Hi! I’m Jeannine, a commercial food photographer from Helena, Montana. At various times in my life I’ve been a ballerina, bartender, soldier, government employee, line cook, pastry chef, business owner, food blogger and now food photographer. These combined experiences contributed to the passion I have for food photography today. 

I fell in love with photography when my parents gave me a little plastic Girl Scout camera for Christmas when I was about 8 years old. I still have some of those old black and white photographs I took in Arizona when on vacation as a child. After that came my Dad's hand-me-down cameras until I bought my first DSLR. Little did I know then, that moment would play a major role in my life. It wasn’t until years later, after my 300th cookbook, I realized I was buying them for the photography rather than for the recipes. I finally found my true calling as a food photographer. 

I’ve always loved food. My parents’ cooking gave me a curiosity about food and a love of different cuisines from around the world at a very young age. Forty years of Government service, including a 23-year military career, gave me the opportunity to live and travel around the world, and exposed me to the food of many different cultures. After retiring from the Army, I was finally able to turn a lifelong dream of becoming a chef into a reality. I attended L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and then worked at a fine-dining restaurant; first as a line cook and later as the Pastry Chef. I also eventually started a personal chef business.

Although I’m no longer cooking professionally, my experience working in professional food service continues to influence my food photography. I know what good food looks like, smells like, and tastes like, and that’s what I want you to experience when you look at my food photography. 

Oh, and another thing: Vegetables are my favorite things to eat and shoot; well, pastries might be a tie. And I really don’t have 300 cookbooks — I have more. Yes, I have a problem.

I love collaborating with other creative types and believe that solutions reached as a team always have the most impact. I have a cozy studio in Helena, Montana, where I work with an assistant and a food stylist, but I’m also more than happy to take it on the road and work with you on location.

Enough about me. How can I tell your food story with beautiful images tailored to your brand?