VSCO Photographing Beyond The Plate
Nine commercial and editorial photographers reflect on how food photography has shaped their creative careers
Jason Travis: experimenting with intention Jason Travis has spent the past seventeen years working at every facet of commercial photography. Leaning into his background in graphic design, he’s collaborated with countless photography studios, design agencies and tech companies to bring all kinds of concepts, often wacky ones, to life.
His career is filled with creative and professional turning points, initially having little to do with food photography, but all leading up to it. In 2012, he took on his first full-time role in photography as the lead photographer for Mailchimp, which came about largely because of his range of skill sets.
“I wore a lot of hats and was able to build and create visual content from the ground up for massive brand campaigns, marketing initiatives, and social media,” he says. Jason worked closely with Mailchimp’s marketing team, helping to shape the brand’s visual identity and voice.
Soon he shifted into freelance mode, moved to Los Angeles, and never turned back.
Driven by the notion that being successful is simply “being able to do what you love while living comfortably,” Jason put himself near the brands and studios that could keep his career moving.
In 2017, something shifted, propelling Jason into the creative, lightning-paced world of commercial food and beverage photography when he began shooting for Postmates.
Bright, punchy, funny, and thoughtfully conceived images of food became part of his portfolio, sometimes draped in campaigns on the sides of buildings in downtown Los Angeles.
As soon as they started working together, Postmates encouraged Jason to experiment with local restaurants and new ideas.
Other big food brands followed, with brands like Halo Top, Simply Pop, and Liquid Death hiring Jason for his design- savvy perspective.
For Jason, the most rewarding part is developing ideas before anyone picks up a camera.
“Working with a team and figuring out how to bring a vision to life,” he says. He got to do exactly that for Simply Pop’s recent product launch, taking on the dual role of stills photographer and video director.
“We jammed through a ton of concepts over a packed three days. It was a really rewarding creative challenge.”
Another example of Jason's experimental mindset is an image he created for Howlin’ Ray’s that became a massive billboard. Jason placed a chicken sandwich in front of a red curtain, perched it on a pickles-for-eyes skull, with two mysterious, nail-art-bedazzled hands holding the plate.
“It was a spontaneous idea that sparked on set, and it remains a favorite career moment because it proves that the best shots are often the ones you don't plan for.”
Long-term relationships with clients have come not only from Jason's creative consistency, but also his flexibility and openness to pivot, change course, and play.
“Commercial photography is a balancing act,” Jason says, “but when a client trusts you enough to give you that breathing room, the best, most exciting ideas almost always arise from experimentation.”
The key throughout all of this is clear communication, often with pre-production discussions happening days or weeks before a shoot.
Consistently, VSCO plays a role in Jason’s experimentation and iteration, having used the app and platform for years. Recently, he’s been using it to help with production for his new series Bang-up Job.
“It’s actually the backbone of my entire workflow,” he says. “I snap all the shots on my phone and bring them directly into the app, which gives me the tools I need to build a cohesive, intentional aesthetic.”
And beyond using it to anchor the look of specific projects, VSCO is a playground. “It’s a fast, intuitive place where I constantly experiment with shifting color palettes and visual effects that often end up inspiring my larger projects,” he adds.
With the photo industry constantly changing, Jason has learned to embrace its unpredictable rhythms.
“As a freelancer, you quickly learn to navigate the waves of busy streaks and slow months,” he says. Yet he feels fortunate to never lose his spark. “Growing up as an only child, I was constantly inventing my own worlds and creating my own personal projects."
That built-in drive has followed me into adulthood.” When work slows down, his mind races into creation mode. His biggest challenge, however, is finding time to balance that drive as a parent of two kids.
His solution, for now, is slowing the personal projects and challenging his creative energy into working with commercial brands that “lean into my creative perspective and give me the freedom to do what I do best.”
One misconception Jason hopes to dispel for emerging food photographers is the critical role of a food stylist to ensure concepts and final images hit a client’s expectations.
“Having a food stylist, or knowing how to style food yourself, is crucial,” he says. “There is such a distinct art to translating food into a compelling visual image, and there are so many meticulous, hidden techniques required to make it look effortless.”
Beyond that, it’s all about creative distinction. “Find your style,” he says, “and make sure the food always looks beautiful and delicious.”
Great commercial food photography, landing clients, and keeping them is all about the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate.
“You really have to understand the assignment. Commercial work is about balancing your creative voice with the client's strategic goals, which means being a great listener and finding the best angles to tell their story.”
August 7, 2026
