Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Kaminsky.
Hi Hannah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Food wasn’t the least bit important to me until the moment I decided to go vegan. Although my mom would do her best to cook wholesome meals, all I really cared for was instant ramen and grilled cheese sandwiches. Though supportive of the switch, my parents made it perfectly clear that I was to fend for myself at the dinner table since there were only so many hours in the day to spend crafting different meals for their picky children. Plunged into the world of cooking for the first time, my first year of veganism was full of many burnt tofu pups, brick-like muffins, and frozen meals. Through trial and error, I came to love the process of creating real food from scratch and eventually made dishes that were more than merely edible.
Cooking transformed from a necessary task into a genuine passion thanks to my blog. Although I had initially created it to share my crafts, from knitting and crochet to beading and sewing, I soon grew to see food as its own art form. The feedback that I got was tenfold what I saw for my stuffed animals, and the joy that I got from sharing my recipes was beyond measure. While my own meals were far from ambitious, I was spurred on to get more creative to share better dishes with those kind readers sounding off from across the globe. I don’t mind eating plainly, but I would never want to disappoint or bore them!
My first book came about when I was 18 years old because I befriended a fledgling publisher. She literally offered me the deal, no strings attached, and I still can’t believe that stroke of luck. It began my entire career as I know it. It was still more of a hobby at that point, but I gradually became more and more passionate about honing my skills both as a recipe writer and as a photographer. I went on to get my degree in commercial photography, though as any artist can attest, your portfolio is always more important than any certification.
Now I’m a freelancer, developing recipes and photos for my own cookbooks and blog, as well as other authors and bloggers, as well as major food manufacturers.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Anyone who says it’s easy pursuing an unconventional path has either never done it or is blatantly lying. There were many years of constantly worrying about making ends meet, sleepless nights looking for more work, and thousands of unanswered emails trying to make connections. Simply finding clients that pay fairly and then maintaining those relationships beyond a single project has been the biggest professional struggle for me. I’m forever grateful for those that have stayed with me for years now, allowing me to grow, experiment, and give me the creative freedom to express myself.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Food photography is already a fairly specialized niche, which I take a step further by focusing on plant-based foods. As a vegan, I feel it’s important that my morals align with my work so I can support people, companies, and causes that I truly believe in. The last thing I want to do is promote what I see as a broken system of food production and distribution. My photos and recipes are ultimately used as tools for my clients to sell products, whether they’re cookbooks, restaurants, or products, so helping perpetrate such cruelty and environmental destruction would run counter to everything I believe in. There are still many other very talent vegan photographers out there, so what sets my work apart is being able to craft a story in a single frame. Through vivid colors and sharp details, I want to invite viewers into that world.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to experiment or make mistakes. In the kitchen or in the studio, try new things, explore unfamiliar culinary territory or photography techniques, and most importantly, have fun! It’s just food; the worst that can happen is that it ends up in the trash and you’ll have to resort to takeout for dinner, but hey, at least you’ll still get a good story out of the experience. I’ve always learned through doing, and my crazy concoctions only continue to improve throughout the years. There’s truly no end to the possibilities once you start playing with your food.
Contact Info:
- Email: hannah@mysweetvegan.com
- Website: http://www.bittersweetblog.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bittersweet__/
Image Credits
Hannah Kaminsky
