Evi Abeler Commercial Photographer and Director

I love the challenge of making something delicious look just as good as it tastes and smells. 

I credit my love for food and photography with my rural upbringing in Northern Germany. From helping my grandmother in her garden (my grandparents ate farm-to-table long before it was en vogue) to watching my mother document almost every aspect of our daily life on film, the seeds were planted (pun intended) for my eventual career without me even knowing it. 

The magic of food and what it does to our senses — I still remember the fragrant smell of grandma’s famous lentil soup simmering for hours over a coal stove — combined with a deep sense of curiosity and a desire to explore the world (a sensibility that comes from my father, a joyful inventor), has instilled in me a passion to bring food to life to fully represent the sum of our needs, desires, and dreams. 

No matter where we come from, we all share a love for food, culture, community and the celebration of life. As a photographer, I integrate my lived experiences — going from living in a small community, to raising my family in the most diverse city on earth — honoring the multitude of human experiences and bringing this approach to my work. 

All of this translates into how I help my clients communicate the love, passion and craft that goes into every shoot. My images connect art and commerce, focusing on the natural beauty, distinctive textures and the way light turns my subjects into something both magical and mouth watering. Since I founded my studio, I’ve collaborated with dozens of brands, ad agencies, creative directors, authors, book publishers, and media companies in the culinary, design, health, and travel worlds on projects both large and small. 

After studying photography at the University of Osnabrück in Germany and earning my BFA in Photography, Design and Multimedia and my MFA in Studio Art from The City College of New York, I began my journey to where I am today. First as the in-house photographer and designer for the Rubin Museum of Art where my love of food photography was born, creating pictures of Chef Eric Ripert’s menu for the museum’s annual gala. Next, pastry chef Albane Sharrard and I started Whip+Click, a food blog dedicated to seasonal recipes that was honored with an award from Food & Wine Magazine. In 2010 I opened my own studio and in 2013 I joined the wonderful roster at Big Leo Productions. Some of my proudest moments include creating the first US campaign for DeLonghi, shooting a 3-part commercial for Barilla, and receiving an ICC Award.

When I’m not behind the camera, you can find me spending time with my husband, two daughters and our two kittens, Jiji and Puff in Harlem. And when I want to get away, I love meandering through Central Park, hiking in the world’s National Parks, or swimming in lakes, seas, or pools.

My Clients include:

Brands
Advil, ALoft, Angostura, Annie’s, Bacardi, Baileys, Barilla, Beachbody, Ben & Jerry's, Betty Crocker, Boar’s Head, Cazadores, Cheerios, Chex, Diageo, Dig, DeLonghi, Dominos, Emergen-C, Fitbit, General Mills, Gregory's, Gold Peak, Guinness, Hannaford, HairFood, Heinz, Home Goods, Kashi, Jimmy Dean, Love Beauty Planet, Marriott Hotel & Resorts, Monarch Casinos, Martha Stewart, Nature Valley, Newman’s Own, Old El Paso, Penfolds, Pfizer, Pillsbury, Procter & Gamble, Serena Williams, ShakeShack, Sheraton, Starwood, Sotheby’s, TJX, Totino’s, Tyson, Unilever, Welch's, Westin, Weight Watchers, Whole Foods

Agencies
Crispin Porter + Bogusky, DX Agency, Edelman, Epic Signal, FCB Chicago, FinnPartners, GoDutch, Grey, Hatchery, High Dive, Hill Holliday, Human Innovation, Hill+Knowlton, John Brown, Jones Knowles Ritchies, LEGGS, Milk, Mother, Mekanism, Ogilvy, Select, Sopexa, SCRUM50, Townhouse, Vice Virtue, VMLY&R, We Are Social, Work in Progress

Publishing
AARP, Associated Press, Callisto, Clean Eating, Culture, Food Network, Food & Wine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, GQ, Harper Collins, Harper Wave, Health, Insight Editions, Rodale, Quarto, Storey, The Experiment, Weight Watchers, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Women’s Health, Workman

Still Looking for more?

Listen to this Interview with Evi by Focus on Women on Spotify or iTunes.

“Tune into our chat with the awesome Food photographer/director Evi Abeler. Evi is based in New York and represented by my good friends, Mary Dail and Kimberley Sirisalee. Her work is phenomenal and she is one of my favorite creatives for sure. She is calm, professional and a true female power house all at the same time. Over the past decade she has collaborated with dozens of brands, ad agencies, creative directors, authors, book publishers, and media companies in the culinary, design, health, and travel worlds on projects both large and small. Her images focus on the natural beauty, distinctive textures and the way light turns her subjects into something magical. You are going to love this chat!”