About Anne Watson - Anne Watson

Hi! I’m Anne.

It’s hard to say what came first, my love of food or my love of photography. From pouring over food magazines and cooking multi-coursed dinners for my brothers and friends as a kid, to moving to Italy in my twenties to study the culinary arts and, well, eat my way through Europe, I have always been moved by how food—selecting it, cooking it, serving and eating it—can tell a story.

At the same time, with a dad who loved photography and a great high school photo class darkroom, I began carrying a camera with me everywhere at a very young age. Photography remained my hobby through many years in the corporate world, traveling country to country for work and documenting what I saw in my time off.

I suppose it’s because I have always loved both food and photography that photographing food, and the farmers, chefs, and restaurants behind it, comes naturally to me. My personal style comes out of a deep love, and understanding, of the food culture of Southern California and the places I’ve lived and traveled, from Europe to the American Southwest. With a background in professional kitchens, I am as comfortable on the line, shooting chefs as they plate dishes on fine china, as I am riding in a pickup truck to an orchard to capture the avocado harvest.

My work has been featured in nationally and internationally celebrated magazines, newspapers, and cookbooks, and my clients range from publications to national brands to the local food truck. I have offices based in Orange County and San Diego, and when not behind the camera lens, I have another full-time role as a mother and stepmother. I live with my husband on a ranch and vineyard in North San Diego County.