Food Fun Family

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Items on a Food Blogger’s Wishlist

Jody — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 03:30:13 +0000

Being a food blogger is a rewarding and at times frustrating business (especially for those of us that didn’t start out as food bloggers). A lot of work goes into setting up what can seem to be a simple shot – cooking, staging, lighting, adding props, keeping little hands out of the food before you shoot, and a whole lot more. In preparation for the holidays and inevitable gift wish lists, I gathered 10 ideas that make the food bloggers life a little easier. Note: Amazon affiliate links used to products.

10 Things a Food Blogger Would love to Get For Christmas

[1] Backdrops – With food photography luckily you do not need huge backdrop setups. 3’x3’ is generally an adequate size. There are a ton of pretty patterns and colors out there to choose from, right now simple wood is all the rage.

[2] Camera Strap – Even if they already have one or two camera straps, a unique and fun camera strap is a photographer’s favorite accessory. They can switch straps out to match outfits or moods.

[3] Camera Cleaning Kit – I am bit ashamed to admit that my camera gets a bit of build up on it. I try to give it a quick wipe down after each food shoot but sometimes there is still debris in the cracks and crevices. A good cleaning kit is a must have.

[4] Dishes – Simple white dishes are the most popular and give your food a clean palette, but a pretty colorful dish now and then can really set off your food.

[5] Fabrics – Burlap, muslin, cheesecloth, runners, scrap fabric – they can all come in handy to set up shots and add texture to them. We all have a collection and are always adding to it.

[6] Props – Pretty food related props often help make the shot. Simple, useful tools are best like a salt cellar, rolling pin, and measuring spoons.

[7] Extra SD Cards – I know it seems I never have enough space to keep all my shots. There are tons on my computer, burned to discs, on memory cards, flash drives, etc. I try to keep them separated by month and then also keep mine separate from my clients. Multiple SD cards are just a great idea.

[8] SD Card Holder – This goes hand in hand with #7 – if you are going to have many memory cards you need a convenient place to keep them organized.

[9] Books – Most food bloggers are always looking to improve their game, and books with helpful tips can teach new techniques or inspire new point of views.

[10] Light Box – Nothing is more frustrating to a food blogger than having a perfectly set up shot except when the weather decides not to cooperate on your most productive day. Light boxes with a set of good lights can give you a natural light look on overcast and downright gloomy days.

Where Recipes Go To Die #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 23:00:28 +0000

This is my life lately:

Wake up.
Wake kids up.
Get kids to school.
Update social media.
Shower (if I’m lucky).
Blog.
Cook.
Take pictures of food.
Eat food.
Run kids around in the car.
Put kids to bed.
Blog.
Sleep.
Start over.

I do the necessaries, I cook food to feature on my blog, and I write on my blog.

Last week, I bought a box of {generic} Lucky Charms with the intent of creating a fun St. Patrick’s Day recipe. Sure, I’ve seen plenty of “Lucky Charms treats” floating around the internets, but I had this brilliant idea to give them a unique, St. Patrick’s Day twist, similar to what I did with the AHHH-mazing strawberry rice krispie treats for Valentine’s Day. The idea? Add some green jell-o into the mix to turn the Lucky Charms treats green.

I made the treats, took the pictures before anyone was allowed to touch them, and then took them to one of my kids’ events where I was asked to bring a treat to share.

I have to say…the treats WERE appealing. They even took a good picture (which is not always the case with food). They caught the attention of the other kids at the event, and they were consumed rather quickly.

But when we got home, not one but TWO family members said, “Oh, good! I am so glad that people ate those things! They were gross!”

I may never know what all of those kids and parents thought of my little Lime Jell-O Lucky Charms treats, because no one else complained…but I had to agree with the others. As much as I LOVE rice krispies treats and as much as I WANTED to love these treats, there was something about the tart lime flavor combined with the super-sweet marshmallow on top of the taste of oat cereal (which I’m not very fond of to begin with) that was just not a winner.

