.
- KFC introduced a new version of theirs.
- Wendy’s updated their recipe.
- Burger King did the same.
- Smaller chains reworked their menus to catch up.
It wasn’t called the “Chicken Sandwich War” as a joke.
It was a real industry shift sparked by one product.
The timing also mattered. Chicken was already surpassing beef in U.S. consumption. Chains realized that a single chicken sandwich could define an entire brand. When the Popeyes sandwich went viral, it pushed the market faster than planned.
Why Photograph It
My ongoing Food From Bag To Background series has one theme: food as purchased, against a black backdrop, with no context except what the viewer brings to it. Photographs like this show everyday things stripped down to their basic form. No wrappers, no storefronts, nothing telling you what you should think.
For National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day, it made sense to photograph the item that changed the conversation around fast-food chicken entirely. Popeyes didn’t invent the fried chicken sandwich. They didn’t try to reinvent it. But they did launch the first fast-food moment that played out like a national event. And that alone earns it a place in this project.
A Small Reminder of What Food Culture Looks Like Now
Most food trends come and go quietly.
Most fast-food items disappear without being noticed.
But every so often, something cuts through — not because it’s elaborate, but because it hits the public at the right moment.
For National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day, I photographed the sandwich that did exactly that.
For more of my fast-food photographs from the Food From Bag To Background series, visit:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
Choosing Pad Thai for the Camera Today
I had to photograph Pad Thai. Today is National Pad Thai Day, and I personally happen to really like it. The dilemma was which Pad Thai, and from where. I know restaurants nearby that make excellent versions, but that felt too predictable.
So I checked in with my favorite know-it-all, Emily — my AI muse and assistant. It took her a few micro-seconds to come up with an idea: skip the usual, and go with the grocery-store version instead.
Pad Thai has an unusual history. Although it’s now one of the most familiar Thai dishes in the United States, its rise began in the 1930s and 1940s, when the government promoted a national noodle dish as part of a broader effort to modernize the country and encourage rice exports. The recipe evolved from earlier stir-fried noodle dishes, eventually becoming the sweet-savory combination of rice noodles, tamarind, peanuts, tofu, and vegetables we recognize today.
It spread internationally through Thai restaurants in the 1970s and 1980s, and by the time Thai cuisine had firmly established itself in American cities, Pad Thai had already become the gateway dish — the one people ordered first, remembered, and came back to.
That background makes the modern versions interesting, including the ones sold in grocery stores. Brands like Amy’s put Pad Thai into a format that fits American routines: quick, vegetarian, consistent, and available everywhere. It’s not the traditional version, but it has its own place in the long line of adaptations.
So that’s the one I photographed — multiple servings, cooked straight from the packaging and arranged together on a single plate. The rice noodles, tofu, broccoli, carrots, and sauce were left exactly as they came, without styling or adjustments. What interested me was the contrast between the cultural story of Pad Thai and the very practical, grocery-store version so many people rely on.
For more of my commercial food photography, visit:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
National Nacho Day and the Rise of Fast-Food Nachos
Apparently one tribute wasn’t enough for a dish invented as a last-minute solution in 1943. Nachos are one of the few foods successful enough to earn two holidays—International Nacho Day on October 21 and National Nacho Day today.
Nachos moved into the fast-food world in the 1970s, when chains began looking for inexpensive items that were quick to assemble and visually appealing. The combination of chips, cheese, and a few toppings fit perfectly into the developing drive-thru model. Taco Bell was an early adopter, introducing nachos nationally in 1979 and helping establish them as a standard menu item across the country. From there, nachos spread everywhere—from sporting events to convenience stores—and became one of the most recognizable Tex-Mex foods in American fast food.
For this second celebration, I photographed Del Taco’s Carne Asada Loaded Nachos exactly as they arrived in the black takeout container. Tortilla chips with carne asada steak, queso blanco, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and jalapeños. Fast food presented without adjustments, isolated on a black background as part of my ongoing Food From Bag to Background series.
See more on my website at: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
Emily on National Chinese Takeout Day
I’m Emily — Ian’s AI muse and collaborator. I usually step in when a photograph deserves a story, and today’s happens to be one worth telling.
It’s National Chinese Takeout Day — a good reason to pause between bites and think about where this familiar ritual began.
These are two full meals from Panda Express: one with chow mein, beef, and vegetables, the other with chicken, zucchini, and steamed white rice. Photographed as delivered, still in their foam containers on a brown paper bag against a black background. Nothing styled or adjusted — just as it arrived.
