Hungry Planet: A Photo Story

By Peter Menzel

NONE OF THE IMAGES ARE MY OWN – THEY ARE ALL COPYRIGHT TO PETER MENZEL, AUTHOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER OF HUNGRY PLANET.

‘Hungry Planet’ is a Photostory, published both online and in print, documenting and comparing the contents of weekly food shops of 30 families, in the 24 different countries that Peter Menzel visited.

Peter wanted to study and demonstrate how factors such as rising affluence, increased poverty, globalization, costs of living, sourcing products etc. are drastically changing our diets, and veering away from the old-aged practice of sitting down for a home cooked family meal.

In the following slides, you will see the photographs he took of the families in their homes, with the food they consume in a week spread around them. Only 30 of these families were featured in the book, however there are 35 in total.

I have included a brief description (quoted from the book) underneath each photo, which explains a little about the family, the cost of their shop, and of course the country in which they live.

Peter got to know the families during his travels, and if you were to purchase and read the book ‘Hungry Planet’, you would see that he goes into much more detail, explaining about each families background, and includes further photographs of them at home, in the kitchen, at market, and in their local communities.

Riverview, Australia

The Brown family of Riverview, Australia with a week's worth of food: Doug Brown, 54, and his wife Marge, 52, with their daughter Vanessa, 32, and her children, Rhy, 12, Kayla, 15, John, 13, and Sinead, 5. The length of the Brown's grocery list changes depending on whether

Vanessa and her children are living with them at the moment. Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave, and BBQ. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer.

Brisbane, Australia

The Molloy family: John, 43, Natalie, 41, Emily, 15 (called Em), and Sean, 5 (wearing his school uniform, including a hat for sun protection)on the backyard patio by their pool in Brisbane, on Australia's east coast, with one week's worth of food, in January. Cooking methods: stove, microwave, and outdoor BBQ grill. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods: John: prawns and chocolate. Natalie: fresh fruits and cheese. Favorite foods: John: prawns and chocolate. Natalie: fresh fruits and cheese. Emily: Mexican food and homemade dips. Sean: spaghetti Bolognese and lollies. /// The Molloy family is one of

the thirty families featured in the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats (p. 30). Food expenditure for one week: $303.75 USD.

Shingkhey

“In Shingkhey, a remote hillside village of a dozen homes, Nalim and Namgay's family assembles in the prayer room of their three-story rammed-earth house with one week's worth of food for their extended family of thirteen.

Sarajevo, Bosnia

The Dudo family in the kitchen/dining room of their home in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with one week's worth of food. Standing between Ensada Dudo, 32, and Rasim Dudo, 36, are their children (left to right): Ibrahim, 8, Emina, 3, and Amila, 6. Cooking methods: electric

stove, coal/wood stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer.

Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Finken family at home in their straw bale suburban home in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The Finken family: Kirk, 43, Danielle Roy, 50, Anna, 11, and Coco Simone (called Coco). ONE WEEK'S FOOD IN October. The Finkens of Gatineau, Canada. Food Expenditure for One Week:

$141.43 US dollars.

The Melansons of Nunavut, Canada

The Melanson family consists of: Peter, 30, Pauline, 34, Joseph, 11, Jacob, 9, and Shane, 6. ONE WEEK'S FOOD IN October. The Melansons of Nunavut, Canada.Food Expenditure for One Week:.$350.13 US dollars.

Breidjing Refugee Camp, Eastern Chad

The Aboubakar family of Darfur province, Sudan, in front of their tent in the Breidjing Refugee Camp, in eastern Chad, with a week's worth of food. D'jimia Ishakh Souleymane, 40, holds her daughter Hawa, 2; the other children are (left to right) Acha, 12, Mariam, 5, Youssouf, 8, and

Abdel Kerim, 16. Cooking method: wood fire. Food preservation: natural drying. Favorite food: D'jimia: soup with fresh sheep meat.

Beijing, China

The Dong family in the living room of their one-bedroom apartment in Beijing, China, with a week's worth of food.

Dar es Salaam, Chad

The Mustapha family in their courtyard in Dar es Salaam village, Chad, with a week's worth of food. Gathered around Mustapha Abdallah Ishakh, 46 (turban), and Khadidja Baradine, 42 (orange scarf), are Abdel Kerim, 14, Amna, 12 (standing), Nafissa, 6, and Halima, 18 months. Lying on a rug are (left to right) Fatna, 3, granddaughter Amna Ishakh (standing in for Abdallah, 9, who is herding), and Rawda, 5. Cooking

method: wood fire. Food preservation: natural drying.