I decided not to share the recipe. I mean, I’d hate for someone to come hunt me down and accuse me of sharing disgusting recipes (ok, really, I doubt anyone would hunt me down or even CARE…). But, I kept passing by the pictures and finally gave in. I figured I could share the pictures as long as everyone understood that I was not recommending that anyone make them.

Just in case one of you is DYING to know how to make these, despite my recommendation, I followed the basic rice krispie treat model: melt 1/4 cup butter and a bag of marshmallows, add 6-7 cups of cereal, and then sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of green jell-o in as you’re mixing it all together. Scoop it all into a 9×13 baking dish and let cool.

And now, I’m retiring this recipe. On to better things.

What photos have you taken this week? Please share on this week’s Give Me Your Best Shot – Phosotstory Friday linky below!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Shot Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<center><a href="https://foodfunfamily.com/tag/give-me-your-best-shot" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com" target="_blank"></a> Hosted by <a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com/" target="_blank">Cecily</a> and <a href="https://foodfunfamily.com" target="_blank">Lolli</a> </center>

An InLinkz Link-up

Behind the Scenes at a Food Blogging Workshop #PSF

Lolli — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 22:00:09 +0000

I LOVED teaching the hands-on food blogging workshop at Digital Family Summit (linked to “class notes”), even though preparing for it at the last minute certainly did add a little bit of stress to an already busy time of year. Although my food photography confidence is not as high as I might like it to be, I am passionate about food and admit that I do it well. I was grateful to have the chance to spend some extra one-on-one time with Robin Zachary, a professional stylist, to gain a few tips on making my food pictures a little more visually appealing.

I’m still working on that (Honestly, I could use a few more weeks of throwing ideas around).

My two youngest kids and Robin’s son were critical in setting up the room. We had a crafting table FULL of supplies and paper, pens, and glue.

We had a props table, which included a mock photo shoot to the side to spark ideas and inspiration.

And there were backdrops and table clothes galore for the attendees to chose from.

Really helpful tip: grab a bunch of foam core board from the dollar store and cover it with your favorite pretty wrapping paper. Voila! Instant fancy background for your pictures!

We had a cupcake table with 150 fresh-baked cupcakes and almost as many cups of colorful sprinkles (that the kids organized by color).

And, of course, we had the frosting station with trays full of ingredients, mixing bowls, and carefully guarded hand mixers and mega-bottles of food coloring (the blue has finally worn off my hands).

The lesson: hands-on cupcake-decorating, prop-wrangling, photo-taking workshops are a whole lot of work to put together but they are so much fun.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<center><a href="https://foodfunfamily.com/tag/give-me-your-best-shot" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com" target="_blank"></a> Hosted by <a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com/" target="_blank">Cecily</a> and <a href="https://www.foodfunfamily.com" target="_blank">Lolli</a> </center>

10 Easy Food Photography Tips

Lolli — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 16:00:28 +0000

These 10 simple food photography tips work together to take any level of photographer, regardless of camera or experience, to the next level with their food photography! Try some or all of these tips when you’re taking pictures of your next recipe, but remember – The most important tip to keep in mind when choosing the “perfect” shot is that your food in focus. No amount of props or composition will make a blurry shot look better.

10 Basic Tips to Improve Your Food Photography

Remember – you can implement these tips with any camera, even a smart phone, regardless of experience. As always practice makes perfect! Play around until you start getting shots that you’re proud to show off!

1 – Shoot a LOT! – In this digital age, there’s no reason to hold back and EVERY reason to snap away! When you’re taking pictures of food, the focus and focal point make a huge difference in the aesthetic appeal of the picture and small changes (keep reading for ideas!) can make an ok picture into an unforgettable picture. Even professional photographers take a ton of photos and throw out the majority. Remember – you can always delete a dozen or two bad photos from your computer, but you can’t un-eat food after the fact.

