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The photo that started the food photography.
By Silver Blue
I was over at Dannell Litchfield’s house on April 27, 2006. It was a “Survivor” night (meaning we’d watch the tele show “Survivor”, eat, and converse). Dannell made burgers that night, and thought I was crazy when I grabbed my camera and said “DON’T TOUCH THE PLATE.”
Any wonder why? If you’re a meat eater, tell me this doesn’t tempt you. The sandwich has not been staged at all. It merely is as it was served that night. It also hangs in my kitchen as a 16×20 above the door.
Dalaina Williams, from work, claims this to be one of the finest food photos she’s ever seen — and what makes it even better is that there’s no hocus pocus. As soon as I snapped off two shots, I sat down and DEVOURED this burger.
Silver Blue, who thinks its good to go back and look at technique and critique…though I can’t find anything wrong with this shot…other than I don’t have one on a plate right now!
But is it art?
By Silver Blue
When I had my kitchen renovated in 2009 (thanks to Mom and Dad), I was left with a very tough decision. What to use to keep the walls from being blank and bare. It shouldn’t have been that big of an issue, just find some prints I liked and put them on the wall, right? After all, isn’t that what everyone else (who doesn’t USE a kitchen) does? Somehow, cookie-cutter wasn’t going to cut it for me. (One of the photos contains a word that is NSFW, but it was on a retail package.)
A suggestion was made that since I like photographing the food I make, to use it. You know, it made sense. That way, I could rotate the photos as I saw fit, and it would be things that meant something to me on display. So, I went for it. (Each photo is signed “Silver Blue” and dated with the year it was taken.)
The original backsplash, featured lacquered scallops, a still-life of a bread basket, and three different types of soups (Soup à la Crécy (a carrot based soup), Spicy Sweet Potato Soup, and a Cranberry Wild Rice Soup).
The second iteration had a close up of the Chef Cherished Teddy (wearing his “Kiss the Cook” apron), Boiled Custard, and the Still Life.
I then acquired hyper-caffeinated coffee (thanks to the housemate, Sandi, who vacationed in New Orleans), and the middle picture was removed and replaced with:
The coffee came in Censored and Non-Censored Packaging. Of course, may as well have a photo of the Wannabe Gourmet in his kitchen, yes?
The wall by the stove became:
Displaying the Strawberry Mousse Chocolat, Pavlovas, London Broil with Mushroom Risotto and veggies, and a Spicy Beef and Broccoli soup with garlic Crostini.
The photos have been rotated as well, with the inclusion of me, offering coffee:
(taken on my late Grandmother’s porch, the day of her funeral) — and this photo came down when the hyper-caffeinated coffee photo went on display. It was replaced with:
An artistic take on an out-of-focus shot made with my Blackberry at “Perfectly Franks” (hot dog and hamburger place) in the University Village on the campus where I work. There was something about the way this photo came together in this surreal sort of way…cartoon? Pen drawing? I liked it, and it went up. Of course, things are meant to be changed so…
The current wall. Notice how the boiled custard returned, the Pavlova disappeared, and the Chorizo pasta (from yesterday’s post) are now featured. (When do I decide to change? Well, honestly, when my local photo developer has a sale on 8x10s. LOL)
Finally, I had some dead space above the doorway. Nothing wrong with empty wallspace, but…it seemed to be asking for something. Something big. Something tasty.
So, I acquiesced with a giant picture of “the perfect burger” (which you’ll find over on The Wannabe Gourmet). I’ve yet to find another photo that works as well as that one, however. (I’ll do a feature on the renovation of the kitchen at a later date.)
Silver Blue, who answers the subject with “Art is in the eye of the beholder.”
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