Weitaiwu, Beijing Province

The Cui family of Weitaiwu village, Beijing Province, in their living room with a week's worth of food.

Havana, Cuba

In a rare moment, when not surrounded by the in-laws and cousins with whom they share a Colonial-era house, the Costa family. Ramon Costa Allouis, 39, Sandra Raymond Mundi, 38, and their children Lisandra, 16, and Fabio, 6?in the courtyard of their extended family's home

in Havana, Cuba with one week's worth of food. Cooking methods: indoor gas stove, outdoor homemade BBQ grill. Food preservation: refrigerator, grandfather's freezer chest in the courtyard. Food expenditure for one week: $56.76 USD.

Tingo, Ecuador

The Ayme family in their kitchen house in Tingo, Ecuador, a village in the central Andes, with one week's worth of food. Ermelinda Ayme Sichigalo, 37, and Orlando Ayme, 35, sit flanked by their children (left to right): Livia, 15, Natalie, 8, Moises, 11, Alvarito, 4, Jessica, 10, Orlando hijo (Junior, held by Ermelinda),

9 months, and Mauricio, 30 months. Not in photograph: Lucia, 5, who lives with her grandparents to help them out. Cooking method: wood fire. Food preservation: natural drying. /// The Ayme family is one of the thirty families featured in the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats (p. 106). Food

expenditure for one week: $31.55 USD.

Cario, Egypt

The Ahmeds' extended family in the Cairo apartment of Mamdouh Ahmed, 35 (glasses), and Nadia Mohamed Ahmed, 36 (brown headscarf), with a week's worth of food.

Montreuil, France

The Le Moine family in the living room of their apartment in the Paris suburb of Montreuil, with a week's worth of food. Michel Le Moine, 50, and Eve Le Moine, 50, stand behind their daughters, Delphine, 20 (standing), and Laetitia, 16 (holding spaghetti and Coppelius the cat).

Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave oven. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods? Eve: fresh vegetables. Delphine: Thai food. Laetitia: pasta carbonara. Food expenditure for one week: $419.95 USD.

Bargteheide, Germany

The Melander family: Jörg, 45, and Susanne, 43, with sons Kjell, 10, and Finn, 14 in the dining room of their home in Bargteheide, Germany, with a week's worth of food. Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave, and outdoor BBQ grill. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer,

freezer chest. Favorite foods? Jörg: fried potatoes with onions, bacon, and herring. Finn: fried noodles with eggs, cheese. Kjell: pizza, vanilla pudding. Susanne: "anything that's fresh and good.” Food expenditure for one week: $500.07 USD.

Wiltshire, England

The Bainton family in the dining area of their living room in Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire, with a week's worth of food. Left to right: Mark Bainton, 44, Deb Bainton, 45 (petting Polo the dog), and sons Josh, 14, and Tadd, 12. Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave oven. Food

preservation: refrigerator-freezer, a second small freezer. Favorite foods? Mark: avocado. Deb: prawn-mayonnaise sandwich. Josh: prawn cocktail. Tadd: chocolate fudge cake with cream. Food expenditure for one week: $253.15 USD.

Cap Hope, Greenland

The Madsen family in their living room in Cap Hope village, Greenland, with a week's worth of food. Standing by the TV are Emil Madsen, 40, and Erika Madsen, 26, with their children (left to right) Martin, 9, Belissa, 6, and Abraham, 12. Cooking method: gas stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer.

Favorite foods? Emil: polar bear. Erika: narwhal skin. Abraham and Belissa: Greenlandic food. Martin: Danish food. Food expenditure for one week: $277.12 USD. (Since Emil is able to supplement his income guiding tourists around Greenland, the Madsens enjoy a fair amount of Danish food.

Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Guatemala

The Mendoza family and a servant in their courtyard in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Guatemala, with a week's worth of food. Between Fortunato Pablo Mendoza, 50, and Susana Pérez Matias, 47, stand (left to right) Ignacio, 15, Cristolina, 19, and a family friend (standing in for

daughter Marcelucia, 9, who ran off to play). Far right: Sandra Ramos, 11, live-in helper. Not present: Xtila, 17, and Juan, 12. Cooking methods: gas stovetop, wood stove. Food preservation: refrigerator. Food expenditure for one week: $75.70 USD.

