More Food Styling 101

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:07:23 PST

OK, so this latest assigment (for the online food styling class I'm taking) was to prepare a meal, then plate it/prop it three different ways. I seared a few pieces of salmon, made a quick couscous, and used sauteed red onion rings, chopped raw red onion, and dill for garnish. I'm hitting myself that I didn't put the beautifully rosy salmon on a blue plate - duh - but I was in a big rush and just grabbed red, patterned, and white plates. This class thankfully isn't about the photography, since I am pathetic at "seeing" the shot through my camera. I tend to line 'er up and shoot, then when it's on my computer...ding, ding, ding! I see right away which angles worked and which didn't. When it's too late to go back. Ah well, that's why I'm taking a class.

The overall best-looking shot ended up being on the patterned china.

I really like how the rare salmon itself looks in the next shot, but it is lost on the red plate (sigh).

The third attempt was completely weak - I was rushing for an 11:30 appointment. I added extra food, and didn't deconstruct it (for contrast with the previous two shots) - as a result it looks like a slab of salmon with tired, wormy peppers and beige couscous, all lined up like nervous soldiers, ha.

I'm learning quite a bit and really enjoying the process. My biggest hurdle right now - lack of daylight hours. Pictures I take in low light or artificial light are just...yuck. Learning to use my equipment will help - I just haven't had time what with Thanksgiving et al. Over the next couple of weeks, that will be my goal - to be able to take the occasional flash photo and have it turn out appealing. Especially in Minnesota, in December, when daylight hours are a seriously scarce commodity. (Today's count - less than 9 hours. Ouch.)

Anyhow, for dinner tonight (no, we didn't have salmon, I pretty much trashed it for the photo shoot), I made shrimp saltimbocca. With wild caught shrimps from Whole Foods, so sweet and you know, shrimpy. The way they're supposed to be. Even for those picky about fish (aka my family), a real crowd pleaser.

Food Styling 101: Salads

FreshTartSteph — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:42:03 PST

I'm taking a food styling course, attempting to improve the quality and creativity of my food photos, as well as learn a bit more about a field I think would be terrific to work in. Maybe even get paid, ooh, there's a novel concept. I'm only in the second week; our assignment was to put together and style a simple salad. Here's my first try (limited seriously by my lack of photographic knowledge; I was stuck with the light I had, without planning ahead, and let's just say, I have a lot to learn about my camera. I think I need a major Cory Shubert tutorial...).

Anyhow, total BLAST. I made a couple of mistakes, like eating a bit of goat cheese and walnuts off the plate when I thought I was done. But no, after seeing the pics on my computer, I had to go back - and replace the parts I snacked on. I'm pretty sure that's a food styling 101 don't, ha.

Man am I dragging today, even as I composed this salad, d r a g g i n g. I'm seriously sleep-deprived this week and oy am I feeling my old. We had our neighborhood women's association meeting last night (aka wine and chat) and I once again stayed out and up way too late. And no reprieve tonight, oh no - as I mentioned below, tonight I'll be Debbie and Stu William's guest at a Commanderie de Bordeaux event (aka serious wine and chat).

I predict a very, very quiet Saturday.

Moderate it: the only thing going for me is that I know that the portions at the Commanderie dinner will be reasonable. That said, moderate portions of five or so courses adds up to excessive pretty quickly. Washed down with five or so Bordeaux wines and well, I'll have to count it as the special occasion it is and just enjoy myself. Moderate that!

Fresh Tart

More Food Styling 101

Food Styling 101: Salads