About Vittles presents: From Aspic to Instagram
The best food photography can define an era. Think of the mannered still-lifes of the 1970s, the kinetic, casual photos omnipresent in '90s cookbooks, or the textured realism of Instagram. Yet, for all its influence, food photography dates quickly. Good recipes often stand the test of time but food photography falls out of fashion.
This lively conversation, curated by online food magazine Vittles, explores the evolution of food photography since the 1970s. A panel of photographers traces how images of food have shifted from the gloss and artifice of early studio shots, to the chaos of contemporary visual food culture. They look at how changing technologies have reshaped not only aesthetics but also who gets to make 'good' food images in a globalised social media world.
Learn about the food photographers who defined the dominant aesthetics across the decades, the ways desire and aspiration have been constructed through photography and consider what might the future of food photography look like in an age of AI and hyper‑abundance.
Speakers to be announced soon.
Part of the Food Season Big Weekend over Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June. Take advantage of our In-Person Big Weekend Multi-Session Discounts by booking more than one session for the Big Weekend.
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Food Season Big Weekend discounts
In Person Multi-Session Discounts
For the Food Season Big Weekend 2026, we’re introducing a new in-person multi-session discount to help more of you experience a wider range of sessions.
The more Big Weekend sessions you book, the more you save:
- book 3 or more sessions and receive 20% off your total booking
- book 5 or more sessions and receive 30% off your total booking.
Please add all your sessions to your basket and then these discounts will be applied at check out.
Standard concession rates will continue to apply as usual.
About Food Season 2026
The British Library Food Season returns for its seventh year, bringing together some of the most influential names in food, drink, hospitality, literature and science, for a series of events that highlight the stories, the politics and the people behind how and why we eat. Discover more Food Season events.
Concessions
There are a range of concessions available. These include discounts for British Library Members, half-price tickets for students and under 26s, free entry for carers as well as a number of other concessions.
Attending the event online
If you book an online ticket, you will receive the viewing link on the morning of the event. You can either watch the event live or during the next 14 days on catch up.
Venue opening times
This event will take place in the British Library Knowledge Centre and is also available to watch online. Tickets may be booked to attend in person, or to watch online.
If you are attending in person, please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event. If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk
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Kenneth Lam
Kenneth Lam is a photographer working between London and Hong Kong.
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Moving from an early career in fashion photography, he now focuses on still life and food – using them as a lens to explore identity, politics, and storytelling. His work has been featured with publications and brands including The Financial Times, The Observer, Nowness, and Conde Nast. Drawing on the light and composition of the Old Masters, he blends classical influence with contemporary objects. His images have been exhibited at the Museum of the Home, Space Gallery, and Eaton Hong Kong. Beyond documenting food, Kenneth is interested in what food and image can hold – beauty, memory, and the deeper currents of today's social climate.
Jonathan Nunn
Jonathan Nunn is the founder and co-editor of Vittles, a magazine about modern food and culture.
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He is also the editor of the book London Feeds Itself.
Patricia Niven
Australian-born Patricia Niven is an award-winning food and portrait photographer.
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Her work is known for its rich, textural style and timeless luminosity. She is as at home photographing in a field with mud on her boots as she is in a studio or a Michelin-starred restaurant. Her natural warmth and love of people mean she thrives when collaborating with a team, relishing the magic of the combined energy in a room, whether it be for commercial, editorial or freelance commissions. She has photographed over 45 cook books, for authors including Melissa Thompson, Asma Khan, Honey & Co., Angela Clutton, Rosie Sykes, Tim Anderson, Gurd Loyal, Matthew Ryle and Madeeha Qureshi.
Jonathan Lovekin
Jonathan Lovekin is especially known for helping define the visual language of modern British food photography.
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His long-running collaboration with Nigel Slater began in the 1990s after Slater invited him to photograph a column for Marie Claire. Their partnership went on to shape many of Slater’s cookbooks and the food column they produced together for The Observer over more than three decades. Jonathan's photography is often described as atmospheric, intimate, and understated – emphasising texture, natural light, and the lived-in reality of cooking rather than highly stylised presentation. This approach became influential in editorial food photography. Beyond Slater, He has also photographed work by major contemporary food writers including Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigella Lawson, contributing to books and magazine projects.
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