The Nitty Gritty - with Emma Bickley

Emma and I connected and then bonded over a shared love of food and capturing it with beautiful images. Emma was in the early stages of publishing her blog, as was I, so we have done some learning and growing together this year.

Go and check her out.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I consume food and it consumes me. Growing, buying, cooking, photographing and eating food is my life. Based in Canberra, I’m a mum of two fabulous little girls with a stellar human being of a husband. My background is Croatian – which probably explains all the food love – and I grew up on the coast with my parents who grow, preserve and cook the most amazing, comforting and simple food. I studied law but, somewhere along the way, realised I might be able to find something a little closer to my heart.

How did you get started?

After I had kids I had a whole bunch of setbacks returning to my former career in a legal space. I don’t mean this to sound evangelical but I got super down on myself, super over it all and one night I went to bed saying ‘tomorrow I start something completely new’. As my dad might say ‘if I get angry enough, I just might do it’. Well the next day I got offered a job as a Marketing Manager, then a copywriter and soon I had a foodie Instagram and now a blog. And I’ve never been more delighted to go to work each day!

What equipment do you shoot with?

An iphone. Legit. And I edit with Snapseed. I own a Nikon D3200 with a brand new nifty fifty lens and it’s my goal this year to stop being afraid of it and get some practice.

Do you prefer studio work or location shoots?

This question is funny. All my shoots are basically in and around my dining table. I’m usually pushing kids toys out of the way and trying to clear away props before my neat husband gets home.

Describe your style.

Vibrant. I like to capture something of the taste in each photo. And if I can share a story or some humorous observation with it, that makes my heart sing! The combination of words, tastes and images is where my happy place lives.

Who do you admire?

Can I say you? (Yes. Yes, you can, lol)

You’re one of the kindest and most supportive folks on Instagram and I am always so impressed with how consistently eye-catching your work is!

In terms of the world at large, my parents. Classic story of migrant refugees who came to Australia in the 50s and 60s with nothing material and a whole lot of emotional trauma but somehow managed to give me every opportunity and kindness.

The late Anthony Bourdain and the lovely Nigella Lawson also get a mention.

What's your dream food shoot?

An immersive one that goes over a few days and doesn’t involve a school pick-up, ballet class or housework in between. I would love to do something based on a farm where I get to see the whole process and all the stories behind the ingredient I’m using.

What's your "can't live without" prop, tool or piece of equipment?

My little collection of tea towels. Nothing ever looks as good without them. And the new budget backdrop I made myself which is not great but better than pieces of laminate shelving I was using before!

Do you have one piece of advice for anyone just starting out?

Ignore anyone who tells you that you can’t find work doing something you really love. Just keep producing good work and meeting fellow foodies, you’ll be surprised how quickly your network turns into opportunities.

Sweet or Savoury?

Savoury. Even in my sweets I always prefer to add a salty note.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Damn. Chocolate. But I won’t snub vanilla ice cream as ‘boring’. Sometimes a good quality vanilla is the best!

Four favourite instagram accounts?

@naomisherman_foodcreative

@thebiteshot

@julie_jonesuk

@zerofuckscooking (she featured a spin on one of my recipes in her latest cookbook!) [endif]

Three songs to listen to while working?

This Year – The Mountain Goats

Carey – Joni Mitchell

Landed – Ben Folds

What was the last cookbook you bought?

My family bought me Donna Hay’s new Modern Baking and it’s so beautiful. Duh.

If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family think you'd done?

Tried to be cute with a police officer and somehow admitted to something illegal that I hadn’t actually done.

Can you show us one of your early photos, along with a recent shot that you're really proud of?

The first shot is one I took a few years ago and I remember being so proud of the setup and that Instagram filter! The second one is a shot I recently took, styling some products from Mutti.