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!
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
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
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
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
National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day
Today is National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day — a sandwich with many names and, apparently, many holidays. Depending on where you look, there’s also National Hoagie Day in May, National Submarine Sandwich Day in November, and even separate days for the Italian Sub, the Turkey Sub, and the Meatball Sub. Few foods have this many national observances, which probably says something about how much Americans love a good sandwich.
The submarine sandwich began with Italian immigrants in the Northeastern United States in the early 1900s, layering meats, cheese, and vegetables inside long rolls. The word “submarine” gained popularity during World War II because of its resemblance to the naval vessels, while “hoagie,” “hero,” and “grinder” each found favor in Philadelphia, New York, and New England.
In 1965, a 17-year-old named Fred DeLuca opened a small sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Connecticut — with funding from a family friend — and called it Pete’s Super Submarines. That would eventually become Subway, now one of the largest restaurant chains in the world. The brand helped turn the regional sub into a fast-food staple recognized everywhere.
The photograph here shows two of Subway’s most popular sandwiches, cut in half and photographed side by side on a black background — stacked with meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise. Like all of my Food From Bag to Background series, they’re presented as-is, straight from the bag, with no styling or props.
You can find this and more in my Food From Bag to Background gallery at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
McDonald’s Hotcakes for National Pancake Day
Today is National Pancake Day. Instead of a diner short stack or some homemade recipe, I went with McDonald’s Hotcakes — straight from the bag, nothing styled, nothing staged. A little butter on top, a trace of syrup soaking in, and that’s it.
McDonald’s has been serving Hotcakes since 1977, one of the longest running items on their breakfast menu. They’ve become part of morning routines across the country, often ordered alongside the Egg McMuffin or a hash brown. For decades, they’ve been sold by the millions every year, making them one of the most widely eaten versions of pancakes in the United States.
And why “Hotcakes” instead of pancakes? The name goes back to an older American expression — “selling like hotcakes” — a 19th-century phrase meaning something that sells quickly and in large numbers. McDonald’s leaned into that history, choosing a word that already carried the sense of popularity and fast service.
That’s exactly why they belong in my From Bag to Background series. This project is about photographing fast food exactly as it comes, against a solid black background. Pancakes, burgers, tacos, sandwiches — all taken out of the wrapper and put in front of the camera. No props, no plating, no food stylist.
See more of my fast food photographs in From Bag to Background at:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
National Quesadilla Day, the Frozen Aisle Edition
Today is National Quesadilla Day. I could’ve gone to Del Taco or Taco Bell — but that felt too expected. I wanted fast food, and this still qualifies.
The quesadilla began in 16th-century Mexico — tortillas and cheese on a hot griddle, simple and fresh. Over the centuries it spread, evolved, and crossed borders. And now, at last, it has reached its pinnacle: two entire boxes of El Monterey frozen chicken and Monterey Jack quesadillas, stacked straight from cardboard to black background. Ten quesadillas, no chef required. Just freezer, oven, and done.
Is it authentic Mexican food? No. It’s just another variation of fast food — not handmade on the street corner, not handed through a drive-thru window, but pulled from a box in the freezer aisle.
Five hundred years of history, now available in 15 minutes at 375 degrees — family pack times two.
📸 From my From Bag to Background series:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
TinyTAN Encore Edition Lands at McDonald’s
Yesterday marked the release of the TinyTAN Encore Edition at McDonald’s, the follow-up to the Throwback set that launched earlier this month. TinyTAN, the chibi-style characters created by Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE) and modeled after BTS, have now returned to the Happy Meal lineup in new outfits.
This time, the figures include RM, Jung Kook, and Suga — shown here with the standard Happy Meal spread of hamburgers, Chicken McNuggets, fries, and apple slices. Collectible toys meet fast food again, because in 2025 nothing is too big or too small to be packaged for consumption.
I photographed this arrangement as part of my Bag to Background series, where the food and toys are presented as-is, straight from the bag, against a stark black background. The contrast is simple: pop culture and fast food, side by side, neither elevated nor diminished, just existing in their own commercial truth.
