FOOD ON THE FOOD

2011 Holiday Raffle: Plate to Pixel

Next up for raffle is Plate to Pixel, a digital photography and food styling book by Hélène Dujardin. If you're familiar with her blog, Tartelette, then you know she's one of the best food photographers out there. Her photos are artful and elegantly composed without looking overdone. The focus is always on the food. Her work is a complete pleasure to look at.

Last summer, in the name of improving my photography skills, I checked out a bunch of books from the library for some light reading. In those particular books, it was recommended that mashed potatoes be used as a stand-in for ice cream to eliminate any melting issues. Grill marks could be painted on with eyeliner. And dish soap bubbling on the surface of a beverage would make it look freshly poured. I nearly hurled right there on the beach when I learned of all the food-styling fakery that seems to be the industry standard. And, yet, it was strangely satisfying to discover that my eye had been right all along. Ever wonder why that turkey on that magazine cover looked so unnatural? It's because it was half-raw and sprayed with hair spray for that "just-roasted" look. Yummy! The weird-looking milk on that cereal box? Elmer's glue. *dry heaves*

I quickly returned all of those books and bought Plate to Pixel instead. The food is real. It actually gets eaten afterwards. And it looks delicious! She has one photograph of brightly colored crabs on newspaper that is a gorgeous study in contrast, and another of a pomegranate bleeding onto a white plate that breaks my heart a little. Instead of fakery, there are tips for keeping things fresh-looking and practical advice like staging the shot before the food even comes out. There's technical camera stuff, too, like the different kinds of light and how to bounce it, and ISO and depth-of-field and hoobity ha. I picked up a few tips, I swear, but mostly I just eyeballed the food porn. That kind of artistry is hard to learn, and I'm not a dedicated student. Still, I would highly recommend the book to bloggers with an interest in photography, photographers with an interest in food, and foodies with a little extra time on their hands (and possibly some disposable income since you will undoubtedly develop a hankering for expensive camera equipment).

To win this book, comment on this post with a link to your worst food photo. I'll start: here's mine (the ginger cookie recipe is good, though). Or, if you don't have a blog or any other evidence of your photographic failings, just tell me why you want this book. Comments will close at 10 p.m. on Sunday 12/11 and a winner will be chosen by Random.org. And if you don't win, console yourself with the knowledge that you can always read her beautiful blog for free everyday!

Many thanks to Wiley for donating a copy of this book!

Swwweeeeeeeeeet!!!

I have some news to report, you guys, and for once it's not bad! 

It would seem that I'm going to be writing a book! A cookbook, to be exact. What's more, it appears that someone is going to publish it.  That's the tricky part, right there, especially in this economy.  But, wait, it gets better: An actual professional photographer is going to take the photos! I KNOW!!!  How did I score that??  I have no idea, but here's how I imagined it:

Them: So Tammy.

Me: Yes.

Them: About the photography for this book.

Me: Uh-huh.

Them: It's not that we don't like the style of your blog photos...

Me: You mean blurry?

Them: Well...

Me: Dim?

Them: Uh...

Me: With the attention to detail of a sleepy preschooler?

Them: ...We already have a photographer in mind for this project.

(pause while a single tear rolls down my cheek)

Me: OOOOHHHHHHH, THANK YOU, BEJEEBUS!!!!

Them: Who?

Me: Never mind.

Here's the scoop: The book is coming out in Fall 2013 by Running Press. It will be about seasonal winter desserts with an emphasis on local sourcing.  In other words, really cozy, delicious things made out of apples, pears, cranberries, nuts, cheese, maple syrup, etc. Yes, even squash. I'll be digging deep into the root cellar for this, and we'll also be spending a little time in the citrus belt because they have winter down there, too. Also, I love citrus. Basically, if it grows in the winter or can be stored in the pantry, it's fair game. The book will cost $30. I mention this so you can start saving now. That's a dollar a month starting today. Loose change is fine. It will be worth every penny, I promise. Did I mention the pretty photos? Only the best for my loyal readers (P.S. Don't get used to it!).

So I guess this would be the appropriate time to thank you guys for coming to visit me out here in cyberspace.  If not for you who are reading this anonymously in numbers that seem interesting to publishers—some of you since I started this blog five years ago—there would be no book at all.  And I might be resorting to selling myself on the street corner for not that much money probably.  Is there anything sadder than a prostitute peddling pumpkin pie on the side?  I'm not sure that there is.  So thanks are also in order to my agent, Melissa Sarver at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency, for sparing me that indignity.

A few more things: There will definitely be some swearing over the next year.  Like double the usual amount.  Maybe more.  Also, I could use some recipe-testers.  If you're willing to test a recipe or two to make sure they work in your kitchen, leave a comment or send an e-mail and I'll be in touch.  But right now, I need to tend to the first and most pressing order of business: a gym membership! Second order of business is a vacation. 

See you in a week!

Good Exposure is No Picnic

My photography is still hit or miss these days, but I have to give props to a site that has improved my finished photos a good 50-300%.  It’s Picnik.  Have you heard of it?  My friend Barry Foy dragged me out of my cave to show it to me (the light, THE BLINDING LIGHT!!!).

Picnik is a photo-editing web site that allows you to download your own image files, manipulate them in a simple, user-friendly way, and then store them back on your own computer.  It’s great if you don’t have Photoshop and/or the will to learn Photoshop.  I have yet to really explore the finer points of what Picnik has to offer, but what I use all the time is the auto-fix, wherein I upload a photo, click a button, and major problems are identified and magically corrected.  Things like exposure.  And contrast.  So far, it hasn’t improved composition, but I suppose there’s something to be said for artful cropping. 

Picnik isn’t really a substitute for actual photography skills, but it might allow one to buy a little extra time while such skills develop.  You know, if four years doesn’t happen to be enough.  (But look where I started!)   You can also make collages like what you see above.  Between that and correcting my ever-present lighting issues, it’s done wonders to make my brand new "professional" web site look more, er, professional.  Come see!

So, I Got A New Camera

About time, huh? It was a pretty painful purchase, but it had to be done. Between the cancer-talk and the photos, it’s a wonder I have any readers left at all.

I got an amazing deal on a used Canon Digital SLR on Craig’s List a few weeks ago. You’ll be happy to know that I left pies entirely out of the negotiating process this time. I bought it from an MIT student from India. I know a good omen when I see it. While he was demonstrating the camera’s numerous features, I peppered him with personal questions about his mother’s cooking. By the time he was done, I would have paid whatever he asked, but the price we settled on was more than fair.

Anyway, I’m still figuring out how to use it. Aperture and ISO and f-stops.

We've been going on lots of nature walks, which is a good way to practice. Mmmmmmm, frog's legs!

It’ll be a while before I have the stomach to spring for the all-important, much-coveted Sigma macro lens that gives you those juicy up-close shots that you see on Smitten Kitchen and the like. But with great power comes great responsibility. And I don’t think the world is quite ready to put that kind of power into these hands.