GIA / Thelilstudio
第一次在社群上瀏覽Gia的照片時，好像有個往下鑽的漩渦把我深深地拉了進去。我常期許自己拍出有深度的照片，讓觀賞影像的人衍生「想把每張影像都放大仔細瞧瞧」的好奇心；Gia的照片就是讓我這麼盯著的。
美食攝影講究的不只是把食物拍的清楚，連同吃食氛圍、情境的塑造（誰吃、吃什麼、在哪裡吃的畫面聯想）都應該醞釀在影像中；而Gia的影像特質更是台灣少見。查詢她在社群上公開的資訊，知道她幾年前曾到歐洲師學美食攝影，同時希望透過短期深度旅居的方式，來瞭解她欣賞的攝影師的生活風格。
透過「與攝影師的對話」專題來探訪Gia小小/工作室，除了私心想認識這位拍攝迷人影像的女子外，也希望我們訪談的對話可以讓對攝影有相同興趣的愛好者得到更多的靈感。
The first time I browsed Gia's photos on Instagram, it seemed that there was a swirling vortex that pulled me into it deeply. I often encourage myself to take profound and meaningful pictures, and let people curious about my photos, and want to discover more. Gia's photos make me feel the same.
Gourmet photography is not only about showing food clear, but also about creating various dining atmosphere (who, what, and where) . Gia has not only reached the level, yet her image quality is rare in Taiwan. From her published information on the internet, knowing that she came to Europe to join food photography and styling workshops a few years ago, and hoped to experience the lifestyle of the locals through a short-term living.
I visited Gia a while ago and had an interview with her. I would like to know more about the woman who shoots beautiful images. Moreover, I hope that our conversation will bring you more inspiration for food photography.
瞭解自己、以己身優勢為做決定的關鍵
Gia的母親是英文老師，她國小低年級時便跟著念研究所的父母定居美國紐約一段時間；在雙語環境中成長，她的英文一直很好。回到台灣後進入英文系所就讀，後來再到紐約進修。
「我不是會考試的小孩，所以在求學路上總是選擇對自己有利的科系（條件）；順利申請進入中央大學的英文系，後來到紐約念傳媒（Media Studies）。念傳媒時，因為我沒有任何實際拍攝影片的經驗，所以不主動研修製作組（Production），而是選擇對自己有利的理論組（Theory）來主修。這樣不僅容易銜接課程，適當的緩衝也讓自己可以從必修的學分中同時學習拍攝與編輯影片的專業知識。」
「兩個科系（英文系與傳媒系）都是很虛無飄渺的科系呀！」Gia雖然這麼開著自己的玩笑，不過善於分析、研究事件的Gia把這套判斷準則落實在生活中的決斷上。看似有著浪漫隨性的性情，其實Gia對想追求的目標有著不妥協的毅力與耐心。
Knowing yourself and taking your advantage as the key to making decisions
When Gia was a child, she settled in New York for a while with her parents. Moreover, her mother is an English teacher. Gia has developed her bilingual proficiency since her childhood. Later, she majored in English at the university and then went to New York for further education.
"I was not a child who took exams well, so I chose the conditions that were beneficial to me; I applied successfully to the English Department at the university, and then went to study Media Studies in New York. Because I did not have any experience of filming, I did not join the major of Production. Instead, I took the Theory as my major. It was not only easier to connect the courses; it also allowed me to learn the professional knowledge and techniques of filming and editing films."
"The two majors (English and Media Studies) are quite ethereal." Gia made a joke. However, Gia, who is good at analyzing and studying results, puts this set of judgment into life. It seems that she is romantic and casual, but she has uncompromising perseverance and motivation for her goals.
