For more than a decade, Emily Fay has utilized her unique eye for storytelling through images as a freelance commercial food photographer. Wielding a specialization in food styling and product development, her stylized and expertly lit capture of dishes catching the attention of numerous brands, businesses, and magazines.
Launching her own business, Flavor in Frame, in 2017, Ms. Fay has since collaborated with food brands—including Duchess Hot Chocolate, Olipop, and Beehive Freeze Honey Slush—and restaurants, among myriad clients in the food industry, from bloggers to event coordinators, to craft compelling visuals for any and all marketing and engagement needs. It has been her longstanding goal to empower businesses in the food industry to stand out.
Since 2024, through her company’s services, Ms. Fay has also been active as a contract photographer for Melissa K. Norris, a popular homesteader and podcast host whose cooking-based website promotes from-scratch recipes and ultimately living self-sufficiently. In this capacity, Fay shoots pictures and styles for Norris’ Pioneering Today, her digital and print magazine, as well as conducts recipe testing and development, and collaborates with culinary experts to ensure a high-quality visual representation of recipes, overall enhancing the magazine’s appeal.
Beyond her primary endeavors as a working photographer, Ms. Fay has found great fulfillment in the last three years in building a vibrant community centered on food photography. She has organized four-day retreats that bring together experienced photographers and emerging talents, allowing for the sharing of expertise and mentorship. These events have since successfully gathered 13 to 15 women photographers at a time, creating an inclusive and collaborative environment for learning and growth.
Ms. Fay’s entry into her photography profession began with an associate degree in interior design from the Interior Designers Institute in 2009. While she initially worked in the field, she soon transitioned to real estate photography when she relocated from her home state of California to Utah with her husband. The move opened new opportunities for her, leading to her photographing food in local restaurants. Her talent and dedication in building this early portfolio led to work with Nestlé and Dole, as well as food bloggers who shared her work through word of mouth within their close-knit communities.
In her personal life, Ms. Fay is a certified yoga teacher and enjoys boating, hiking, and camping. She has long been active in her community through annual volunteering at local soup kitchens with her family and participating in a holiday toy drive where families shop for children in need and wrap presents for distribution. With her husband, who serves as vice president of revenue operations, she has two children, whom she includes in her charitable activities to teach them the importance of helping others.
As her career continues moving forward, Ms. Fay plans to maintain and expand her existing client base, which includes national brands and businesses. In addition, she intends to grow her community by helping beginners who are interested in food photography launch their own freelance businesses.
