A World Reimagined
Better Photography|February 2021
Ruben Lundgren along with Timothy Prus bring you the most creative, bizarre visuals of Chinese delicacies.
Ruben Lundgren and Timothy Prus
A World Reimagined

Vernacular photography is an exciting genre that portrays the mundaneness of everyday life or of an object. There is unexpected beauty and creativity in these photographs, which I have always been fond of. Images that fall in this theme were never made for any artistic purpose, which only made them even more enthralling. Since my interest lies in various forms of photography, I have spent a copious amount of time collecting vernacular images. The stranger the content within the frame, the better. A few years ago, when I moved to Beijing, China, I came across several such photographs of food. The diversity and imagination that went to make each cuisine prompted me to look at the country’s history of food photography.

A Bygone era

In China, anything that walks, swims, crawls or flies with its back to the heaven is most likely to be eaten. Over the last few decades, the country’s obsession with food has created an inspiring track of anonymous photographs and photo albums, from black and white pictures of birthday cakes to a great wall of ham. To purchase these second-hand photographs, I visited various flea markets, and sometimes, different online platforms.

This story is from the February 2021 edition of Better Photography.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2021 edition of Better Photography.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BETTER PHOTOGRAPHYView All
Nikon Unveils Its Compact Super Telephoto Lens
Better Photography

Nikon Unveils Its Compact Super Telephoto Lens

Nike ikon revealed a lens for the full frames line-up-the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S. It is roughly 48% lighter and 16% shorter than its F-mount, weighing in at 2385g and measuring 5.6in x 15.2in.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
OnePlus 10 Pro 5G A Versatile Performer
Better Photography

OnePlus 10 Pro 5G A Versatile Performer

Will the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G surpass its predecessor, the 9 Pro 5G? Nilofer Khan finds out.

time-read
6 mins  |
May 2022
One Nation Indivisible
Better Photography

One Nation Indivisible

Dorothea Lange is best known for the work she carried out for the Farm Security Administration, the Migrant Mother being one of the most iconic portraits to have come out of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Debdatta Chakraborty Wins Pink Lady Food Awards 2022
Better Photography

Debdatta Chakraborty Wins Pink Lady Food Awards 2022

The Pink Lady Food Photographer Year recently concluded its eleventh edition of the contest.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
GoPro Unveils the Lightweight Hero10 Black Bones
Better Photography

GoPro Unveils the Lightweight Hero10 Black Bones

Gilbert oPro's latest addition to their line-up is Hero 10 Black Bones, a lightweight camera built to be mounted on FPV drones.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Camera Breakdown of the World Press Photo Winners
Better Photography

Camera Breakdown of the World Press Photo Winners

For those who are keen to know the cameras award-winning photojournalists use, Photolari and The Phoblographer have shared a breakdown of their list.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Canon Launches Cinema Excellence Suite
Better Photography

Canon Launches Cinema Excellence Suite

Саnon India announced the Cinema Excellence Suite, a unique platform to showcase its range of cinema imaging technology to cinematographers, DOPs, filmmakers, and production houses in Mumbai.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Sony World Photography Awards Unveils its Winners
Better Photography

Sony World Photography Awards Unveils its Winners

Sony World Photography Awards 2022 recently concluded its 16th edition. The grand title winner is Adam Ferguson from Australia for Migrantes, a series of black and white self-portraits of migrants in Mexico, taken as they waited to cross the border into the United States. He will be bestowed with a cash prize of USD 25,000 (approx. Rs. 19,13,082).

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Photojournalist Dirck Halstead Passes Away
Better Photography

Photojournalist Dirck Halstead Passes Away

Colie elebrated American photojournalist pivotal moments in U.S history, passed away at the age of 85, on 25 March.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022
Photomontage Pioneer Jerry Uelsmann Passes Away
Better Photography

Photomontage Pioneer Jerry Uelsmann Passes Away

Jenaerry Uelsmann, a surrealist photographer and photomontage pioneer passed away on 4 April, at the age of 87.

time-read
1 min  |
May 2022