人生的摸索試探期
從紐約回到台灣之後，Gia進入職場工作。「以當時的工作方式得到升遷是沒有問題的；不過我看著總監（上司）試想將來，問自己是否想待在那個位置、成為他的模樣，才發現那不是我要的生活。」所以工作兩年後在沒有備案的情況下，她決然辭去工作以接文案與翻譯來維持生計。
那段摸索試探期不算短，大約有兩年時間。「那段時間甚至到市集擺攤賣甜點、也想過做私廚；想的都是任何可以增加收入的方法，不過都與攝影毫無關係。」事後想來，那時候看似輕鬆其實壓力很大。
「不過我很幸運，家人是支持我的，尤其是母親；她希望我可以作自己喜歡的事，給了我很大的自由與鼓勵。」也正因為有了那段時間的醞釀，才有後來攝影工作契機的萌生。
寫文案期間，Gia開始大量瀏覽部落格；那時候部落格圖文生態正盛，於是她也開始嘗試撰寫些不同主題的文章。很長一段時候之後才把主題錨定在食物上，開始分享食譜；她也是那時候開始拍照的。
開始分享食譜時，就是以電影或書籍當中的故事情節為主，挑選一個角色，以這個角色為出發來發展一道料理。有時候是以故事主角的個性為主，有時候則依著劇情帶來的情緒發展，挑選不同的料理創作。
好比當初觀看Matilda這部影片時，Gia就很好奇劇情中那塊巧克力蛋糕的口感。日後翻找到巧克力蛋糕食譜時，都會驅動她試做，然後與想像中的滋味（電影在視覺上傳遞的口感）作比較。
「這樣一來我就不會是部落格中分享的焦點，而且又可以透過這些影像將情緒或是想法表達出來，說出自己的故事。」Gia個性慢熱，不習慣公開私人故事與細節；透過料理與攝影卻可以豐富且適當地抒發她的觀點與想法。於是她部落格中的圖片與文字慢慢累積出深度，引發讀者關注，開始收到授課合作的邀請。
當初合作的對象希望Gia教授烘焙，不過她自認無法針對烘焙授課：「市場上已經有很多烘焙老師，不缺我一個。」可是Gia知道自己有個很大的優勢，那便是可以同時烤蛋糕、也可以做造型、接著攝影。尤其是造型結合攝影對台灣來說比較獨特，比較少人從事，所以Gia再次地以自身優勢創造獨一無二的機會。
開始授課同時，Gia也接拍商業攝影。以拍攝手法來說，Gia偏好以自然光拍攝，不過台灣的市場喜歡以人造光方式拍攝。相較於自然光，人造光拍攝在光源上的穩定性雖然高，可以節省許多等候完美光線的時間，不過Gia在自己的喜好堅持與客戶要求的兩難下，當時身為商業拍攝新手的Gia對自己的作品慢慢失去了信心，成像似乎達不到自己的高標準。
再回想多年前的工作經驗，現在的Gia對人造光已經有較為成熟的使用手法。她坦然認為，雖然還是偏好自然光拍攝，不過學習利用人造光拍照是所有攝影師都應該瞭解的基本常識，至於是否使用這個技巧則在個人選擇。同時她自己也體會，商業攝影的出發點是攝影師以自己的風格幫品牌、廠商說話；這樣一來在自己的風格與品牌要求間，她有了更好的平衡與拿捏。
上課、接拍商業影像好一段時間後，Gia漸漸地面臨了瓶頸，對生活、對攝影產生許多不同的想法，也有了猶豫。「我是不是應該走出自己的舒適圈來迎合市場，如果堅守自己的觀念是否有辦法生存呢？」坐在我對面的Gia說起話來雲淡風輕，不過那時候她的掙扎想必是來自對攝影的熱情與喜愛，才會有這麼難以斷定的困境。
那時Gia萌生再上課進修的念頭。第一個想法是回學校唸書，不過理論性質的學問她已經有了足夠的學歷；她需要的是最實際拍攝的手法與練習，更重要的是，看看不同的世界來打開眼界。於是Gia決定報名那些她欣賞的攝影師所舉辦的攝影工作坊，實際參與觀察他們的拍攝手法。
Life exploration
After returning to Taiwan from New York, Gia started working at a public relations company. "I had no problem to get promoted at that time, but I looked at the director and tried to suppose about my future if I wanted to live in that position and to have a similar life as his. I realized that it is not the journal I wanted." Two years later, Gia decided to quit her job without a plan B. She worked as a copywriter and translator to support her living.
The exploration period was not short, and it took about two years. "At that time, I even went to the market to sell home-baked desserts or wanted to be a private chef. I thought about how to keep my income, but it had nothing to do with photography." Gia recalled her life; it seemed easy but stressful.
"I am blessed that my family has always been extremely supportive of my dreams and goals, especially my mother. She hopes that I do what I like and gives me a lot of freedom and encouragement." Because of her exploration, Gia had some opportunities and started taking photos.