2 – Use natural light whenever possible – Natural light (ie, light from the sun, through a window, etc) is the best light to use in almost ALL photos, from people to landscapes to food. Flash is relatively taboo in food photography as it makes food flat and very unappetizing. My rule is that if my house is so dark when my food is ready that I need my flash, then I’d better just save a portion and take pictures the next morning. Remember – it’s ok to set up a miniature photo shoot in another room (don’t limit yourself to the kitchen!). Find your available light and use it!

3 – Composing shots – Experiment with multiple angles – rotate the food around and rotate yourself around, too! See how your food looks from straight above, from different angles, each side, and from the level of the food. Think about what colors are in your food and how to “play” off those colors and make the dish look as appetizing as possible.

4 – What’s in the background? (Get rid of visual noise) – Don’t be so focused on the food you’re shooting that you forget about the visual “noise” going on in the background. Clear off counters and tables and be aware of reflections in dishes and glasses.

5 – Be comfortable and confident with some basic photo editing – You don’t have to own Photoshop to be able to edit your pictures like a pro. I recommend using a free program like PicMonkey to adjust a few key aspects of your pictures – especially white balance, exposure, and sharpness/clarity. One of the things I notice frequently about my food photos is that the coloring is “off” in the straight-out-of-camera photos. Colors – and the entire plate of food! – really come alive (and look more appetizing) when the white balance is properly set. Don’t be scared off by a term like “white balance” – just adjust your colors so that your food doesn’t look too green or blue or red. Try to match the colors on your screen as closely as possible to the colors in the original food. PicMonkey is also great for adding a recipe title to your photo (hint – this makes your pictures extra Pinterest-friendly!)

6 – Take advantage of props…but don’t go overboard! Use simple solid-color napkins as an accent color under your plate, add a cute wooden spoon, or use a white foam core board for the backdrop. As I’ve gotten more into food photography, I’ve gradually collected quite a few simple props – solid-color plates (small salad plates work best!), place mats, wooden cutting boards, cake stands, and backdrops. This is something I’m still working on! Remember – “props” can be as simple as a glass of milk next to your plate of food or a rolling pin and scoop of flour in the background. Props can add character and interest to otherwise boring foods.

7 – Details, details, details – Before you shoot, check your plate and table for stray crumbs or drips of sauce, and clean off smudges and finger prints on glasses and dishes. Sometimes you need to get rid of messes…and sometimes you need to add some “messes” to create texture and interest. A drizzle of sauce, when added on purpose, can look great (it also makes the food seem more “real”). Don’t forget the value of garnishes, as well, such as parsley, cilantro, or a lemon wedge. I also love adding a few of the individual ingredients to the shot. Don’t forget that the cooking process itself can lead to some wonderful shots, too. Take pictures of the chopping, the stirring, and the mixing!

8 – Dig in! – I love to take several shots of the “whole” food and then dig in…and I’m not talking about eating it all before I’m finished taking my pictures (my kids all know better than to eat anything until I’ve given them the go-ahead!). Slice a big piece of cake and show off the texture, or cut into the roast. Remember that sometimes the inside of your food shows your recipes off better than the outside.

9 – Work quickly – When dealing with food that is hot or cold, be sure to work quickly. The faster you take your shots of food, the fresher it will look. You can get your shoot ready with props and plates all set out and then serve up the main feature as soon as it’s ready. No one wants to see melted ice cream, drippy frosting, or wilted lettuce.

10 – Zoom in – Don’t be afraid to get in close! Grab some zoomed-in pictures of your dishes. The entire plate doesn’t need to be visible in each shot, and it’s totally ok to cut food out of the frame. I love to cut a slice or grab a spoon or fork full of food and take a close-up of a “bite” of the food that I’m featuring. Readers will feel like you’re offering them a taste test!

What do YOU love to see in food photography? What shots stand out the most to you? If you have any additional tips, please share them below!

