Meet Aaron Cameron Muntz
New York still-life photographer and tabletop director Aaron Cameron Muntz focuses his passion and creative energy on a holistically balanced work environment that allows his studio to experiment, collaborate, and foster deeper and more nuanced relationships with his clients and teams to produce incredible campaign work for cosmetics, products, food & drink stories.
Personal Project Breakdown
Inspired by the bold color palette and pop art sensibilities developed during a recent campaign for Lidl grocery stores, the creative team reunited to bring that same vibrant energy into a playful, self-initiated series.
This personal project explores the intersection of food, design, and color, transforming everyday produce into graphic compositions that celebrate texture, shape, and whimsy. With saturated backdrops, dynamic styling, and sharp lighting, the images channel the visual punch of pop art while showcasing the team’s ability to elevate simple ingredients into striking visual statements.
Stills Team ::
Photographer, Aaron Cameron Muntz
Set Designer, Shane Klein
Food Stylist, Jason Schreiber
Aaron: A year or so ago I had this idea for a photo story from looking at photos of books by Victor Schrager. At first the idea was just composing similar images but with bread, then evolving it to include various spreads. I’m a sucker for puns and rhymes so the bread spread idea was born. It ended up being one of those ideas that got stuck on the back burner for a while.
The Minneapolis agency Mono brought me on to shoot a new campaign for the European grocery store, Lidl, and we brought on food stylist Jason Schreiber and set designer Shane Klein, who I work with extensively, we make a great team. The sets were these primary colored panels, red, yellow and blue, that we knew we needed to repurpose for another project before recycling. I proposed to Jason and Shane the bread spread idea. Since it was already inspired by fine art, and the set pieces were such bold colors, it made sense to look primarily to pop art for further inspiration. I sketched a few ideas, keeping things very simple and loose so that we would have plenty of room to elaborate on set. It’s important to me to leave room for interpretation and happy accidents in my personal work.
Lidle Campaign Imagery
Inspiration
Final Realization
Aaron: We came up with 7 or 8 different baked goods, some Jason sourced, but he’s a baking wizard and whipped up the rest himself. We paired the baked goods with a preliminary art concept or artist. I stayed at this Airbnb around this time that had a great Hilma af Klint print; you never know where the inspiration might come from. Once on set, some of the ideas we originally developed just weren’t quite working, so we dug into our collective knowledge of art history from surrealism to nouveau realism. One of my favorites, even though it might be a little on the nose, was our homage to the painter Wayne Thiebaud.
Aaron: I am proud to say my toast flying from the toaster series was chosen for American Photography 41.The AI-AP juried award annuals was founded in 1982 by a committee of esteemed illustrators and art directors, AI-AP was created as a direct alternative to other leading organizations and companies of the day who it was thought were not recognizing unconventional, “cutting-edge” work that was being produced by unheralded artists who were pushing the boundaries of commercial work.
Aaron: As I continue to grow and define my work and myself, I find it important to enjoy the creative process, to have a clear vision and consistent approach, no matter what the subject matter. I take this same approach with my own multidisciplinary creative practice as well, from experimental short film to painting. I look forward to sharing my excitement for collaboration and image making with you.
