NEW SIGNING / MARTIN LOMAS

We are thrilled to introduce you to food and drink marvel, Martin Lomas - who is the newest addition to the LPA roster. Known personally as a Northern lad and professionally as a mouth salivating photographer we couldn’t be happier to have him as part of the team. With an intriguing background, originally training to be an Actor at East 15 Acting School in Loughton, all of his photography is self taught. His camera journey started in 2019 whilst making short films with his writer friend, where he developed skills in directing and cinematography. Shortly after this, the pandemic left him with no crew and so he took to enhancing his camera skills as a way self developing.

His work is vibrant and larger than life with storytelling being his main focus throughout all his creative endeavours. In his own words he loves to ‘tap into sense memory feelings like cracking into a beer at the end of a long day’…is it 5 pm yet? Transitioning between stills and video he has worked with the likes of Around the Cluck by Chef James Cochran, Seoul Bird by Chef Judy Joo, Kolkati Street Food, Yep Kitchen, Unity Diner, East London Brewing Co., The Snooty Fox Canonbury, Valderrama’s and many more.

Read on to find out what he had to say and immerse yourself in his tasty world (maybe wait if you’re hungry)…

How did you get into food and drink photography?

I’ve always been an avid cook and lover of food and drink so it was kind of destined when I picked up a camera that food would be involved somewhere. We can blame COVID for taking away my ability to be around people to photograph, but as soon as I started exploring the different textures and colours of food and drink and how light can play with them visually, I was hooked.

Your work is often bright, bold and in your face. How did you adopt this style?

My favourite foods are bright, bold and in your face. My taste in design and visuals is the same. I want my work to explode off the page or screen in the same way as that first bite of a juicy burger, or the sharp tang of biting into a sour candy.

Do you think your perception of food has changed since it became your career to photograph it?

My appreciation for what I think beautiful food is has become simpler. If you had asked me before what beautiful food is, then I’d probably think of Michelin star small plates but now it would be a totally unblemished bar of chocolate or a perfectly styled sandwich. There is a kind of beauty in the everyday that’s easy to overlook and this career has brought that to light.

If you could only photograph one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

It would have to be burgers. There is so much going on there and endless ways to play. Ingredient choice, style, sauce, toppings. They might be my weakness.

We love your animations, could you tell us more about them?

The thing I love about stop-motion animation is that it has a certain element of play and imagination that can be a lot trickier to replicate in a video. The jerky frame rate evokes childhood feelings of comics and cartoons and the ability to go into every frame and edit it means you can create little bits of magic where the food can move in impossible ways.

What's one thing you miss about the North being from Wakefield?

People just have time for people there. I’d don’t blame people in the South because the pace of life is totally different, but in the North people take their time to be friendly with strangers in a way you just don’t get here.

What would be your death row meal?

A Negroni to start. Fresh baked Sourdough with French butter and anchovies, Crispy Squid, Double Bacon Cheeseburger (surprise) and fries, Tiramisu. Alongside that copious amounts of wine and hoppy IPAs with a Sazerac and a double espresso to finish. That sounds pretty good to me.

To commission Martin for a shoot please email hello@lisapritchard.com and we will be straight back with you!