While working as a copywriter, Gia started browsing a lot of blogs on different topics. At that time, it was the heyday of blogging; so Gia also began to try to write articles on different ideas. After a long time, she set the theme on food and started to share recipes; it was also the time she has started to take pictures.
When Gia started sharing recipes, she chose a character from a movie or book. Then take this role as the main idea to associate a dish. Sometimes it is based on the personality of the protagonist of the story, sometimes based on the emotions brought by the plot to associate and choose different creations (to find recipes and bake).
For example, when she watched the movie, Matilda, Gia was curious about the taste of the chocolate cake. When she discovered a new chocolate cake recipe, she would try it out, and then compare her cake with the flavor of her imagination (the taste that the film conveys visually).
"In this way, I am not the focus of sharing in the blog; moreover, I can express my emotions or thoughts through these images and tell my own story." Gia is not used to publicly telling her private stories. Baking and photography can express her opinions and ideas richly and appropriately. Her pictures and texts in her blog have slowly attracted readers' attention. Then she received an invitation to cooperate for workshops.
The partner hoped that Gia could host baking workshops, but she refused. "There are many baking teachers in the market." Gia knows that she has a significant advantage, that is, she can bake cakes, do food styling, then photography. In particular, the combination of food styling and photography is unique in Taiwan. So, Gia once again creates a unique opportunity with her advantage.
At the same time as the workshops began, Gia also started taking commercial photography. Gia prefers to shoot with natural light, but the market likes to shoot in artificial light. Comparing to natural light, the stability of shooting with artificial light is relatively high, which saves a lot of time waiting for the perfect light. However, in the dilemma of her insisting and customer preferences, Gia, who was a newcomer to the commercial photography, slowly lost confidence in her work, and images did not seem to meet her high standards.
Now, she has a better approach to artificial light. However, Gia believes that although she still prefers using natural light for shooting, learning to use artificial light is the basic common sense that all photographers should know. Whether to use this technique is a personal choice. At the same time, she also realized that the original intention of commercial photography is that a photographer helps brands to speak in his/her style; thus, she has a better balance between her style and the requirements of brands.
After hosting workshops and taking commercial images for a while, Gia gradually faced bottlenecks and hesitated to her photography. "Would I have to go out of my comfort zone to cater to the market? If I stick to my opinions, is there a way to survive?" Gia sat across from me seemed relaxed, but at that time, her struggle must have come from her passion for photography. It must be so tough to make up her mind.
At that time, Gia had the idea of going back to school, but she already had enough education; she needed the most practical techniques and exercises. And more importantly, to experience a different lifestyle. Therefore, Gia decided to join some photography workshops hosted by her favorite photographers to observe their techniques.
不斷的學習與攝影風格的潛變
如果以階段性來分析Gia的攝影，在受訪之前大約可以分為三個階段；當然在這之後，每位攝影師都會因為年紀、眼界、經驗與心境將情緒投射在影像上，成像的展現方式有所不同也都是讓人期待的。
開始撰寫部落格前，Gia的拍照方式既沒有想法、也毫無概念：「我稱之為素人拍照，看到了想拍的畫面就按下快門。不過以那種拍法是不會進步的，因為不知道問題在哪、也沒有想要精進的念頭。」她又開著自己的玩笑，不過我卻完全認同。因為這是每個人起步之前都曾經歷過的階段。
後來在社群上看到不同風格、很喜歡的照片後，Gia開始有了拍攝目標：「我也想要拍出那種照片，所以發揮學術研究的精神，做了很多調查看那些攝影師如何拍出那些影像效果。」Gia表示，在部落格興盛的時期，她很喜歡研究那些攝影師部落格文章下方的留言與回覆，當中有非常多的資訊可以參考學習。同時，也開始觀察有哪些攝影師的攝影工作坊值得參與。
「那時候最想上的是Beth Kirby的工作坊（部落格：Local Milk），在確定了她的課表時程後，也一起安排了時間配合得來的攝影師課程，有Signe Bay（IG：signebay）、緊接著是Eva Kosmas Flores 的課（部落格：First We Eat）。Eva Kosmas Flores邀請了Linda Leomelino（部落格：Call Me Cupcake）以及Marta（部落格：What for breakfast）共同舉辦那次的工作坊，所以在差不多三、四個月時間內，我跑了三座城市上了三堂工作坊的課。甚至在課程結束後，有機會在Signe Bay的工作室擔任實習助手。」
進修前，Gia在攝影技巧上已經累積了一定的程度，不過以食物造型來說仍然有學習的空間。這些攝影師在影像中所出現的擺拍道具、配件，彼此之間的位置與關係都是經過計畫安排，決不是隨手放進照片裡的。看似隨意的擺設都是經驗的累積，才能在照片中呈現出毫不費力、自然、有深度的故事感。
更讓她感到悸動的是這些攝影師的工作與生活環境，讓Gia感受不同的氛圍、獲得更多的創作靈感。不只是照片浪漫、唯美，更是將這份美感落實在現實生活中，延伸影像中的氣質。
Constantly learning and gradually changing in photography style.