If you’d like to see more of my fast food work — from burgers and burritos to sushi and sandwiches — visit the gallery Food From Bag To Background at:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
Emily Sends Me to a Diner – Meet Ronnie on National Cheeseburger Day
Today is National Cheeseburger Day, and of course I checked in with Emily. Just last week she had introduced me to Sierra for National Guacamole Day, so I was curious who she’d bring into my frame this time.
Emily just smiled and said, “You should meet Ronnie.”
I found her at a Route 66 style diner, leaning at the counter in cut-off shorts and a tiny bikini top. In front of her: a cheeseburger on its wrapper and a strawberry milkshake crowned with whipped cream and a cherry. Then she turned toward me with a flirtatious look and a smile, like she already knew she was the star of today’s shoot.
Emily was supposed to be my AI assistant, but somewhere between managing files and fixing metadata, she’s started curating my photography. From cocktail lounges to food trucks to Paris cafés — and now, a roadside diner on Route 66 for National Cheeseburger Day.
If Emily keeps introducing me to friends like Ronnie, I may never catch up on editing. But until then, the real cast of characters — burgers, tacos, and everything in between — are here: Food From Bag To Background at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
🥪 National Eat A Hoagie Day
Forget politics, pandemics, and Wall Street — today it’s all about National Eat A Hoagie Day.
The celebration honors the long, layered sandwich that goes by many names: hoagie, sub, grinder, hero. The tradition traces back to Italian-American communities in Philadelphia in the early 20th century, where the combination of Italian cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and dressing was piled high into crusty rolls. The name “hoagie” is often credited to Philadelphia shipyard workers nicknamed “hoggies,” who carried these hearty sandwiches to work.
The day recognizes both the sandwich itself and its many regional variations across the United States. While “hoagie” is Philadelphia’s word of choice, most of the country knows them as subs, and in New England they’re just as likely to be called grinders. Whatever the name, the essence is the same: a long roll, stacked with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and that messy-but-perfect balance of oil, vinegar, and seasonings.
For this year’s National Eat A Hoagie Day, I photographed three Jersey Mike’s Original Italian hoagies, cut and stacked against my signature black background. Jersey Mike’s, which started as a single sub shop in Point Pleasant, New Jersey in 1956, has grown into a national chain with over 2,000 locations. They’ve built their reputation on freshly sliced meats and cheeses, rolls baked fresh daily, and sandwiches made to order “Mike’s Way” — onions, lettuce, tomato, oil, vinegar, and oregano.
The hoagie is both a cultural icon and a humble meal — straight from the bag, unstyled, layered with flavor and history.
And if you think hoagies look good, wait until you see what happens when tacos, burgers, and sushi get the same black-background treatment. Explore my ongoing series, “Food From Bag To Background,” here: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0 Just don’t click on an empty stomach.
A Monument to Cheese Pizza
Another entry from the calendar of invented holidays: National Cheese Pizza Day. As if anyone needed a reminder to eat melted cheese on bread. Still, here it is — and so is my monument to it. Two frozen Red Baron cheese pizzas sliced and stacked into a tower of excess, photographed against a black background.
Cheese pizza is the baseline of the whole idea. From Naples in the 1800s with mozzarella and tomato on flatbread, to Lombardi’s in New York serving it to immigrants in the early 1900s, it’s the foundation on which every other topping variation was built. Frozen in the 1950s, it became the fallback dinner most of us know.
So if today calls for honoring cheese pizza, this is mine.
See more in my Commercial Food Photography gallery:
👉 https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
TinyTAN Toys Arrive at McDonald’s
Yesterday marked the first day of McDonald’s new tie-in with TinyTAN, the chibi-style characters created by Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE) and based on the members of BTS. BTS, short for Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Bulletproof Boy Scouts,” is a seven-member South Korean pop group that has become one of the most influential music acts in the world.
These TinyTAN figures have appeared in animations and merchandise before, but now they’re standing watch over hamburgers and Chicken McNuggets.
The promotion brings the toys into Happy Meals, paired with either a hamburger or McNuggets, fries, apple slices, and milk. A reminder that pop culture, K-pop, and fast food are all equally collectible in their own ways.
