Can the right paper bring your photography to life?

Learn how we helped Lori Rice capture the culture of food with gorgeous color saturation and print quality.

Farm-to-Table Stories

Lori Rice is inspired by food and the culture surrounding it. As a photographer, stylist, and writer, she helps brands and growers create a narrative that aligns with their vision.

Every phase of a food’s journey helps tell that story. Lori may be photographing ombré eggs in her kitchen one day and visiting a farm or a vineyard the next. Of course, living in California gives her proximity to vast agricultural variety, while other passions contribute to her work: travel abroad, study of nutrition, recipe development, and writing.

Enter Red River Paper

Recently, Lori has been working on a massive project: “The California Farm Table Cookbook.” She is traveling around the state to interview and photograph 40 farms and food/drink producers.

“Red River Paper has allowed me to bring my photography to life,” Lori explains. “Before buying your paper, I had only seen my work printed by others in magazines, books, etc. Now I use your paper to create my own prints.” In fact, about 100 sheets of 4”x6” Polar Matte paper are hanging on her studio wall while she creates the cookbook. She also prints gifts, calendars, and wall hangings on Polar Matte. Made from 100% alpha-cellulose, Polar Matte offers a soft white printing surface with incredible ink holdout capabilities. Its lack of sheen makes the details the main focus of your artwork.

See More of Lori’s Work

If you’ve worked up an appetite to see more luscious food photography, go to LoriRice.com and enjoy a bounty of fresh produce, farm life, savory dishes, sweet treats, and beverages. You’ll also discover her blog and free guides on topics like photographing your own cookbook. See Lori’s contact page to inquire about potential projects or print purchases. To learn how her business got started, check out our Q&A below.

Enjoy our Q&A with Lori Rice

What year was your business founded and how did you get started?
I officially formed a business in 2017 but have worked as a photographer since 2012. It began as a hobby for my food blog. Then, it evolved into photographing for the magazine articles I wrote and eventually into a content creation business where I create photos for my clients.

Tell us a little about what product or service your business offers.
I'm a photographer who focuses on food and its origins. I tell the story from producer to plate and capture it around the world. I provide food, drink, farm, and travel photos for many agricultural boards, councils, magazines, and food businesses.

What makes your business unique?
I'm fascinated with where food comes from, whether it's the country of origin or the tree it grows in down the street from me. I love natural light. I enjoy playing with winter rays in the windows or a starburst on a farm at dusk. While I have a style, I can adapt that style in a way that reflects my client's vision. I have a deep knowledge of foods, cooking, produce, and growing practices, allowing me to photograph safely in a kitchen or on a working farm. From a production standpoint, I serve as art director, stylist, and photographer, providing self-produced shoots that keep costs lower for my clients.

Where do you source your raw materials from?
My paper always comes from Red River Paper. I love the Polar Matte. I use it to create calendars each year using my food and wildlife photography.

In what ways does the business reflect your own personality?
I believe in pausing to see things differently and pausing to capture what's unique. My work inspires pause and encourages adventure, whether it prompts a person to see the beauty of a fig and think about what they might make with it or introduces them to a food they've never encountered before.

Who are your typical customers?
Agricultural boards and councils, publishers of books and magazines, and small food and drink businesses. I also teach those who want to learn how to pause and capture their subject according to their style and perspective.

What is the most interesting project you've encountered in the course of your work?
It's likely the one I'm working on right now. I'm writing and photographing “The California Farm Table Cookbook,” my third cookbook with The Countryman Press. I'm traveling around the state to interview and photograph 40 farms and food/drink producers; I'm also preparing and photographing 100 recipes. The encounters I've had while creating this book are unlike anything in my career thus far. The diversity of visions, dreams, beliefs, and passions is inspiring — and I get to bring it to life in both words and photos. The book will be published in the summer of 2024.

What has Red River Paper done for your business? Is there a particular challenge Red River Paper helped you overcome or a goal they helped you meet?
Red River Paper has allowed me to bring my photography to life. Before buying your paper, I had only seen my work printed by others in magazines, books, etc. Now, I use your paper to create my own prints. About 100 4”x6” sheets of Polar Matte paper are hanging on my studio wall as I create this cookbook. I also print gifts, calendars, and wall hangings with your paper.

What do you appreciate most about Red River Paper's products/services?
Fast delivery; great packaging (nothing ever arrives damaged); paper options for all types of printers with notes on the paper type so you know before you buy; paper quality; and the saturation of color when my photos are printed.

Do you have any future growth or product launch or event goals you’d like to share?
I have a small stock photography membership called Farm Fresh Photos for small businesses. Members receive monthly photos with a seasonal produce theme that they can use to digitally promote their businesses through social media, web design, and newsletters. I want this to grow. I also want to sell prints on a wider scale. I'd love to see some of my prints hanging in hotels or restaurants.

Would you like to share a customer testimonial?
“Lori is fantastic to work with. I've had the opportunity to work with her on recipe development and photography for multiple clients and I always walk away feeling ecstatic about the work she creates. She's very collaborative with her approach to the work, asking the right questions to make sure the direction is in line with the client's brand and that the right tone is set for the photos. She's been wonderfully flexible to loop me in during the shoots so I can weigh in on photos and set-up. I've recommended her to all my colleagues and clients and look forward to future projects with her!”
– Adrianne Rippberger, Curious Plot, food marketing agency.

Original Publication Date: May 22, 2024

Article Last updated: June 10, 2024