Friends have asked me whether I’m still blogging lately and there are two-fold reasons why I’ve been on a brief hiatus. One has been that I’ve been working on my food photography and realize my taste has surpassed my abilities. That is, I can easily see when I’ve taken a bad photograph and am only now learning how to improve. I had the good fortune to attend a food photography workshop given by Danielle Tsi. In the course of the workshop she showed us some of her early food photography from only 2009 that was admittedly not good and how much she’s improved in a few years. I have hope now! What I realized is that while I’ve been playing with artificial lighting, there’s so much good natural lighting around me, even in a high rise with tinted window! Yes, I have to use a few tools like reflectors and diffusers, but it’s much easier than playing with photography lights. I also found that food styling is more than just getting the right scoop of ice cream with a drip down the bowl, but also having the colorful props that set off your food. Originally I wasn’t using any special dishes or textiles and when I started adding them in I was choosing ones that were drawing attention away from the food. The irony of my situation now is that I care more about the photograph than what I’m actually cooking and/or baking! There are some photos that I took during my food photography class in the gallery below. Mastery of a new art is quite addicting . . .
Secondly, stone fruit this season has been inconsistent. I’ve only had a few good frog hollow peaches and some great apricots that I picked up in Lodi but Safeway and Whole Foods have been offering the most bland peaches and nectarines. When I’m asked what my favorite thing to make is (which is like choosing between my children) I usually answer peach pie so I’m understandably disappointed this year. Also, the peach ice cream above was lacking in peachy flavor debatably due to the peaches or maybe the recipe. I’d love your explanations or feedback regarding this year’s crop!
I love your photos. Especially that figs-on-pedestal number. Beautiful!
This post has really stayed with me. I am now obsessed with food photography and can’t look at it the same way. LOVE your pic of the peach ice cream!
Thanks! I’ve been so busy with school I need to get back to it!
I see big emprovement in the pictures.
Advise: for each composition, try to make different pictures at different heights.
Exemple: the ice-cream picture could be taken a little bit lower so the gap between the ice-cream and the eggs would be smaller.
In your slide show: picture 2 and 3 are at the perfect height.
Your compositions are very good, try more different material and light for the background.
Thanks Charles. Yeah, I should work on different heights for sure. I struggle with getting enough light in my apartment but I’m working on it!