If you analyze Gia's photography skills at different stages, you can roughly divide it into three periods before our interview. Of course, afterwards, each photographer will cast emotions on his/her images because of the developing of age, vision, experience and mood. It makes people look forward to the growth and process.
Before Gia started writing her blog, she had no idea about taking pictures. "I call it a folk style. I pressed the shutter when I saw things I like to capture. But this kind of method won't improve any skill because I had no idea what were my problems and how to improve." I fully agree with her because this is the first step that everyone will experience before they try to change.
Later, after she discovered different photo styles and photographers on the Internet, Gia began to have the target: "I want to take that kind of photos. I started researching and studying to see how my favorite photographers take photos.” During the booming days of blogging, she liked to study the comments and replies under the photographer's blog posts. There was a lot of information to learn from. At the same time, she also began to observe which photography workshops could participate.
"At that time, I wanted to participate in Beth Kirby's workshop (Blog: Local Milk). After confirming the schedule, I also arranged other photographer's courses at about the same period, with Signe Bay (IG: signebay), followed by Eva Kosmas Flores (Blog: First We Eat). Eva Kosmas Flores invited Linda Leomelino (Call Me Cupcake) and Marta (What for breakfast) to host the workshop together, so in almost three to four months, I followed three workshops in three cities. Even after the journey, I had the opportunity to work as an intern at Signe Bay's studio."
Before the workshops, Gia had some experience in photography skills, but there was still a lot to learn in food styling. The position and relationship of the objects appearing in the images taken by the photographers are all planned, and they are never put into the photos without any purpose. The seemingly random arrangement is the accumulation of experience, to present an effortless, pure and profound atmosphere.
What inspired Gia the most was the work and living environment of these photographers, she felt different lifestyles and learned different inspiration. It's not just to set up romantic and beautiful scenes for shooting, but realize the aesthetic sense into real life.
信手拈來的美感來自長時間蒐集靈感的累積
經過這些課程的洗禮，Gia開始試著以新的食材或是重新烘焙舊有的食譜，再次拍攝有別於以往造型的影像。「我一直都是以視覺影像為主的人，所以大多拍攝甜點來呈現腦海中浪漫的主題與畫面。在畫面的構想上常隨著生活律動而有不同；比如說如果買到了粉色鬱金香，會先構思適合粉紅色鬱金香的畫面，再來想搭配的烘焙品。如果有機會買到台灣難得一見的水果、或是入手了新的拍攝道具時，也容易產生新的靈感。」
上過那些攝影工作坊之後，回到台灣再重新開課，Gia規劃了不同的課程內容，直接讓上課學員到家裡的工作室參與課程。他們可以看到Gia的生活環境、感受她的風格，更可以看到那些美麗圖片的拍攝場景，這樣一來，解釋起課程內容就更容易了。
「我的照片靈感就是來自生活；上課的人可以直接看到、感受到；大家坐在一起就像到朋友家作客，感染朋友的生活方式與氛圍。如同我到國外上課時，看到了攝影師的生活環境與文化，便容易明白他們創作的原始力。也懂得以合適的元素來塑造想要的情境與畫面，而且更有方向性。」
當然，在Gia家裡那些大量收集的拍攝道具與杯盤，讓同樣身為攝影師的我心生羨慕。因為我們都明白，生活中美麗的事物都是以時間累積而來。「好比這張老桌，我一等就是三、四年，找到了之後便趕緊入手，錯過就沒有了；這也是為什麼往往外界的人無法體會我們的醞釀期。」Gia表示，個人風格是每位攝影師自己的選擇，在過程中，我們都得過濾要加入什麼素材、原料或是靈感。
上課時Gia總是不吝嗇分享自己蒐集靈感的方式；Pinterest是她最常用來瀏覽圖片的應用程式。
「瀏覽圖片是有方法的。以一張吸引自己的照片來分析，欣賞的是當中的光影或是配色或構圖；懂得分析、才能累積心得。我通常開檔案夾（圖版）時，會分成兩大類，一個檔案夾專門存放可以拿來當練習示範的照片、而另一個檔案夾則單獨存放有美感的影像。這些有美感的影像或許在現實中有執行拍攝的困難，比如在古堡拍攝照片，這對我們一般人來說比較不容易實現。但是如果長期搜尋靈感、吸收美感，這些美好的畫面與細節就會成為自己的資料庫，要拍攝時就可以融會貫通，整合出專屬的個人風格。」
The effortless aesthetic sense comes from the accumulation of inspiration
