5 Resources That Inspire Leslie Grow

In Sources we ask various artists to tell the reader about their ways to get inspired off the internet and share the sites that can become a source of new artistic ideas. Today we take a look at the overview by food photographer Leslie Grow.

30-years old Leslie Grow, Food photographer living and working out of her artist studio in downtown Los Angeles. Leslie was working with clients such as Elli German Style Quark and Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese. She is a regular food contributor to the popular blogs DesignLoveFest and RestyleSource. Her images have been featured in magazines such as Inspiration Vintage, Souvenir, and Wine Country Weddings.

My favorite go-to for inspiration is Donna Hay in printed magazine/cookbook form. It is a food magazine based out of Australia that has become very popular. I came to discover this magazine by chance while looking through food magazines at a book store. There is nothing better than flipping through a book made of quality paper and imagery that is absolutely stunning. Anytime I need some inspiration for a shoot, whether it be for backgrounds or props being used, I like to see how they tie everything together to make a beautiful story of recipes about one ingredient.

I came across German stylist and photographer Dietlind Wolf about a year ago while scouring the internet sourcing images for a project I was working on. I was instantly drawn to her work because she is always creating something that is out of the normal, using color and props to add creative uniqueness. I frequently look at her work to see what she’s been working on.

When I have the time to research for projects of my own or to update my idea book, I love looking through all the different artist agencies finding new photographers and stylist. And sometimes stumbling upon people’s work that I’m very familiar with. A great website that is like a one stop shop for a bunch of agencies worldwide is The Agent List. It does a great job of listing categories, locations, and names. When I find an agency or photographer I like a lot, I make sure to bookmark it so I can check in every so often to see new work and what is going on in the industry.

A few years ago, I was introduced to a website geared towards creatives. It was described to me back then as a hosting platform for your portfolio and a wonderful source for inspiration. Behance has become one of my best outlets for not only exposing my work to other people and creatives worldwide, but it gives me the ability to follow like minded creatives who are producing professional quality work. When someone I follow adds to their portfolio, I’m instantly notified and can see it right then and there.

Keeping up with the ever evolving digital era is a job in itself. I like to check in over at fstoppers.com for gear & software reviews, lighting set-ups, industry news, and tutorials on post-production. It’s a great source to brush up on what’s going on in the industry and to learn something new.