Claire Gunn

Finding your artistic style

Posted In: Art | Creativity | Food | Life | Photography

I have asked myself this question so many times: “What is my style?”

People often remark that they can tell if a photograph is mine, because they recognize my style.

What style? What do they recognize?

Claire Gunn

Schoon bakeryClaire Gunn


Claire Gunn

Thali, Cape Town


If I describe my style, I say it is dreamy, attentive and impressionistic.

I achieve this by choosing certain equipment and settings, yes, but the fact that I find myself naturally drawn to shoot this way is what defines my style.

I found my style in obvious succession on this photographic journey.


Claire Gunn

Boschendal, Pniel

Claire Gunn

Wolfgat, Paternoster

Claire Gunn

La Colombe, Cape Town

Claire Gunn

Bocca, Cape Town

I had come into possession of a really basic point-and-shoot camera and after playing in the kitchen with it for a few months, I discovered the little flower button – the macro function.

What it did was cause a shallow depth of field which resulted in most of the image melting into a mix of gradients and soft edges. I will never forget the photos I first took on that mode. They were so bad, but I could see the potential and I was completely in love!

Fast forward a few years and I decided to change my life and become a photographer. I started out on f3.5 like we all do on our kit lenses, but quickly discovered the 24 -70mm f2.8.

Once I discovered the creaminess I would never be turning back. It took another few months before I discovered f1.4 and the intensity of bokeh and blur it offers.

After that I found the lensbaby lenses and of course they are beyond the blur heaven I came to love.

Claire Gunn Lensbaby food photography

Edge 80 Lensbaby


The point is, it took the actual journey’s process for me to find the style I liked shooting in.

How did I discover my unique style? By showing up everyday and shooting, shooting, experimenting, shooting, experimenting, failing, shooting.

My style is reflective of how I see the world. I adore and am in love with beautiful food, so when I look at it I am entranced, focused and absorbed with fascination, interest and appreciation.This is how I want everyone to see the dishes I choose to spend my time with. I want you to be right up close to its beauty, textures and colours.

Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you almost taste it?


Claire Gunn

La Tete, Cape Town

Boschendal by Claire Gunn Boschendal by Claire Gunn Boschendal by Claire Gunn


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