Food Blogs

While the pregnancy has been seriously restricting my diet, I find myself lusting after beautiful cakes, cupcakes, pies and bars on a number of food blogs I have found haphazardly through Pinterest photos. I love food blogs and was tipped off a couple of years ago to a couple that are famous (Orangette and the Pioneer Woman) for their writing, recipes and gorgeous photos. Over time I have found more and more blogs that I like to read not only as a source of recipe inspiration but also creative food photography.

Food photography is a passion of mine and if I were independently wealthy I would make it my career. Now that I have stopped traveling in the last year or so, my hard drive is mainly full of food, glorious food. For the most part I cook and 'style' my own food now and much more than eating the results I get excited about capturing the perfect shot. Friends and family are kind enough to send me various links and groups that give tips for improving and growing my food photography repertoire.

I am not an artistic person but I still need an artistic outlet and for me food and photography are the perfect combination to use as that outlet. I have a web site that I have been hoarding for quite awhile and debating how to use and have been kicking around the idea to build up around this hobby. I have no clue how to actually make that happen so if anyone has any tips on what applications are relatively simple to use for non-technical people to build their own websites, I would welcome any suggestions or experiences you may have in this area.

Happy Friday and here's to hoping the heat in Munich breaks as is predicted.

Posted from Munich

Maternity Shoot

I wasn't so sure about this idea but in the end really glad we did it. A friend of mine who is a photographer suggested a few months ago that we do a maternity shoot and after giving it some thought (and waiting for a bigger belly) I agreed to give it a go. I had an outdoor summer sunset in fields of tall grass kind of idea in mind but good old Munich weather made us change our plans last minute and go for an indoor studio shoot.

The Saffa and I did some brainstorming and shopping on Saturday to get some clothes and props and then on Sunday evening headed over to my friend's house to see what we could do. It was a fun evening - my friend, his girlfriend, the Saffa, myself, and an aspiring make-up artist, - took it easy, with snacks and wine (ok, water for me) and tried different outfits, lighting, poses and it was all nice and relaxed like just hanging out with friends while being photographed feeling only slightly smaller than a cow. Good fun!

We waiting eagerly for the photos to be cleaned up and they were already in our inbox this morning. We must have looked at them a hundred times today...as much as I would rather be the photographer than the photographed I am so glad we did this!

Posted from Munich

Pinterest

For those of you who like looking for inspiration on the internet - decor, gardening, fashion, photography, cooking, and so on - I would recommend giving the site Pinterest a try. Years ago I used to like collecting images from magazines and newspapers and making collages based on a theme. As I got older (and lazier) I would usually just stockpile the magazines themselves with no real organization. Then along came the internet and it gradually replaced the print media I loved. I would scour websites for hours looking for the best ideas how to decorate my apartment or for fashions and shoes that might be fun for a big night out. Much faster and easier, not to mention cheaper, than buying magazines. However, I was always kind of dissatisfied with collecting a bunch of links to online catalogs and photos.

I first heard about Pinterest from No Apathy Allowed's blog back in March and wrote her to ask for an invite to use the site.

I've been giving it a try for the last month or so and, well, I love it. Once you have an account you can create 'Boards', which are virtual idea boards where you can capture and post photos from anywhere on the internet to (with credit given back to the site where the photo came from). The first board I made was to brainstorm ideas for Pea's nursery. I could send it to my mom and sis and the Saffa to show off what I had in mind and see what they thought. Much easier than trying to explain in words!

I have started a few more boards to brainstorm some ideas around a photo shoot a friend has offered to do for me and the Saffa - a maternity shoot. I don't think it will be long before I also start with some food photography inspiration boards as that has become one of my favorite hobbies.

Like all things internet based, there is always the option to share ideas and I have found that various people have 'borrowed' my internet finds and I have started doing likewise.

If you want to have an idea of what a 'board' looks like, here is an example of a board 'Food for the Soul'. I'm not sure if the site still requires an existing member to send an invite but if you are interested send me an email with your email address and I will invite you. It's fun!

Posted from Munich

Bird Watching

In the month since my last post, nearly everything has changed or is about to change again.

