Ladies and gentlemen, the stories you are about to hear are tasty. And true.

Arguably, the most interesting scene that is happening right now in West Michigan is the craft beverage and food scene.

It's not only creating a tremendous economic impact (much in the form of a slew of new openings, including micro breweries, restaurants and food trucks, as well as catering operations and artisan food products), but it maintains a constant buzz through social media channels and is at the heart of weekend plans, lunch meetings and our region’s appeal to out-of-town visitors.

At the heart of this scene are the foods and beverages being made and served.  But the soul of this scene are the stories behind these ventures. The founders, the recipes, the craftsmanship, the supply network and the work.

At least that is what photographers Steph Harding and Scott Meivogel believe.

The food loving, craft beer drinking, picture taking, story telling,  enterprising duo have teamed up to form a new business venture called Ash & Ink Media. Their goal is to provide media and brand guidance for individuals in craft industries across various marketing and communication platforms.

Ash & Ink Media offers photography, social media management, storytelling content, print materials, logo and identity design, video and website design services: Everything that is needed to tell a comprehensive story about craft  brands.

Meivogel says the storytelling genre is really "taking off.” He says brands, especially in the craft food and beverage industry, have great origin stories and are in terrific positions to engage and connect with customers with the quality of their products and the passion behind the production.
 
"People care about their food,” he says. “Many of us want to know how the food is made and where it came from. For example, it is not just the brewery and brewer, but it is the hop farm and malt house that makes for a great experience."

Both Harding and Meivogel have a tremendous amount of experience and passion for these industries. Harding’s professional photography has focused on the beer and restaurant scenes. She also owns MittenBrew.com, where she contributes her photography to news coverage surrounding Michigan beer, spirits and cider. (Full disclosure: Steph Harding is also a contributor Rapid Growth Media.)

Meivogel spent years photographing the breweries and restaurants in Cleveland, Ohio before moving to West Michigan with the goal of growing in that field. Together, they have 20 years of experience in professional photography.

To learn more about Ash & Ink Media, you can like their Facebook page here or visit their website here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor