Emma Stoltzfus, photographer

When I was 16, I was worried about showing cattle, school, running, friends and FFA contests.  I certainly didn’t have the professional chops to photograph food, much less anything to be used on a book cover. However, as an author, I’m so glad a 16 year-old in Hawaii had the talent and dedication to create the iconic food art for Food Truths from Farm to Table.  Meet Emma Stolzfus, the young lady behind the food question mark featured on the book’s cover.

1.  Why did you pursue this project?

I heard through the coconut wireless, also known as my mom, that there was a need for question-mark food art. I took it as a challenge and had a lot of fun learning the process and messing around with food photography. I must say, I ate a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables that week.

2.  What would you like people to know about you?

To start with, I’ve been homeschooled all my life. In objection to the stereotype, I do socialize. I have been living in Hawaii for eight years and love to read, hang out at the beach, watch a good show, and go on hikes; preferably with friends. I’m rather interested in politics and attend a mock UN camp every summer. I love to travel and have so far been to Italy and Britain. I hope to visit France sometime next year and will (of course) bring all my camera gear. As a senior in high school, I’m looking forward to the coming year and am excited to start looking at colleges.

3.  How does living in Hawaii impact your perspective? 

Photo credit: @PhotographyBug

Here on the beautiful island of Maui, we have waterfalls, cliffs, forests, mars-like mountains, green valleys, and (of course) plenty of sun, sand, and surf. Beyond its beauty, Maui is host to various conflicts surrounding the local agriculture community. I am more aware of this than most teens due to my family’s involvement in the Maui County Farm Bureau and recent political agriculture issues. 

4.  What do you feel the connection is between agriculture and food?

Photo credit: @PhotographBug

I must say, without agriculture, we’re all hungry and poorly clothed. Like most teens, I enjoy my coffee, pizza and ice-cream.

I spent my ‘small kid days’ on my family’s strawberry farm. Every summer I would pick as many berries as I could to sell at my own little table at the local farmer’s market.

Here in Maui I have banana, lilikoi (passion fruit), limes, lemons, tomatoes, papaya, and various herbs growing in my backyard all year long.

It’s farmers and ranchers that we have to thank for the food on our plates.

5.  Why photography?

Photo credit: @PhotographBug

I caught the photography bug (Haha, see what I did there?) in 2011 when on
e of my older cousins came to visit us with his family. He brought his camera (of course, if you go to Hawaii you bring your camera) and I got to watch him work first-hand for several weeks as he toured Hawaii with his camera strap glued to his neck. By my next birthday the words “A nice camera” were on the top of my wish list. 

I learned how to use my new gear by taking several courses with my photography idol Ray Mains. Since then I’ve done work with senior portraits, family pictures, yearbooks, events, books, and try to post my work on my blog (Shameless plug: PhotographBug). Photography is something I enjoy and hope to use in my future career.

6.  What’s your favorite food and why?

Photo credit: @PhotographBug

I honestly love just about all food. However if I was forced to choose one thing, it would be mochi. If you’ve never tried this delicious treat before, mochi is a traditional Japanese New Year rice-cake that is made and eaten all year long. Mochi is prepared by pounding mochigome rice into a paste and then eaten plain, flavored, fried, in soup, or wrapped around various ingredients such as ice-cream, bean pastes, fruit, and sesame seeds.  I have been known to overindulge when given access to large quantities of it.

Thanks, Emma, for sharing your talent and story – I’m so excited to see your work get published in early 2017! Be sure to follow @PhotographBug_Blog on Instagram and visit her blog,  www.PhotographBug.wordpress.com.