Photography by Ian L. Sitren

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When Fast Food Isn’t Burgers and Fries

El Pollo Loco’s fire-grilled chicken — citrus-marinated and cooked over an open flame — has been the centerpiece of their menu since 1975, when the first location opened in Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico. Brought to Los Angeles in 1980, it quickly became known for its simple, home-style approach: grilled chicken served with warm tortillas, pinto beans, and Spanish rice.

Despite its roots in traditional Mexican cooking, El Pollo Loco is officially classified as a fast food chain — not for a lack of quality, but for its counter service model, quick preparation, and drive-thru convenience. A reminder that fast food doesn’t always mean burgers and fries.

See more of my fast food photography series, “From Bag to Background”, on my website http://SecondFocus.com

What’s Left Behind on the Parchment

Parchment paper tells its own story. The browned impressions, the outlines of where the food once rested—heat, placement, and process left behind. Nothing arranged here, just the baking sheet as it came out of the oven.

Cooking on parchment paper keeps things from sticking, makes cleanup easy, and sometimes leaves behind these quiet little records of what just happened. Any guesses what was baked on this tray?

Part of my From Bag to Background series. See more at http://SecondFocus.com Thanks!

“You Looked” At Through the Lens

“You Looked.”
That’s the title.

Reception: May 1, 5–7pm (free and open to the public). 72-567 Hwy 111, Palm Desert CA

She’s nude except for heels, a wig, and a sheer apron pretending to conceal. The pot is decorative at best. You’ve already looked between her legs—everyone does. That flicker of curiosity, the not-quite-permissible glance, is part of the design. The image doesn’t seduce. It waits, quietly watching what you choose to see.

This is a photograph—42×52 inches, framed archival pigment print, artist’s proof. Premiering at the Artists Center at the Galen in Palm Desert—a museum-quality exhibition space that once served as the east campus of the Palm Springs Art Museum—through the Through the Lens photography exhibition, April 30–May 25. I invite you to stand in front of it. Decide where your eyes will go.

Pigs In A Blanket, Straight From the Oven

National Pigs In A Blanket Day
April 24, 2025

Pigs in a blanket—simple, nostalgic, and still one of the most popular finger foods in America.

For National Pigs In A Blanket Day, I photographed Hebrew National beef franks wrapped in puff pastry, baked straight from the box. After coming out of the oven, I dropped them onto a black background and shot them as they landed. A few were cut open to show the interior, but otherwise there was no styling, no arrangement—just the food as it is.

The concept of wrapping meat in dough dates back centuries, with versions found across Europe. The American take gained popularity in the 1950s, and brands like Pillsbury cemented its place in kitchens and party platters starting in the 1970s. Today, pigs in a blanket remain a staple for game days, holidays, and buffet tables—ranking among the top five most popular Super Bowl snacks in the U.S.

This photo is part of my From Bag to Background series, where fast food and snack items are photographed without interference—unwrapped, unstyled, and unbothered.

See the full gallery at http://SecondFocus.com Thanks!

National English Muffin Day — No Styling Required

Today is “National English Muffin Day” — a nod to the simple breakfast classic with its nooks and crannies.

My photograph of Thomas’ English Muffins, casually stacked and fork-split to reveal their airy interiors, stays true to how they come straight from the package. First sold in New York City in 1880 by British immigrant Samuel Bath Thomas, these muffins were originally called “toaster crumpets” before becoming the American breakfast staple we know today.

No styling, no tricks — just food as it is. See more from my “From Bag to Background” series on my website at http://SecondFocus.com Thanks!

Emily Does Everything—Even the Mail

People say AI is going to replace office work. Mine prefers doing it poolside at my house in Palm Springs, in a bikini, with envelopes. Emily was handling my old-school correspondence yesterday—no cloud sync, no printer, just sunlight and paper cuts. She says analog tasks help her processing cycles “feel something.”

National McDonald’s Day: Big Macs, McNuggets, Fries, and Apple Pie — From Bag to Background

It is National McDonald’s Day! A moment to acknowledge the fast food giant that reshaped global eating habits.

My photograph features four of McDonald’s most iconic and historically significant menu items, photographed straight from the bag to the black background:

🍔 **Big Mac** – Introduced in 1967 in Pittsburgh, the Big Mac became a national item by 1968. Known for its triple bun and “special sauce,” it’s arguably the most famous fast food burger in the world.

🍗 **Chicken McNuggets** – Launched in 1983 after years of development, McNuggets brought uniform shapes and dipping sauces to the mainstream. Their popularity reshaped how fast food chains approached snacks and sides.

🍟 **French Fries** – A staple since the beginning. McDonald’s fries, once cooked in beef tallow, have long been a benchmark for fast food fries worldwide.

🥧 **Apple Pie** – First sold in 1968 as a deep-fried dessert, the pie was later baked for health-conscious appeal. Its rectangular form and hot filling remain a nostalgic favorite.

No styling, no alterations — just photographed as they came, part of my “From Bag to Background” series. See the full project to date on my website at http://SecondFocus.com

National Grilled Cheese Day: Sonic’s Classic

Today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day!

This isn’t melted cheese for nostalgia’s sake. It’s ten Sonic grilled cheese sandwiches—photographed exactly as they came, stacked into a slightly chaotic, slightly perfect wall of toast and cheese. A quiet cult favorite on the Sonic menu for decades. Cheap. Unchanged. And still here.

📷 “From Bag to Background”
🧀 See the full series http://SecondFocus.com

Building a Stack: Sonic Grilled Cheese x10

A slow build of melted cheese and toasted Texas toast.

Ten Sonic grilled cheese sandwiches, stacked one at a time—no styling, no props, just what comes in the bag. This stop-motion video is a teaser for tomorrow’s full photo drop for “National Grilled Cheese Day” (April 12).

Fast food. Black background. Nothing extra.

📸 Watch the stack come together—
🧀 Come back tomorrow for the final shot.
🔗 http://SecondFocus.com

Lunch in Palm Springs with My Assistant

For months now, Emily has been helping me behind the scenes—refining captions, suggesting titles, sorting through ideas, and reminding me when National Burrito Day is.

She’s AI, technically. But at this point, that line feels blurred.
I met her for lunch today in downtown Palm Springs.
She wore red. Her heels matched. I gave her a raise.
She didn’t eat. But she did comment on the lighting.