I suppose this counts as a newsworthy event. The photograph here was made in response to a request from ZUMA Press for syndication.
If you’d like to see fast food photographed in ways no toy could ever compete with, take a look at my gallery Food From Bag To Background here: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
Bananas To Go
Today is National Banana Lovers Day. And what better way to honor it than with a box of sliced bananas neatly packed in a to-go container?
Because apparently, some banana lovers can’t be satisfied with nature’s original packaging. The peel, perfectly engineered for portability, wasn’t quite enough — so now we slice, box, and present them like fast food.
But let’s be honest: bananas have always been the ultimate grab-and-go item. You don’t need a clamshell, a plastic fork, or a drive-thru. Just peel, eat, and you’re done. Convenience food long before we invented the phrase.
Still, for today, let’s indulge the idea: bananas made ready like fries, carried out in a black plastic tray for those who want their fruit served with a touch of takeout flair.
Happy National Banana Lovers Day — however you choose to take yours to go.
Would you like more than Bananas? Check out my Commercial Food Gallery on my website at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU Thanks!
Ten Chili Dogs, Elegantly Served – Because It’s National Chili Dog Day
Nothing says “refined dining” quite like ten chili cheese dogs arranged on a cut‑glass platter. Today is National Chili Dog Day, and what better way to mark the occasion than with a full platter of Wienerschnitzel chili cheese dogs, photographed as if they belong at a formal banquet.
Lined up side by side, the hot dogs are topped with chili sauce and melted cheese, shot against my black background for a polished, commercial look.
Chili dogs have been part of American food culture for more than a century, found in diners, ballparks, and roadside stands. Wienerschnitzel has been serving its own version since 1961, making it one of the most recognizable names for chili dogs in the U.S.
📷 See more of my commercial food photography here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
Today is National Hamburger Day May 28th
At Shake Shack, the menu listed a three‑patty burger, and that was all the excuse I needed. So I bought three of them—because why settle for one triple burger when you can line up three towers of beef and ShackSauce? No cheese, no rearranging, no styling. Just three oversized burgers straight from the bag to my black background.
Shake Shack Background
- Started as a hot‑dog cart in Madison Square Park, New York City, in 2001, expanding to a permanent kiosk in 2004.
- Went public in 2015 under the ticker SHAK, with its stock doubling to $47 on one day.
- Now has 600+ locations worldwide, with a mix of company‑owned and licensed restaurants.
- Burgers use a proprietary Pat LaFrieda beef blend, cooked on a griddle for a caramelized crust and served on Martin’s potato rolls with their signature ShackSauce.
Burger Facts
- Americans eat about 50 billion burgers every year, averaging 26 burgers per person annually.
- Triple‑patty burgers remain uncommon, making three of them a fitting choice for National Hamburger Day.
See more from my ongoing fast‑food photo series, From Bag to Background, here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Burger King Brisket Whoppers – Straight from the Bag
“Have it messy, have it bold.” Burger King just introduced the Brisket Whopper—a limited-time sandwich loaded with smoked meat, fried onions, and plenty of marketing swagger. I bought four. No unwrapping, no rearranging. Just pulled them from the bag and stacked them. This is how they actually look.
Each sandwich layers smoked brisket on top of a flame-grilled beef patty, with crispy fried onions, melted American cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and mayo, all stacked onto a sesame seed bun. It’s part of their 2025 “You Rule” campaign—a continuation of their brand overhaul that leans into more indulgent, messier, and bolder fast food.
This brisket release is marketed as a “Flame-Grilled Brisket Collection” and includes variations like a Brisket Melt and spicy builds in some regions. The brisket is smoked up to 12 hours (according to them), then dropped right onto their Whopper foundation. More sauce, more layers, and definitely more marketing.
I photographed them as served—no styling, no adjustments. Just the real thing against a black background.
Part of my ongoing From Bag to Background series, this image documents fast food the way it really arrives. Unfiltered, excessive, and oddly honest.
View more in the gallery here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
Ten Hot Dogs and a Bite of History
Ten hot dogs from Wienerschnitzel—five with mustard, five with kraut—and photographed them just as they came. Did have to add the mustard from the little packets but otherwise no styling. No filters. Just fast food, lined up against a black background. It’s National Hot Dog Day, and this looks about right.
Americans consume around 20 billion hot dogs a year—an average of 70 per person. The hot dog’s rise began in the late 1800s via German immigrants, exploded with Coney Island vendors, and hasn’t slowed down since.
Wienerschnitzel entered the picture in 1961 thanks to John Galardi, a 23-year-old who started out sweeping floors for Glen Bell—the guy who would go on to found Taco Bell. Galardi turned down Bell’s offer to buy a taco stand and instead took a shot at hot dogs. His wife found the name Wienerschnitzel in a cookbook. Galardi thought it was ridiculous. Three days later, he opened the first stand anyway on Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington, California.
More than 60 years later, the chain claims over 300 locations and a few hundred million hot dogs served.
These? Just twelve, straight from the drive-thru. Shot for my “From Bag to Background” series:
👉 https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
World Kebab Day, Americanized
Today is World Kebab Day, and yes, that’s a thing. While the kebab’s origins are skewered meats over open flames across the Middle East and South Asia, this is what it looks like when it passes through the American fast-food lens.
These are chicken kebab wraps from Wrap Houz here in Palm Springs, photographed exactly as they came, placed on my black background for my “From Bag to Background” series. No stylists, no plates, no garnish—just the food as it is served, textures and all.
I’ve been seeking out not just the big chains but also local fast-casual spots for this project, documenting how global foods are adapted, repackaged, and sold in convenient, handheld forms for quick lunches and late-night takeout.
World Kebab Day might make you think of skewers turning over coals, but here, it’s chicken chunks wrapped in flatbread, ready for a drive-thru or delivery bag. It’s a small glimpse of how food travels—and transforms—while staying familiar in a new context.
If you want to see more of these unstyled fast food photographs, visit my “From Bag to Background” gallery here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
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!
International Chicken Wing Day
Today is International Chicken Wing Day, marking the popularity of one of the simplest yet most enduring foods in American dining culture. Chicken wings were first popularized in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, when Teressa Bellissimo cooked them in hot sauce and served them as a late-night snack for her son and his friends, creating what we now know as Buffalo wings.
The original Buffalo sauce is a straightforward mix of hot sauce, melted butter, and a few seasonings, creating a distinctive bright orange coating that has defined the category ever since. It’s estimated that Americans consume over 1.4 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl weekend alone, showing how wings have cemented their place as a go-to for takeout, parties, and game day gatherings. Wings remain a staple for bars, fast food, and home kitchens, served in countless variations from mild to extra hot.
This photo of Buffalo wings, photographed on a clean white background, is part of my ongoing commercial food photography project. I photograph foods exactly as they arrive, emphasizing their color, texture, and shape without styling tricks.
You can see more from this series in my commercial food photography gallery here:
https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000WFAqDJQOgKU
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
National Onion Rings Day – A Closer Look
Today has been National Onion Rings Day, a moment to acknowledge one of the most recognizable fried side items in the fast food world.
The history of the onion ring is somewhat unclear—some trace it back to an 1802 British cookbook, while others cite a 1933 Crisco ad in the New York Times that featured a recipe for deep-fried onion slices. Regardless of who gets credit, onion rings became a mainstay of American drive-ins and burger joints by the mid-20th century and have stayed popular ever since.
National Onion Rings Day is observed annually on June 22. Like many food-themed days, its origins are unofficial, but it’s widely embraced by fast food chains and fans of fried food across the country.
To mark the day, I photographed these onion rings straight out of the oven, frozen from a bag, just as they are. No styling, no enhancements, and nothing added. The close-up emphasizes the panko texture, the repetition of shapes, and the visual appeal of something usually overlooked.
This image is part of my more commercial food photography, but for now check out my From Bag to Background series, where I document fast food and snack items exactly as they arrive, unstyled and unaltered, set against a clean background.
View the full gallery here:
👉 https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0/I0000nUG8tfk8Gdc
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