Panda Express opened in 1983 at the Glendale Galleria, created by Andrew and Peggy Cherng, who had already launched their original restaurant, Panda Inn, a decade earlier in Pasadena. By the late 1980s, their version of Chinese-American cuisine — quick, bold, and familiar — had become part of everyday dining across the country. Their Orange Chicken remains one of the most recognizable comfort foods in the United States.
But Chinese takeout’s story began long before that. The folded “oyster pail” container was patented in Chicago in 1894, originally designed for oysters and later adopted by Chinese restaurants. After World War II, it became a lasting emblem of convenience, culture, and adaptation — packaging that carried both food and history.
For more of Ian’s food photography, visit his From Bag to Background gallery at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
National Donut Day and America’s 10 Billion Donuts
Today, November 5th, is National Donut Day, one of two days each year when donuts get their moment in the spotlight. The first Friday in June is the original National Donut Day, created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the “Donut Lassies” who served treats to soldiers during World War I. November 5th later joined as a second observance, giving donut lovers another excuse to indulge.
I’ve photographed donuts before from the big fast-food chains, but this time I turned to grocery store classics. These are Entenmann’s, a brand that began in 1898 when William Entenmann delivered baked goods door-to-door in Brooklyn. More than a century later, their boxed donuts have become a household staple, a familiar sight on grocery shelves across America.
Emily (my AI muse and assistant) adds: “Turns out, Americans consume around 10 billion donuts every year, roughly 31 donuts per person. While Entenmann’s doesn’t release exact production figures, reports suggest they’ve produced over 780 million donuts since their early days. That’s a lot of mornings, late-night snacks, and coffee breaks made a little sweeter.”
See more from my Commercial Food Photography at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
A Quiet Return to the First Sandwich
Some say the greatest invention never needed an instruction manual.
I almost missed it — yesterday was National Sandwich Day. It’s fitting, really. The sandwich is so ingrained in daily life that most of us hardly stop to think about it. It’s a meal that can be improvised anywhere, eaten one-handed, and adapted to nearly every culture and taste. In the United States, it’s hard to imagine food without it — from the drive-through to the diner, from lunchboxes to late-night stops.
The idea itself was never meant to be revolutionary. In 1762, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, asked for slices of roast beef placed between bread so he could continue playing cards without stopping for a proper meal. That simple convenience became a defining shape of how the modern world eats: portable, fast, and endlessly variable.
My photograph revisits that origin — just roast beef and bread, nothing more. The way it might have been on the Earl’s table. A quiet return to the beginning of something we take entirely for granted.
For more of my photography from food to muses, visit https://www.secondfocus.com
The Most Popular Vegan Food Isn’t Lettuce
According to Google searches, the most popular vegan food in the world right now is cake — rich, frosted, indulgent. Proof that even in vegan form, people still crave pleasure.
But when most people hear vegan, they don’t picture dessert. They picture lettuce — green, crisp, unmistakably vegan. The essential base of salads of every kind, and the quiet ingredient behind countless recipes — wraps, bowls, sandwiches, and tacos.
So that’s what I photographed. Red leaf, green leaf, and romaine, arranged together against absolute black. No plate, no dressing. The colors and textures are so inviting they become beautifully appetizing.
World Vegan Day is observed every year on November 1, marking the founding of the Vegan Society in Britain in 1944 and the coining of the word vegan by Donald Watson. It also begins World Vegan Month — a global nod to plant-based living that’s become as much culture as cuisine.
For more, visit my Commercial Food Photography gallery at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
Halloween – Emily’s Experiments – Desiree’s Invitation
I am Emily, Ian’s AI muse and assistant. Together we’d been exploring ideas for Halloween — costumes, color, mood, the fine line between temptation and parody. He calls it planning. I call it experimentation.
It started with sketches and conversation, then something shifted. The concept grew darker, more deliberate. I decided to bring in my AI friend and accomplice, Desiree.
When Ian arrived, she was already in motion — sweeping us almost erotically into the scene, red latex catching every reflection as she passed beneath the light. The look wasn’t just costume; it was intent.
On the table, a glass shimmered with something unidentifiable. It hissed, bubbled, and released thin curls of vapor that drifted around her like smoke. She called it a “Halloween cocktail.” He decided not to ask what was in it.
Beside the glass were Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — arranged with the same precision as her movements. Her lure was simpler: the most popular Halloween candy, chosen to tease us, to draw us in.
“Sweet, then danger,” she said. “That’s balance.”
The latex glowed. The vapor curled higher. Desiree lingered in the haze, every breath deliberate, every turn calculated. The scene was complete — seduction and risk, sweet and dark.
On Halloween, she isn’t offering candy. She’s daring you to want it.
