Thoughts on Food Styling & Photography

So, last year I purchased a fancy camera with intentions and high hopes for doing some food styling for this blog.  Yeah, well....

I had an epiphany this morning.  I like to eat and cook food, I like to grow it and pick it.  I like to read about it and try new things.  I am not a food stylist nor do I think I want to be.  I look at blogs that have lovely half eaten dishes, cutesy tableware and hands holding the "bounty" of whatever and think "THAT is just not me".  I am a real person that is trying to keep the dog out of the trash, a complete meal (hot, please) on the table that everyone enjoys, laundry, gardening, a blog, running multiple businesses, paying bills and possibly time for romance in my 23 year old marriage.  I won't mention children, parents, employees or political telephone calls.

I've decided I just want to share our food with you.  Recipes that taste great and get you interested in new foods, flavors or techniques.  I won't "highlight" any words for my recipes that will take you on a wild goose chase, I won't have perfectly plated dishes or perfectly grown vegetables, we have dishes that don't always match, weeds and bugs.  I will snap a photo with my hands holding the camera, not a "staging" area with lights and "props"....it's like human modeling for food.  Beautiful, but probably unrealistic in my realm.

I have a multitude of photographer friends that are amazing with a camera.  I don't think I love photography  enough to spend too much time on it, and I love food too much to let it grow cold or limp in pursuit of a lovely picture. It's all about balance.
 
If you're into food styling, great, go for it!  I love to look at cookbooks, magazines, etc.  Isn't life always about choosing what works and is right for you?  I hope you enjoy my less than perfect attempts at food styling and the recipes I share.  (Notice I didn't put any photos in this one! :))