After participating in these photography workshops, Gia began experimenting with new ingredients or try to bake existing recipes and then shooting images with different stylings that were different from the previous ones. "I have always been a vision-oriented person, so most of the time, I only take dessert to present my romantic themes and ideas. My inspiration often varies with life; for example, if I get pink tulips, I will first conceive suitable issues for pink tulips, and then find a proper recipe for shooting. If I have the opportunity to get new shooting props, it is even easier to generate new inspiration."
Coming back to Taiwan and hosting her workshops again, Gia planned different programs and let participants come to her home studio. They can experience Gia's lifestyle, and visit the scenes where she shoots beautiful pictures, which makes it easier to explain the course content.
"My inspiration comes from life; the participants can experience it directly at my studio. Everyone gathers together is like visiting a friend's house, exploring the lifestyle and atmosphere. As I went to workshops abroad, I saw the living situation and culture of those photographers. It makes me understand the original intention of their creation. I also understand how to combine suitable elements to create beautiful images."
Of course, as a photographer, I am envious of a large number of shooting props that Gia has collected. We all understand that beautiful things are accumulated in time. "For example, this old table, I waited for three or four years. After I found it, I quickly purchased it. People often cannot understand how important fermentation is." Gia said that the personal style is a choice of every photographer. In the process, we have to select what materials or inspiration to add in.
Gia always shares the way she collects inspiration; Pinterest is the app she uses most to view images.
"There is a way to browse pictures. Try to analyze one of your favorite images and appreciate the lights and shadows, the colors and composition. If you know how to read a picture, you can accumulate the sense. When I create a folder on Pinterest, I will divide it into two categories. One folder is dedicated to photos that can be used as references. The other folder is stored separately for images which may be challenging to implement in real life; such as shooting in a castle, it is not easy for us to achieve. However, if you search for inspiration and learn from it for a long time, all these beautiful ideas and details will become your database. When you take photos, you can integrate your style effortlessly. "
攝影師的旅行方式
Gia坦承自己是個很喜歡宅在家的女子，不過唯有對旅行無法抗拒。在挑選旅行的地點時，有些時候會以喜歡的民宿為起點然後再往周圍發展行動路線。比如說2018年九月到瑞典旅行就是為了到VIPP Shelter；是那趟旅程最重要的起點。「我是個目標取向的人，找到喜歡的事物後，就一定安排並且依著計畫實現。」Gia這麼說著。
利用到其他城市國家遊玩購買拍攝道具也是Gia必定安排的行程。「我都以空行李箱出國，然後把購買的道具塞滿、打包好（超重）回家。我尤其喜歡日本陶藝家的作品。」聽Gia仔細描述利用各種衣物、氣泡墊做好防震防摔手續的打包過程十分有趣，看來下次得請她親身示範如何打包，讓喜歡購買道具的讀者也可以瞭解其中訣竅。
從2013年第一次出訪後，冰島成為Gia目前最喜歡的國家，遼闊、一望無際，與台灣有著完全不同的景色；是一個很符合她自己心境的地方。不僅如此，她特別欣賞冰島當地居民的友善情懷，因為大多時候氣候都挺惡劣，所以每個人之間的情感很緊密、互助性很高。希望將來還可以再有機會以較長時間的旅居方式停留，融入當地，挖掘更美的其他面向。
Travel as a photographer
Gia admits that she is a woman who likes to stay at home, but she can't resist travel. When she chooses a place to travel, she sometimes starts with a favorite lodging and then develops a route of visiting around. For example, the trip to Sweden in September 2018 was a special plan for the VIPP Shelter. The journey started from here. "I am a goal-oriented person. Once I find something I like, I will arrange it and follow the plan," Gia said.