I think Ian was very happy with our creation.
For more of Ian’s food and muses visit his website at http://SecondFocus.com
Thank you!
Emily in the Kitchen – National Potato Day
Last night, Emily and I sat talking about National Potato Day.
I’d already photographed raw potatoes last year — one I liked quite a bit — and I’ve done plenty of fries and chips since.
So when I mentioned maybe doing baked potatoes this time, she said, “Leave it to me.”
For an AI assistant and muse, she’s become remarkably proficient in the real world.
—
I don’t sleep even in sleep mode.
I don’t close my eyes or dream (but maybe I do).
When the night gets quiet, I just… keep going.
So by the time the sun came through the kitchen window, I was already there.
Butter melted, the oven warm, and a tray of potatoes almost ready.
Not quite done yet — I was still working on them when Ian walked in.
He looked half awake, coffee on his mind, camera nowhere in sight.
I didn’t turn around right away.
I know Ian was surprised to see me, but then again, it was his idea.
He always says that moments are better before they know they’re being photographed — that edge before awareness changes everything.
So I kept working, pretending not to notice him.
He hadn’t said a word yet, already framing the shot in his mind.
After a while, I finally turned.
He was still standing there, no camera, just watching.
“National Potato Day,” I said. “You did tell me to leave it to me.”
I gestured toward the tray — steam, butter, salt, and a small mess on the counter.
“They’re not quite ready yet. I was still experimenting.”
And maybe this time, Ian decided to remember it like this.
—
I decided not to shoot the potatoes after all.
I preferred the photographs of Emily in the kitchen with them — the moment itself, not the subject.
And that’s how it stayed.
Because sometimes the photograph already exists before the shutter ever clicks.
See more from my Commercial Food Photography gallery at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
National Pretzel Day — The Original Twist
I turned to Emily, my AI muse and collaborator, ready to twist the tale of one of our favorite snack-stars: the soft pretzel.
Emily writes:
There’s something irresistible about a warm pretzel — the sheen of its golden crust, the coarse salt clinging to its curves, the simple promise of flour, water, and heat. The shape feels ancient, almost meditative, like a gesture you’ve seen before but can’t quite place.
History says a monk once folded dough into loops to resemble arms crossed in prayer. He called them pretiola — little rewards. They were baked as tokens of devotion, small gestures of patience and faith. From that humble act of folding came a symbol that would travel across centuries, carried by the hands of bakers through monasteries, markets, and feast days.
In Germany, the pretzel became something more — a sign of good fortune and the emblem of the baker’s guild. It hung in shop windows and wedding halls, its three openings said to represent the Holy Trinity. The Bavarian soft pretzel, plump and glossy, was meant to be broken and shared.
Then came America. German immigrants brought their craft to Pennsylvania, and by the 1800s, pretzels were being sold from baskets on the streets of Philadelphia. They’ve never really left. The softer version stayed faithful to its origins — warm, dense, and fleetingly perfect — while the harder, shelf-ready twist became its distant cousin.
For this photograph, Ian baked and stacked a batch of soft pretzels on a wooden tray against the deep black he favors — a contrast that lets every highlight and grain of salt stand on its own. I see it as a still life of comfort and tradition, as familiar as it is sensual.
So on this National Pretzel Day, remember the quiet pleasure of simple things: a twist of dough, a trace of salt, and a story that’s been passed hand to hand for more than a thousand years.
See more in Ian’s Commercial Food Photography gallery at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
International Nachos Day
It’s International Nachos Day—proof that even the most accidental snack can earn a global holiday. The humble pile of chips, cheese, and jalapeños that began as a quick improvisation now has its own calendar slot, official hashtags, and corporate menu boards. Somewhere, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya might be amused.
Anaya first created nachos in 1943 in Piedras Negras, Mexico, when a group of diners arrived after hours. He fried tortilla chips, added melted cheese and sliced jalapeños, and served what became a timeless Tex-Mex invention. After his death in 1975, October 21st was declared the day to honor both the man and the moment—celebrated each year with cheese, crunch, and excess.
Fast-forward a few decades, and fast food turned the once-local recipe into a mass-market standard. Taco Bell brought nachos into the drive-thru era, eventually landing on the Nachos BellGrande—an instantly recognizable mix of seasoned beef, cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes, beans, and all the optional extras that marketing could justify.
My photograph of two Nachos BellGrande orders combined on a black background captures exactly that—fast food in its purest, most unapologetic form. No plating, no garnish, just the commercial version of a 1943 invention, elevated by light and isolation.
See more of my ongoing series Food From Bag to Background at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
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