Note: This is the photography tips portion of a workshop I am presenting this weekend at the Digital Family Summit in Baltimore. I do not consider myself a fabulous food photographer, but I do know how to handle a camera AND I know how to cook delicious foods, so in that sense I am an expert, right?

Food photography has been one of the main things I’ve been working on this past year, and although my food shots are nowhere near the gorgeous shots I see on Pinterest, I am still thrilled to share a few of the things I’ve learned…and am still learning. All the photos included in this post are my own and may not be the ideal examples of each point, but should help give you some inspiration.

As a bonus, each of the pictures above links to the recipe. Enjoy!

Now who’s ready to take some pictures of food?!

Learn Food Photography at #DigiFam…With Me!

Lolli — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 20:15:00 +0000

I’ve talked before about my lack of confidence in my food photography. I am a portrait photographer…shouldn’t inanimate objects be EASIER to photograph?? I have struggled with feeling good about my food photos and so I’ve been actively working on improving – I have been taking more pictures of food this year than anything else, so hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be able to confidently say that I am better.

In one week’s time, I will be attending Digital Family Summit in Baltimore. I had a blast last year and loved the family-focused atmosphere. I also happen to be good friends with many of the people involved in making the conference a success.

I am both excited and terrified to announce that next Saturday, I will be leading the Food blogging, styling and photography hands-on workshop at the Digital Family Summit, along side Robin Zachary, an amazingly talented (as in I drool over her pictures) stylist from New York. I spent over an hour Skyping with Robin today, and I feel like I have to potential to learn just as much from this experience as the people who participate in our workshop.

It is going to rock!

I just have to get over the anxiety and the stress of all that I need to do to get ready for our session. Wish me luck??

Of course, I will be sure to share information about our class and a few take-aways once I’m done (and can breathe again). Would YOU like to learn food photography? Until then…here’s a little food photography teaser. Roasted Tomato Salsa recipe is, of course, coming soon.

What have you been up to this week?

Note: I am not being paid to teach the workshop, but I am receiving complimentary passes for my family to attend the conference.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Glazed Pumpkin Donuts #WW

Lolli — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 19:24:34 +0000

I apologize for teasing you, but I’m not sharing a recipe in this post.

Because as tasty as these baked glazed pumpkin donuts look, they just didn’t work out very well. I blame it on too much applesauce making the donuts too dense and moist, followed by a shortage of powdered sugar and an attempt to create an alternative glaze which made the donuts a mushy mess after a few hours.

I was going to toss the pictures just like I tossed the extra donuts (it’s torture for me to throw away food, even if I don’t love it) but I decided that they could serve as a good point.

Pretty food doesn’t always taste great.

And food with amazing flavor and exceptional ingredients doesn’t always look pretty.

So, remember. Don’t judge a donut by it’s picture. Or something like that.

Are you playing along with Wordful or Wordless Wednesday today? Link up!
Want to grab my button?

PS – Have you seen me tweeting about The Wendy’s #6SecondsFlat Sweepstakes? (Sponsored message) Check out the #6secondsflat contest at https://linqia.cc/3cdfddd to see 6 seconds could win you $6,000. Yes, $6000.

A Teaser – #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:21:09 +0000

Here’s a sneak peek at a project that I’ve been working on recently. Let’s just say, I haven’t just been busy baking and eating goodies, but creating recipes! It has been so much fun.

I was reminded again that I am NOT a food photographer. it is such a different animal, and for some reason it stresses me every time I do it.

More details and recipes to follow soon!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Food Fun Family

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Items on a Food Blogger’s Wishlist

10 Things a Food Blogger Would love to Get For Christmas

Where Recipes Go To Die #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Top 20 Tips and How-To Posts from 2013

Family and Home Life

Health and Wellness

Photography and Blogging

Behind the Scenes at a Food Blogging Workshop #PSF

10 Easy Food Photography Tips

10 Basic Tips to Improve Your Food Photography

Learn Food Photography at #DigiFam…With Me!

Glazed Pumpkin Donuts #WW

A Teaser – #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot