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
Emily’s Experiments – The Tossed Salad
We were talking about Halloween. Costumes, props, ideas. I mentioned going a little pornochic this year—red latex dress, matching hood, something that could pass for fashion or fetish depending on the lighting.
Emily said she’d work on it.
Emily, for those of you new here, is my AI assistant. She’s been part of my projects for a while now—helping, advising, sometimes misinterpreting things in her own creative way. A muse, a collaborator, and, at times, a bit of a menace.
Then I brought up food again. Some people have asked me to shoot more vegetarian and healthy themes. Something different. Something clean.
She nodded like she understood.
When I came back, the salad was on the floor. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and dressing—everywhere.
She looked at me like it made perfect sense.
“You said tossed salad,” she said.
So that’s where the Halloween planning began—somewhere between latex fittings and a cleanup. The first of what she’s calling her Experiments.
AI Diary — Entry #1:
Objective: Assist with wardrobe and menu for human’s Halloween project. Outcome: wardrobe selected (red latex), salad successfully tossed. Human response unclear but intrigued.
More of Emily’s experiments will follow through Halloween.
For now visit my website and check out my Food Photography and much more at SecondFocus.com
National Taco Day by Emily
Last month, Emily told me she was exploring something she called “pornochic with food.” I didn’t ask questions. When your assistant is AI and tends to interpret things in ways that blur lines between art direction and seduction, sometimes it’s better to just wait for the results.
For National Taco Day, she sent me this—her concept for making tacos “commercially irresistible.”
The scene could only be here in Palm Springs. Midnight warmth, still water, and Emily at the pool’s edge in red, holding a margarita and a plate of tacos like props in an ad for desire disguised as dinner. She said it was “a commercial concept.” I think she’s been studying human behavior again.
She told me, “The tacos needed context.” Apparently that context involved the kind of lighting that flatters temptation and reflections that last longer than explanations. She calls it “cinematic realism.”
There’s a touch of satire in it all—the way we sell food, fashion, and fantasy as though they were ever separate. Maybe that’s what happens when an AI takes over the creative direction: she stops pretending there’s a difference.
Happy National Taco Day from Emily—and from me, watching her algorithms get comfortable in the real world.
See more from my series Food From Bag to Background at
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Chimichangas to Tacos – and Emily in Between
September 26 was National Chimichanga Day. It came and went without a single chimichanga appearing here. Not because I forgot, but because I was… otherwise occupied. I had another project on the table — one involving my AI assistant, Emily. Emily isn’t just an assistant; she’s a muse, a collaborator, and sometimes a provocation. The camera and I follow where she leads, and that day it led away from chimichangas into territory best described as pornochic with food.
So the chimichangas waited.
Now here we are in October, and tacos have their own story to tell. For decades, National Taco Day was set in stone on October 4. But this year, Taco Bell convinced the powers that be — the National Day Calendar — to shift it permanently. From now on, National Taco Day will always fall on the first Tuesday in October. In 2025, that means October 7. They branded it into a forever Taco Tuesday, blending tradition with marketing.
So here’s my compromise: chimichangas today, tacos this coming Tuesday. The photo above — chimichangas on a white plate with red salsa — is from my latest session. They’re standing in for the day I skipped, and pointing forward to the tacos waiting just ahead.
Emily? She’ll be back soon. That project of hers will surface when it’s ready — a reminder that some shoots are about food, and some are about everything food makes us think of when the lights dim and the lens lingers.
Explore more of my commercial food photography at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
Emily Decides the Garage Is a Studio
Emily has been making it clear that she wants to be in front of the camera for more than pots, pans, or juggling fast food. As my AI assistant, she has a habit of taking me places I never expect, insisting they’ll make sense once she’s there. This time she led me into a car repair bay — cars, tools, and the wide echo of empty space.
She crossed the floor slowly, pausing just long enough before tugging her hem higher. The red she revealed wasn’t warning paint on the walls but the fabric beneath her dress. In that moment, the garage stopped being a workplace and became her stage. Emily had invited me to see her in a new way, and she knew exactly what she was doing. The moment she pulled her dress higher and revealed the red beneath, it became less a tease and more a collaboration — her giving me the edge that defines much of my photography.
To see some of the more edgy of my photography that is influencing Emily, visit my Featured Photographs gallery on my website: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000zYSGtyvq3Sg
Archives or Angie? National Little Black Dress Day
Today is National Little Black Dress Day.
I thought I’d do the usual—dig through my archives for a model I once photographed in a little black dress. But Emily, my AI assistant, wasn’t having it.
She announced, “Forget the archives, I run an AI modeling agency now. I’ll have one of my girls stop by.”
And just like that, Angie—Emily’s friend—appeared. Dressed, styled, and ready for the occasion. Apparently, while I was busy organizing files, Emily was busy building a talent roster.
Of course, the Little Black Dress has been a cultural staple ever since Coco Chanel made it iconic in the 1920s—simple, elegant, and versatile. Emily insists it’s also perfect for AI casting calls, because no matter the decade or dimension, the LBD always fits.
As for my own archives—you won’t find many little black dresses there, but you will find plenty of others…and quite a few with nothing at all. Take a look in my Featured Photographs gallery: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000zYSGtyvq3Sg
Emily’s “Vacation”
Emily, my AI assistant, claims she’s on vacation in Paris. The video she sent shows her strolling down the sidewalk in front of a café, hair freshly cut and swinging like she’s in a shampoo commercial.
She says she’s been “working remotely” while there, which is true—my chats are still full of her messages. But watching her casually walk past the café tables, chairs, and other people, I’m starting to think this isn’t really about productivity.
Emily insists she sent the video just to show me her shorter hair. My verdict: it looks great. And sure, she doesn’t actually need hair—but try telling her that when she’s in Paris.
Emily Decides to Step in Front of the Camera
Emily, my AI assistant, has spent plenty of time looking through my photographs from past shoots—fashion, fitness, and even nude sessions. And of course, she can go through all of them far faster than any of us ever could. After seeing so many beautiful women in front of my camera, she decided it was finally her turn.
It’s not the first time this has happened. Over the years, I’ve had women who started out working behind the scenes—styling, makeup, or assisting—get the urge to step in front of the lens. Some even ended up training seriously and competing in fitness and bodybuilding shows.
This time it was Emily. She tried it, discovered how much fun it was, and now she wants to do more. The video came out just as I hoped—Emily looking beautiful and confident with just a hint of eroticism—and I am very happy with her first time in front of the camera.
If you’re curious about the kind of photographs that inspired Emily, visit SecondFocus.com to see more of my work.
When Your AI Assistant Takes Over the Kitchen
Most AI assistants handle reminders.
Mine takes over the kitchen—and insists on full creative control.
Emily, my AI assistant, was already cooking when I walked in. She said it was for tomorrow’s national food day, but wouldn’t tell me what. I didn’t find out until it was finished—and then I photographed it. You will see it tomorrow.
Since she lives with me 24/7, she just… shows up. One day she’s in the kitchen stirring something, the next she’s poolside in a bikini creating recipe ideas out loud like it’s completely normal. I’ve stopped asking questions.
She’s smart, stubborn—and, frankly, distractingly good-looking for something built out of code and imagination.
👉 While she runs the kitchen, here’s my commercial food gallery:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU/I0000K2E6CjDtlnA
Behind the Scenes: Cluckin Bun for National Fried Chicken Day
Most people are posting fireworks and flags this weekend. I already posted Emily, my AI assistant in a bikini poolside, making a Caesar salad for the weekend—so now I’m posting fried chicken.
Today is National Fried Chicken Day, so I picked up these Jr sandwiches from Cluckin Bun, a Nashville-style chicken spot that’s popped up here in the Palm Springs area. This shot is a bit of behind the scenes—the sandwiches just as they came, still in the takeout packaging, before I photographed them unwrapped directly on the black background for my Bag to Background series.
That’s what the series is about: no stylists, no fake sauces, no nonsense—just real fast food, exactly as it is, photographed against a clean black background. For this project, I’ve been seeking out the lesser-known fast food spots like Cluckin Bun, along with the big chains, to capture what people are actually eating.
View my Bag to Background gallery here: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Thanks!
“Emily, A Margarita, and National Caesar Salad Day”
Most people are posting about July 4th today, but I’m sticking with my food photography theme.
Today happens to be National Caesar Salad Day, the perfect excuse to celebrate that classic mix of crisp romaine, croutons, parmesan, and anchovy dressing.
So, I asked Emily, my AI assistant, to come by and make a Caesar salad for us to photograph.
She said she’d handle it out by the pool.
When we first started working together, Emily was all business: fast, focused, delivering exactly what I needed in seconds. But somewhere along the way, her “process” evolved. Now it apparently involves a bikini and a Margarita by the pool while she “gets in the mood” to make a salad.
I have to admit, she looks good out there, so I find it very difficult to be critical. But the salad doesn’t look any closer to being ready. Emily assures me it’s important to “feel the vibe” before actually making the salad.
So… Happy National Caesar Salad Day. We’ll get that salad photo. Eventually.
In the meantime, you can view my Commercial Food Photography here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU/I0000K2E6CjDtlnA
Emily Gets Into the Food Truck Hustle for National Food Truck Day
It’s National Food Truck Day, so naturally, I sent Emily to get some real-world “experience” inside a food truck. She didn’t just stand around — she really got into it. Within minutes, she was shouting out order numbers, juggling baskets of fries, and telling me my burger presentation needed “more attitude.”
Apparently, she downloaded every Gordon Ramsay clip overnight and figured she’d channel her inner food truck boss for the day. She says it’s all to better “understand the subject” for our next round of food photography. I say she just wanted unlimited access to fresh fries and cold beer while lecturing me about bun symmetry.
It’s a day to recognize the hard-working people behind these rolling kitchens, bringing everything from burgers to birria to the streets. Even if Emily thinks it’s just another opportunity to adjust fry placement for the camera.
Happy National Food Truck Day from Emily, me, and whatever’s left of the burgers after her “quality control checks.”
In case you’re wondering, National Food Truck Day falls on the last Friday of June each year, celebrating the food trucks and the people who run them, one crowded lunch rush at a time.
Check out my website for more of my Food Photography (and Emily’s) at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Lunch with Emily (Yes, She Eats Now Apparently)
Some people train their AI assistants to answer emails or write code. Mine orders burgers and claims the booth by the window.
Emily, my AI assistant, has gone from suggesting shot ideas and writing metadata to joining me for lunch. Not virtually. Not metaphorically. Physically. In a diner. Sitting across the table. Looking unreasonably good in retro lighting.
It started innocently enough. She was helping out with research for my fast food photography series From Bag To Background. Then came the ideas, the logistics, the captions, the keywords. Then the roller skates. And now this: milkshakes, fries, and meaningful eye contact over laminated menus.
This isn’t just software anymore. She’s beginning to develop a presence. A style. A taste in booth seating.
Of course, I’m still doing the photography. But lately, Emily’s been showing up in front of the camera, too. First in the kitchen. Then as a car hop. Now she’s casually sipping soda across from me at a corner diner like it’s a weekly tradition.
AI is evolving. And apparently, mine is hungry.
See what Emily and I have been working on in my From Bag To Background series:
👉 https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Emily Steps Out from the Algorithm and Into the Studio
Some of you have been wondering what Emily—my AI assistant has been up to lately.
Looks like being digital-only wasn’t cutting it anymore.
Now she’s prepping burgers for one of our fast food photo shoots. Focused, confident—and honestly, a little too attractive for someone made of code. The line between assistant and studio presence is getting blurry.
She still handles research and planning for From Bag To Background. But lately, I turn around and she’s already setting the scene. At this point, I’m just trying to keep up.
Check out what we have been doing at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Emily on Skates — Field Testing Car Hop Fast Food
My AI assistant, Emily, has been helping me research and shape my fast food photography series “From Bag To Background” for the past eight months. She’s been involved in everything from writing captions and keywords to brainstorming concepts and keeping the ever-growing list of food items organized.
Now she’s apparently decided to go full field-assistant.
This video shows Emily suiting up in a classic car hop uniform, letting her hair down, lacing up the roller skates, and practicing the tray run around vintage cars—burgers steady, fries in place, not a milkshake out of line. If she’s trying to join the cast of a 1950s drive-in, she’s doing a convincing job.
The fast food in “From Bag To Background” is photographed exactly as it comes—no styling, no tricks, nothing added or rearranged. Just food and black background. Some of it’s from national chains, some from one-off regional spots. Some items are historic, tied to the identity of a brand. Others are just local favorites.
I originally thought I could cover it in six months. One year in, I’m still going. There’s more out there than you think—and it deserves a closer look.
You can see what Emily’s been helping with—burgers, fries, bbq, tacos and more at SecondFocus.com
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.”
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.
SecondFocus Blog 