Dede Apfelbaum has been visiting the Arlington Farmers Market each week since 1993, and occasionally stops by the Dupont Circle Market as well. Her Instagram feed is full of striking produce photos that she’s taken over the years. We love seeing the joyful, colorful images that she shares each week.
With a background in printmaking and an eye for light, color, and composition, Dede sees produce as art: “Someone worked really hard to grow these things. I want to do them justice with my photos.”
She started taking produce photos in the mid-2000s to send to friends, and began sharing them online about 8 years ago. She looks for whatever is fresh, unique, or in-season, and “what pops out” where the light hits just right, or when colors complement one another.
For Dede, visiting the market is a ritual. Vendors and fellow shoppers know her by name. “You get to know what’s in season when,” she says, “and it makes you feel more connected to your community and where you live.”
Dede’s photos highlight the thoughtfulness of farmstands, from creative signage to the textures of heirloom vegetables. And even after years of weekly visits, she still finds something new and exciting almost every time. “If I ever retire,” she says, “I want to go to different farmers markets all over the world and take photos.”
Thank you Dede for helping share the beauty of local food!
