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
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
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