Malibu Farmer’s Market
By Katherine Mutchler
The best secrets are kept, that is the hidden gem that the Malibu Farmers Market is. Every Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. a small crowd gathers to white tents arranged in the parking lot of Malibu Library on Civic Center Way. One aisle, two rows of tents, and a variety of vendors that serve as familiar faces are what make this event so charming. Farmers, bakers, and other vendors leave their farms, bakeries, or restaurants every morning to bring fresh fruit, vegetables, delicious baked goods, Kombucha, and so many more to their booths.
The Malibu Farmers Market is steps away from the Malibu Country Mart, and there is no need to worry about a large crowd or not finding a space to park your vehicle. The small number of attendees may be due to COVID19, beach traffic through the canyon and on PCH, or it has yet to be discovered by the multitude of Los Angeles’ avid farmer’s market shoppers.
Fresh picked flowers, great conversations, and an artistry of tastes are some of the factors that make this market so enjoyable and comforting. The title of this story is “From Stem to Shopping Local in Malibu Ca.” The story is to highlight this event every Sunday because it is not receiving as much as exposure as some of the large scale farmer’s markets within the city. The motivation of this story is personal experience. Debra Bianco, the president and co-founder of the market, noticed me taking pictures of the booths as I was shopping last Sunday, and she had asked me to contact her later. Once I reached out to her we exchanged contact information and I look forward to sending her a variety of the photographs that I took. I enjoyed taking pictures of the beautiful colors, arrangements, and the unique faces of the customers.
The goal of this visual story is to appreciate the event in a world that is so troubling during the year of 2020. Due to the pandemic, strict rules and regulations are implemented and many people feel lonely. Attending the market every Sunday is giving people their craving not only for delicous food, but also for human interaction. This event gives people routine and a great excuse to step out of their home on the weekend.
I captured this event on my Canon Rebel T6i with a 70-300 mm lens. I found this lens to be most helpful because it made creating a depth of field easier and I did not have to step near the subject due to COVID19 concerns. Using a zoom lens also gave me a more authentic view of the crowd because many people do not act naturally when a big camera is right in front of them. Although they may have thought I was just another paparazzi looking for the biggest star, I am pleased with the outcome of my photographs.