(Unedited but adjusted image sent to magazine designers to lay out the ad. Final ad image will be posted when it goes to publication)

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity to shoot at Hot Tails restaurant in New Roads, La for Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine on a commercial ad shoot. Chef Cody Carroll was recently named “King of Seafood” in a Louisiana statewide cook off. Since gaining this title Cody has become a hot commodity in the culinary world, serving “Hardcore South Louisiana Cuisine” as their slogan says. His quaint little restaurant Hot Tails was started in New Roads, La with his now partner and wife after attending the Louisiana Culinary Institute together.

After arriving on location (never having been to the restaurant before), we immediately began soaking in the culture and feel of the establishment and looking for things to include in the ad image to properly represent their brand. The restaurant itself was a bit dark so we needed to add light and make things a little more dramatic for the ad feel. When I first pulled up to the restaurant I noticed this really cool sign out front that was glowing red and really stood out. This gave me the idea to add the red color to the background of the image, again trying to incorporate their brand and create an image unique to them. I think we all scambled and tossed around ideas as we walked through the establishment gathering cast iron pots, old time water pumps, and even pulled down a crawfish trap off the front of the building to throw in to say”hey we are in south Louisiana”. The restaurant is already really well put together and decorated so we chose this backdrop with the pirogue, nets, pelican sculpture, picket fence, and spice jars. Of-course we had to finish the image off with the newly obtained King of Seafood crown and some fresh oysters on the half shell.

Look for this image to appear in upcoming issues of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine and make sure you stop by Hot Tails in New Roads, La and try out one of their incredibly seafood creations.