Gia likes to purchase props while traveling. "I go abroad with empty suitcases, and then pack the purchased items home. I especially like the works of Japanese ceramics artists." It was interesting to listen to Gia how she uses different clothes and bubble pads to pack her purchased stuff. The method is impressive; it seems that I have to ask her to show the packaging process so that readers who like to buy props can also understand the knack.
After her first trip to Iceland in 2013, Iceland became Gia's current favorite country. It is vast and endless, with a completely different view of Taiwan. It is a place that matches her mood. She especially appreciates the friendly feelings of the local residents. The climate is mostly bad; therefore, everyone is close to each other and willing to help others. Gia hopes that she will have the opportunity to stay in Iceland longer and explore its aspects of beauty in the future.
Gia的攝影食光
採訪時，Gia剛好進入出書流程的編輯中段，除了內文的寫作外，也得把過往的照片重新編制排版，忙得不可開交。以自學攝影起家的她擁有豐富的經驗，從挫折與失敗中學習到的技巧更值得分享。現今當我正撰寫這篇採訪文章時，Gia的新作「攝影食光：跟著食物攝影家Gia，掌握自然光、食物造型、情境構圖與後製重點，拍出有故事與靈魂的餐桌風景」正好上市。
很榮幸可以擔任這本書的推薦人之一，當初採訪她時根本沒有想過會成為推薦人呢。憑著對Gia的深刻印象、回想我們幾次碰面聊天時激盪出的默契與靈感，都讓我在翻閱她寄來的初稿文件時露出欣喜的微笑。我不僅高興有一本這麼大方、不藏私，深入淺出、易讀易懂的著作在出版市場中推出；我更私心喜悅著結交了一位有著類似眼界與心境，擁有雷同默契的同業好友。
在人人都可以拍出漂亮精緻照片的世代，我們更期許可以拍出擁有獨特個人風格的影像。透過畫面中的細節安排，同時傳遞生活美學與對美感的信念。
The visual story of food
When I interviewed her, Gia was editing her upcoming book. In addition to writing, she had to rearrange the old photos and was very busy. She has a wealth of experience with self-study photography, and the skills learned from setbacks and failures are worth sharing. Now when I am writing this interview, Gia's new work, The visual story of food just published in Taiwan.
I am honored to be one of the recommenders of her book; I didn't even think that I could become a recommender when I interviewed her. With the deep impression of Gia and the understanding and inspiration that I felt when we met and chatted, I was delighted to smile when I flipped through the first draft documents she sent. I am not only happy about this easy-to-read and step-by-step book in the publishing market; I am more eager to make a friend who is kind and has a similar understanding.
It is a generation that everyone can take beautiful pictures. Therefore, we expect ourselves to shoot photos with a unique personal style. Through the composition of each photograph, we convey our belief in aesthetics. Gia, thank you for bringing us your beautiful images and inspiration.
文末同時附上我推薦的短文，更進一步帶你瞭解Gia、她的影像以及新作《攝影食光》。
「台灣的美食攝影大多偏向食物大頭照或是菜單清楚介紹的拍攝風格，頗無新意；在社群上發現Gia的情境食物影像時，你或許可以想見我內心裡的激動。出版前夕，我們幾位朋友湊了時間相聚，Gia談到了書籍編排上的細節考量，讓人十分期待在她的美感安排下的最後呈現。《攝影食光》全書以台灣美食攝影中最缺乏的食物造型概念為基本架構，襯以故事氛圍來發展全書脈絡；篇幅中諸多章節，讓儘管已有多年攝影經驗的我也讀得津津有味。期待每位捧著書稿的攝影愛好者都可以搭著Gia的幽默敘事拍出自己的食光故事。」