Martin Parr’s Food Photography: Real Food

In his new book, the famed photographer shoots glamour-free snacks.

The food photography in Martin Parr’s latest hardcover collection Real Food is not about staging the perfect shot. It’s about documenting snacks and meals in plain sight.

Parr’s dedication has resulted in 200 photographs from 36 different countries including a gelatinous dessert from Tijuana, soup on a Miami cruise ship and buttered bread in London, England. What the food lacks in glamour, it makes up for in vibrant colors and textures.

“I am showing food as it really is because we are surrounded by images in magazines where you see food looking glorious and beautiful, and we know that most people don’t surround themselves with food like that. It is like the propaganda of food sales,” Parr told Bloomberg.

Here are some of our favorite photographs from Martin Parr’s Real Food.

Wisconsin, USA (2013)

Tokyo, Japan (1998)

Florida, USA (1998)

Ramsgate, England (1996)

Somerset, England (2000)

Tijuana, Mexico (2003)

Tokyo, Japan (1998)

Mexico (2013)

Tokyo, Japan (1998)

Real Food by Martin Parr is available now from Phaidon.