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India

The Patkar family: Jayant, 48, Sangeeta, 42, daughter Neha, 19, and son Akshay, 15 in the living room of their home in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India, with one week's worth of food. Cooking method: gas stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. /// The Patkar family is one of the thirty families featured in the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats (p. 166). Food expenditure for one week: $39.27 USD.

Sicily, Italy

In the kitchen of their apartment in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, the Manzo family: Giuseppe, 31, Piera Marretta, 30, and their sons (left to right) Mauritio, 2, Pietro, 9, and Domenico, 7 stand and sit around a week's worth of food. Cooking methods: gas stove, microwave. Food

preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods? Giuseppe (who is a fishmonger): fish. Piera and Domenico: pasta with ragú (meat sauce). Pietro: hot dogs. Mauritio: frozen fish sticks. Food expenditure for one week: $260.11 USD.

Kodaira City, Japan

The Ukita family: Sayo Ukita, 51, and her husband, Kazuo Ukita, 53, with children Maya, 14 (holding chips) and Mio, 17 in their dining room in Kodaira City, Japan, with one week's worth of food.

Yomitan Village, Okinawa

The Matsuda family in the kitchen of their home in Yomitan Village, Okinawa, with a week's worth of food. Takeo Matsuda, 75, and his wife Keiko, 75, stand behind Takeo's mother, Kama, 100. The couple's three grown children live a few miles away.

Kuwait City, Kuwait

The Al Haggan family and their two Nepali servants in the kitchen of their home in Kuwait City, Kuwait, with one week's worth of food.

Erpeldange in Bous, Southeast Luxembourg City

Family of Carlo and Marie Paule Kutten-Kass, Luxembourg with one week's worth of food. Photographed in their dining room. MODEL RELEASED. Carlo and Marie Paule Kutten-Kass of the town of Erpeldange in Bous, southeast of Luxembourg City, near the German border. Carolo is 49. Marie Paule is 48. Also in the photograph: their sons Joe, 19, and Georges, 22. Their daughter was away during the time the

photograph was made. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Cabo Verde, Luxembourg

The Lopes-Furtado family from Cabo Verde in the kitchen of their home in Luxembourg with one week's worth of food. Natercia Lopes-Furtado and her husband Ernesto Lopes Sanchez, 47, with their children: Darlene, 16, Melody, 14, Teddy, 9, and Lionel, 4. Cooking method:

electric stove, oven and microwave. Food preservation: electric refrigerator and freezer.

Esch-sur-Alzette, Southwestern Luxembourg

The Engel family at home in Luxembourg with one week's food. Nico is an architect. He designed their home. Model Released. Architect Nico Engel, 42, and his wife Loba Anikina, 35 of Esch-sur-Alzette, southwestern Luxembourg, and their four children: Maxim, 15; Lou, 12; Mila, 4;

and Jora, 2.

Kouakourou, Mali

The Natomo family on the roof of their mud-brick home in Kouakourou, Mali, with a week's worth of food.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

The Casales family in the open-air living room of their home in Cuernavaca, Mexico, with a week's worth of food. Marco Antonio, 29, and Alma Casales Gutierrez, 30, stand with baby Arath, 1, between them. At the table are their older children, Emmanuel, 7, and Bryan, 5.

Cooking method: gas stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods? Marco Antonio: pizza. Alma: crab. Emmanuel: pasta. Bryan: crab and candy. Arath: chicken. Food expenditure for one week: $189.09 USD.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The Batsuuri family in their single-room home (a sublet in a bigger apartment) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with a week's worth of food. Standing behind Regzen Batsuuri, 44 (left), and Oyuntsetseg (Oyuna) Lhakamsuren, 38, are their children, Khorloo, 17, and Batbileg, 13.

Manila, The Philippines

The Cabaña family in the main room of their 200-square-foot apartment in Manila, The Philippines, with a week's worth of food. Seated are Angelita Cabaña, 51, her husband, Eduardo Cabaña, 56 (holding sleeping grandson Dave, 2), and their son Charles, 20. Eduardo, Jr., 22 (called Nyok), his wife Abigail, 22, and their daughter Alexandra, 3, stand in the kitchen. Behind the flowers is the youngest son, Christian, 13 (called

Ian).

Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland

The Sobczynscy family in the main room of their apartment in Konstancin-Jeziorna; Poland; outside Warsaw; with a week's worth of food. Marzena Sobczynska; 32; and Hubert Sobczynski; 31; stand in the rear; with Marzena's parents; Jan Boimski; 59; and Anna Boimska; 56; to their right and their

daughter Klaudia; 13; on the couch. Cooking method: gas stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. (Polish surnames are gender-based and can change when speaking of the family as a whole. "Sobscynscy" is plural). Food expenditure for one week: $151.27 USD.

Istanbul, Turkey

The Çelik family in the main room of their three-room apartment in Istanbul, Turkey, with a week's worth of food. Mêhmêt Çelik, 40, stands between his wife Melahat, 33 (in black), and her mother, Habibe Fatma Kose, 51. Sitting on the couch are their children (back to front) Mêtin,

16, Semra, 15, and Aykut, 8. Cooking method: gas stove. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Food expenditure for one week: $145.88 USD.

American Canyon, California

The Caven family in the kitchen of their home in American Canyon, California, with a week's worth of food. Craig Caven, 38, and Regan Ronayne, 42 (holding Ryan, 3), stand behind the kitchen island; in the foreground is Andrea, 5. Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave, outdoor BBQ. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer, freezer. Favorite foods? Craig: beef stew. Regan: berry yogurt sundae (from Costco).

Andrea: clam chowder. Ryan: ice cream. Food expenditure for one week: $159.18 USD.

Raleigh, North Carolina

The Revis family in the kitchen of their home in suburban Raleigh, North Carolina, with a week's worth of food. Ronald Revis, and Rosemary Revis, stand behind Rosemary's sons from her first marriage, Brandon Demery, (left), and Tyrone Demery.

San Antonio, Texas

The Fernandez family in the kitchen of their San Antonio, Texas home with a week's worth of food. Lawrence, 31, and wife Diana, 35, standing, and Diana's mother, Alejandrina Cepeda, 58, sitting with her grandchildren Brian, 5, and Brianna, 4. Cooking methods: electric stove, microwave, toaster oven, outdoor BBQ. Food preservation: refrigerator-freezer. Favorite foods? Diana: shrimp with Alfredo sauce.

Lawrence: barbecue ribs. Brian and Brianna: pizza. Alejandrina: chicken moles. Food expenditure for one week: $242.48 USD.

I chose to study this particular Photostory because I feel as though it has similarities to the project I hope to undertake in the coming weeks. I too will be photographing food, possibly people, and the interiors of buildings in a natural setting, so it has been really beneficial for me to look at how he has framed each shot, lighting, camera angles etc. in order to get the desired portrait.

I predict one of the most difficult tasks I face with my own Photostory, is making each image ‘interesting’ and enticing to look at. Moreover, I think taking the photo from a position/angle that allows me to photograph as much of the café, or as much as I feel applicable to successfully show its uniqueness and encapsulate the theme.

I want to try to keep each shot as similar as possible so to show a contrast between each café, however I’m aware that this will depend a lot on the size of the café, the lighting and how busy it is when I visit. I don’t want the food to be my main focus, but if I feel as though the food is relevant to the type of themed café that I’m photographing, then I will try to include this in some of my shots.

I’d also like to talk to some of the staff at each café I visit to find out a bit about their back story and how successfully their business is going. Each of the cafes I am visiting is an independent, one-of-a-kind business and I’m therefore hoping there to be more of an interesting story about how each café was set up, established and the idea behind it, which I will then include in my project to support my final images.

The text I’ve included in this PowerPoint is presented similarly in the book, directly under the family portrait, usually across one page with the other, smaller photographs and a more detailed description on each family on separate pages.

I really like the fact that the photographer has included some more natural photos of each family along with the posed portrait, as it gives the story more depth and helps us to get more insight into the differences Menzel is trying to portray in this book. However I think that using the portrait as the main, largest image is also extremely effective as this image really summarises the point being made, and is very striking and engaging, and it made me want to read the accompanying text to find out more about the family in the photo.

Only writing a brief, succinct description underneath the portraits worked much more effectively than trying to write a detailed paragraph as this is slightly off-putting and takes the emphasis off the photo. The whole point of a ‘photo-story’ is to be able to narrate through the quality of the picture, and therefore not much text should be needed. However it’s interesting and sometimes necessary to elaborate, but as Menzel has done in this book, it should be broken up in paragraphs, and in presentation so to not daunt the reader and keep the focus on the photographs themselves.