Historian Funds Dark Research with Shining Food Photography
LONDON – A historian researching 19th-century morgues and societal attitudes toward death is funding her academic work through a surprising creative outlet: food styling and photography. Dr. Catriona Byers, who completed her PhD researching morgues in Paris and New york between 1864 and 1914, balances the grim subject matter with the meticulous artistry of arranging pastries and perfecting roast potatoes for commercial clients. This unusual juxtaposition allows her to navigate emotionally challenging research while maintaining financial stability in a competitive academic landscape.
Byers’ story highlights the increasing financial pressures faced by researchers and the diverse strategies they employ to support their work. While academic grants cover some costs, many scholars rely on supplementary income, often finding unexpected avenues to fund their passions. For Byers, food styling provides not only financial support but also a crucial mental escape from the darker themes of her past investigations.
After earning her Masters degree, byers embarked on doctoral research focusing on the history of morgues in Paris and New York during the period of 1864 to 1914. She secured funding through grants, but supplemented this with income from food styling work.
“My day job was like: I hope I get this pizza right,and I need to get these roast potatoes just right,and then I would go home and think about addiction and murder in the 19th Century,” Byers said. She describes food styling as a welcome distraction, offering a focus on “practical little details” and a sense of tangible accomplishment while grappling with complex theoretical questions about life, death, and the human condition.
Byers finds that the act of creating visually appealing food arrangements provides a necessary counterbalance to her research, allowing her to engage in a process that is “focused on practical little details and really helpful” while contemplating challenging themes.
