Hi, I’m Christiana Huish, a self-proclaimed visual storyteller and weekend explorer.
I was eight when I received my first camera, a Hello Kitty Polaroid. I was captivated by the idea of telling a story visually. My camera went everywhere with me and I was constantly taking photos. As I got older, I took photos without a real goal or purpose in mind until I was in my college photojournalism class. It brought me back to what attracted me first to the art — storytelling. We had an assignment to take photos of food and in the process I fell in love with food photography and the story it could tell.
I began attending farmers markets and local restaurants - I really wanted to support local food growers and producers not only with the dollar but with telling their stories. There is so much amazing food in our backyard, so to speak, and the people behind it work hard to give the people in their community quality food.
Telling stories of where food comes from or the process it goes through, inspired me to propose my photo project for the Olympus Break Free Program. Through images, I intend to showcase our food’s true origins. Food is something we all share, it’s a crucial part of every culture and something that can unite everyone. It’s important that we get a sense of where our food comes from and we see the people behind it.
I won’t be able to tell the story of every food, but I’m hopeful that presenting the story of just one is enough to have the viewer feel more connected to where their food comes from.
The gear I selected as part of the program was the OM-D E-M1 Mark III camera, M.Zuiko 45mm F1.2 PRO lens, and the M.Zuiko 12-40mm F2.8 PRO lens.
The lightweight, portable nature of the gear will be invaluable as I follow the food from farm to table. Key elements, such as its TruePic IX processor, allow for superior image quality in all lighting conditions. Due to the unpredictability of outdoor weather conditions, the weather sealing Olympus offers is essential to ensure that nothing will stop me from getting the best shot. Finally, the focal lengths provided in these lenses will allow me to get as close as possible to my subjects in order to bring the story to life.
My mentor for this project is Olympus Visionary and National Geographic photographer, Jay Dickman. Jay is a true visual storyteller, which is why I wanted to work with him on this project. He understands how to tell a story through images in a way that captivates his audience. I think his vast and impressive experience will lend itself well to help guide me as I complete my project.
The opportunity to use top of the line gear while working with a prestigious mentor to bring this project to life is what excites me most as I begin this project. I look forward to telling this story and connecting with viewers everywhere.
