Client

Arizona Gourmet Magazine (Oser Communications) — a bi-monthly publication highlighting Tucson’s culinary community, featuring restaurants, chefs, products, and local food culture.

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Role

Art Director & Photographer, Oser Communications — designing trade show dailies and Arizona Gourmet Magazine. This was my first W-2 role out of college and quickly expanded from pure design into on-location photography and relationship-building.

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Challenge

Hired as the Art Director, I expected to focus on layout, typography, and visual cohesion. Two weeks later, the publisher fired the photographer, handed me a camera, and informed me I would now be responsible for all photography as well.

The challenge was to:

• Maintain a high design standard while taking on full photography duties.
• Coordinate with sales, restaurants, and advertisers to plan and execute shoots.
• Deepen the magazine’s connection to Tucson’s culinary community while operating as a lean, two-person production team.

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Approach

Dual Role: Art Director + Photographer
Stepped into an expanded role, managing both visual concept and on-location photography. Designed magazine layouts, then created the imagery needed to bring those concepts to life.

On-Site Collaboration with Chefs & Owners
Worked closely with the sales team to schedule photo shoots for featured restaurants and advertisers. Met with chefs, restaurant managers, and business owners to:

• Choose dishes, products, and environments to photograph.
• Stage scenes that reflected each brand’s personality and culinary strengths.
• Capture images that would entice readers and support the advertiser’s goals.

Relationship-Driven Storytelling
Used each shoot as an opportunity to build relationships and listen. These conversations gave me a deeper understanding of how important the magazine was to Tucson’s culinary community—and helped me translate that into more thoughtful, story-driven layouts.

Hands-On Production & Vendor Management
Managed the relationship with the printer, prepared press-ready files, and ensured consistency across each bi-monthly issue. Worked side by side with the editor; together, we were fully responsible for taking the magazine from concept through final print.

Mentorship & Workflow
Trained an apprentice designer, sharing best practices in layout, production, and collaboration. This allowed us to keep production moving while maintaining a polished, cohesive visual standard.

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Outcome

Laid the foundation for my career as a creative director by combining art direction, photography, production management, and client relationships in one integrated role.

Strengthened relationships between the magazine and Tucson’s culinary community through direct, on-site collaboration with chefs, owners, and advertisers.

Delivered visually cohesive bi-monthly issues that integrated photography, design, and editorial into a unified, appetizing experience.

Helped reinforce Arizona Gourmet Magazine’s value as a marketing platform and storytelling vehicle for local restaurants and food businesses.

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