While I am gathering the words for that post, I am enjoying a few quiet days at my parents home in Connecticut, and spent some time in the yard today getting lost in photography. There hasn't been much time for that lately so I am enjoying it while I can.






Posted from East Hampton

America, America

Back from nearly three weeks holiday that was wonderful, hectic, fun and good for the soul. It doesn't look like I will have much time to catch a breather in the coming weeks either, but hopefully I will have some time for a USA post-mortem post this weekend before I forget I ever had a vacation!

And if a picture is worth a thousand words, here are a few thousand:






Posted from Munich

Zell Am See

A sunset walk along the lake and into town where dinner for two awaited.

Posted from Mannheim

Photography of Food

I love to cook.


I love to photograph what I cook.


Food photography is sexy!

Posted from Munich

50 mm

I went out to dinner with a friend on Friday night and we brought some of our camera gear, as we tend to do. We are both fans of Canon equipment so between the two of us have quite a selection of gear. He convinced me that I needed to try his fixed 50mm lens and it was love at first shot.

I read some reviews on the lens - which is priced at 100 Euros, exceptionally cheap as far as lenses go - and across the board it seems to be the darling of many photographers. It really is kind of suprising how little I know about the technical aspects of the camera and lenses.

I am having an internal debate about whether or not learning more about the equipment and possibly taking some lessons will improve my photography. Sometimes I think my cluelessness, if that is a word, is part of what works for me. My friend put that thought out of my mind and encouraged me to go and give some lessons a try if for no other reason than to stimulate my creativity and have more photography friends.

So the first few shots from my new friend, 50mm.






Posted from Munich

Winter Wash Out

I know. A lot of photos lately. But, they make me happy.

Posted from Geneva

And Now for A Change Of Scenery

It has been snowing the most beautiful, fluffy, snow-globe-like snow for the last few days in Germany. Stunning!

Posted from Munich

Feel

Posted from Munich

Smile

Posted from Almost There

Music

Posted Somewhere on the Outskirts of Munich

Dancing

Posted from A Train Barreling through a Snowstorm in the Dark of Night

Sunday in Mexico

I really think I might retire here if I make it that far.

Posted from Queretaro, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende

Last Saturday, a colleague and I headed to San Miguel de Allende for some sight seeing. This town was really a joy to photograph. I felt the urge to posess the whole town through my lens. When I am in a place and I really want to see and experience it, I need my camera with me. It provides a connection and I find myself dwelling on the smallest details one moment and the next trying to figure out how to sum up all the parts into one special photo. Fortunately my colleague was indulgent and let me potter around at my own pace. Normally I can only do the kind of exploring I like alone; most don't have the patience to wait for me.

There were so many inviting courtyards. From the street you felt only like you were in a city but through the doors you could see the oasis waiting inside. This was a hotel we passed by and it took a lot of self control not to wander in. I wonder how they know how to put it together like this?

We happened to be in town for a special weekend of festivities. As part of that, around late afternoon on Saturday October 31, a number of mariachi bands started to arrive and soon enough they started playing their beautiful music, first one band in one corner of the park, then the next, round and round. The people laughed and danced. For even though the following days were for remembering the dead, they were also for remembering the happiness of the lives they lived.

These colorful displays of papers were hanging everywhere. If I understood correctly the different colors represent different months of the year. Mexico is already very colorful but these papers fluttering in the wind over the whole city took it up another notch and created a beautiful effect.

We came upon this lovely shop as we strolled around town. This mobile of glass humingbirds had me tempted as it looked so gorgeous against the sunlit courtyard behind it. The store was also full of tin star and glass lanterns, some so huge they could only belong hanging from a high ceiling in a dramatic entranceway.

The main cathedral in San Miguel. There were many to visit in town and we saw a number of them but this one was magnificent in the setting sun. The stones radiated a rosy warm pink as the sun dipped low and down below the people sat in the shade of the lemon trees listening to the mariachi bands.

Posted from Cuernavaca Mexico

Mexico!

In Mexico for work for 3 weeks, but my camera is never far behind.


Posted from Querétaro, Mexico