Fuego Living contacted me early this year to help reintroduce their Element grill, a killer new design for a BBQ grill. To date, they'd been using CGI for their visuals, but they wanted art with a stronger point-of-view and a more authentic feel, and since I specialize in each, I was glad to help. We pulled together a crew in short order, and shot a whole library of product images over two days. The whole team was great fun to work with. The AD and I swapped notes on the latest (or oldest, too) music, and, since they were shepherding their first shipment of product, we talked with the founder about the challenges of modern manufacturing. Of course, food stylists and their clever tricks never get old, so we tried to get them to reveal the perfectly-curled-bacon method.
The grill is really attractively designed, and efficient as well.
Not the sort of fire I usually work with.
Speaking of logistics, sometimes you have to improvise: the Element comes in enamel (left), and stainless (right). The day of the shoot, we learned that the stainless version hadn't arrived. Disaster? I lit the enamel one to make it look like stainless, and saved us a bunch of ugly retouching.
We shot around a bunch, all casual-like, and did a series of different meals on the grill as well.
I worship at the altar of great products.
Is it for you? If you're short on space and value good industrial design, and a responsive company, keep an eye out for it - it's available nationally, and shipping soon. Bring yours by...I'll sign it!
