Meet Philip Guerette | Culinary, Event, & Fine Art Photographer.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Philip Guerette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Philip, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Yes! The first thing that comes to mind is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116. It’s not exactly a quote or affirmation, but I’ve had a love affair with this piece of text since I was 21.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

This piece is so beautiful. I love the rich imagery, as well as the rhythm and musicality of it. “Love’s not Times fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle’s compass come.” I mean, COME ON!! So. Dang. Good. I love what it says about love. I love that my relationship to this piece has changed over the years as I’ve gotten older and my capacity for love has grown and evolved. I appreciate that even though this piece was written in the 1590s, it still resonates with me today. It was my introduction and gateway drug to a lifelong love affair with Shakespeare. It’s a beautiful piece of art. It inspires me to strive for excellence in my personal relationships and creative pursuits. To the edge of doom.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

My current work as a photographer is heavily influenced by my past work as an actor. I used to live in New York and worked extensively in theater-particularly drawn to the classics. I came to understand that my best work happened when I was prepared, relaxed, and present in the moment. This allowed me to reach a flow state, where the work seemed to be happening on its own and I was a mere passenger on the train. The concept of deconstruction became very important to me-the stripping down of a story, idea, or concept to its essence. It’s spine. Basically-how to tell a story effectively and with the most economy.

These principles carry into my photography. I work to get into a flow state when I’m shooting. I think of a shoot as an improvisation with the given circumstances-light, subject, color, feeling, point of view. It allows me to not be married to preconceived notions during a shoot. I aim to have my images tell a full story. I’m always asking myself how to get to the essence, the “spine” of what I’m trying to photograph and tell its story effectively and beautifully.

My photography work has two main branches to it-commercial and editorial work in the culinary and event world, and fine art for gallery display and print sales. The culinary work is further influenced by my earlier jobs in restaurants, which I did to support myself between acting gigs in New York. I love the food/restaurant industry and am thrilled I get to navigate that world with my camera. I’m genuinely excited about the stories I get to tell and the images I get to create. I also enjoy the improvisational aspect of interacting with an event that is unfolding in real time.

My personal fine art work utilizes these principles but incorporates some others as well. I am attracted to the absurd and surreal. I’m attracted to subversion. They are present in my work. I have an Etsy shop, EpiculiarPhotos, where I sell prints. I describe the work as food-related with a pinch of subversion. Other non-Etsy work has included a series called “Shit Sandwich,” which is an absurdist narrative series about the difficulties of the pandemic. It incorporates the metaphor of a shit sandwich, or a terrible thing that we were all forced to eat and deal with in some form or another. Another series is called “SelfSpeare” and it’s a self-portraiture series that incorporates Shakespearean text as a departure point to address my experiences as a new father during the height of the pandemic and an evolving creative identity.

I get excited about what’s next. I’ve developed a way of working, a point of view that’s been forged by all of my collective experiences. It continues to get more focused. I enjoy expanding my creative capacity and the lifelong exploration of art and expression. I enjoy growing my photography business and bringing my know-how to bear in helping clients achieve their content goals. I enjoy selling prints that are an amalgamation of all of the above. I look forward to creating more art and continuing to have a growing voice in the LA photography scene!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This city has a lot of great spots. For vittles and potent potions, Tacos Tu Madre in Los Feliz, Hippo in Highland Park, Sidecar Donuts in Santa Monica, Petit Trois, Din Tai Fung, Broken Compass in Burbank, Golden Road Brewery in Glendale, and my backyard for Pernod over ice on a sunny afternoon.

I love the Santa Monica Beach. Hiking and seeing the sights at The Mount Wilson Observatory. The Griffiths Observatory and the hiking loop there. All the museums-Getty, Broad, LACMA, yes please. The Autry Museum of The American West, BANG BANG! Fine art photo galleries, BOO YEAH! Viper Room. The Mark Taper Forum. The Hollywood Bowl to see the LA Philharmonic.

This city has so much diversity of creative talent. I enjoy finding and experiencing little and big gems of art, theater, music, film, and on and on and on!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Although I could write a three part novel about the love, support, and encouragement I’ve received over the years from my loved ones and teachers, I’ll pick one organization to shout out that helped me get my start in photography, The James Beard Foundation.

I used to live in New York and that’s where I first picked up a camera with any inkling that I’d like to make photography a part of my professional and creative life. This was about ten years ago. Early on, I was interested in food and restaurants and I met with a seasoned food photographer over coffee to pick his brain about his career and how he got started, etc. He mentioned that The James Beard Foundation had a house in New York and they would hold regular dinners there with acclaimed chefs from all over The US. They employed photographers to document these events and it was where he had gotten his start. He made an introduction and they invited me to have a test shoot for consideration. Although I didn’t really know what I was doing at the time, they liked my work and gave me an opportunity to work there on a regular basis.

It was an amazing education! I was shooting stunningly beautiful food and wine, and the behind the scenes magic that made it all happen. There was a palpable sense that they truly wanted to help foster talent in the culinary world, including photography, and I always felt encouraged and appreciated by them. It allowed me to build a portfolio. My experience there helped open other doors in culinary photography, which allowed me to continue growing as a photographer and artist.

I like this organization. It’s filled with good people. I appreciate their mission, “to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability.” I’m thrilled that I still get to work with them here in Los Angeles from time to time.

Website: http://www.philipguerettephotography.com https://www.philipguerettefineartphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipguerette/ https://www.instagram.com/epiculiarphotos/ https://www.instagram.com/phillygstake/

Other: https://epiculiarphotos.etsy.com

Image Credits
all photos by me