GFF
Creative Director: Maren Caruso
Editor-in-Chief: Erika Lenkert
Designer: Catherine Jacobes
What prompted you to start your own magazine?
I’ve been shooting food for magazines and cookbooks over 15 years. The subject of food photography casts a wide net of photo opportunities that include not only plated food shots but a portrait of the chef, the ingredients growing in the earth, interiors of restaurant, detail shots of place, documenting chefs cooking and people coming together to celebrate and eat. Most of my commercial work requires me to shoot a plated recipe or food product. GFF Magazine is the perfect outlet for me to shoot all aspects of food. I was approached by Erika Lenkert; a friend and writer, to help make a gluten-free magazine come to life. It was just the kind of project I needed and more. It has led me to creative directing, shooting a range of stories and collaborating with smart ambitious individuals.
How many people are currently on staff?
Two, myself and Erika Lenkert.
Are you planning a print version?
GFF Magazine was designed to be a print Magazine. We spent a lot of time selecting paper stock, paper weight and a premier printer to create the smooth vibrant experience when flipping through the pages. We have our fall issue on newsstands now and available in many Whole Foods across the country as well as select retail stores. You can get or gift a subscription at gffmag.com
Why a gluten free magazine?
There is room for a playful, upbeat gluten-free magazine with creative amazing food that doesn’t remind you of what you are living without. Gluten-free recipes are in high demand and it can be overwhelming to weed through all of the recipes that are online. GFF is a great place to find tightly curated recipes that won’t disappoint.
What sets your project apart from other food magazines?
What makes GFF Magazine stand out from other food magazines is that it’s playful and inspires you to get down and cook. It takes food seriously in that the recipes are seriously amazing but the stories and imagery are upbeat and fun.
GFF Magazine features inspirational cooking including stories about real people making really great food that just happens to be gluten-free.
What’s been the steepest learning curve for this process?
Asking people for help and guidance has been a huge learning curve. I quickly learned that sitting back and hoping that everyone will find out about our new venture was not an option. We had to shout out from the top of every mountain and tell people why they should believe in us and what we were doing. It’s amazing how many people did. We raised close to $95,000 on Kickstarter which confirmed the importance of reaching out and asking for support. It also proved to us that there is a real interest in a new indie food magazine focusing on gluten-free fare. We continue to ask for support and help from fellow magazine founders and contributers and business minded friends. It takes a village and tapping into our contacts and resources continues to make our magazine a reality.
How much creative freedom does this project offer you?
I have a lot of creative freedom within the parameters of the photographs that visually support the text with delicious looking food. For now, GFF Magazine is fulfilling my desire to shoot food in all of its forms and tell stories through my photos.
Did you shoot all of these spreads?
Yes, I shot everything in the magazine.
No fundraising events; just asked everyone we knew to help.
In 2 years we hope that we will have enough subscribers so that we can afford to pay people to help us out. We also plan in have a hefty online store by then.
How do we subscribe?
You can subscribe to GFF Magazine online at gffmag.com – it’s a great holiday gift!
How can photographers, writers reach out to you?
Email us at erika@gffmag.com