the beauty of food

Food. We all interact with it every day. It fills and nourishes our bodies and (usually!) tastes good.

But beyond fuel and taste, food has a powerful aesthetic that, over the past few years, I’ve come to appreciate. Food is beautiful. I’ll admit, before I had a food blog I didn’t think much about how food looked. Sure, once in a while I noticed that something I was eating was beautiful. But that usually happened at a fancy restaurant, when the edibles were dressed to the nines.

Taking photos of food day in and day out has helped me develop an appreciation for the inherent, natural beauty of food. Chopping brown onions makes me happy, despite the tears. A bowl of blueberries stops me in my tracks. And pastries lining the windows of Paris? Ooo la la!

As I’ve contemplated my experience photographing food, I’ve realized it’s had an impact on all of my photography. I now look at life through a macro lens. To capture the essence of the food I photograph, I have to really focus on the details. This focus has expanded to other photos I take, no matter the subject. Portraits of my kids tend to be close-ups. I naturally gravitate to details, a candle rather than the whole cathedral. I see the world in a different way, with a smaller yet somehow larger perspective. Yes, I need to remind myself occasionally to step back and take in the whole picture, but I like this new view of the world that my daily photographic study of food has inspired.

Does the aesthetic of food inspire you? Do you like to capture the smallest of details with your lens?

 Pictures and words courtesy of Honorary Sister/Guest Blogger Jane Maynard of  This Week for Dinner.

Comments

[laura - dolcepics]

Oooo... I am SO going to visit your blog! Thanks for the article! Just wondering which macro lens you use for your food shots, as you linked to the 50mm prime.

I haven't used my macro all that much yet but I love it so far!

http://www.dolcepics.com/dailypic/macro-yumminess/

[Marcie]

What beautiful food photos. Love the color and detail.
Here's one of mine - not food from the kitchen..but food in the wild:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=593

[kosenrufu mama]

yes i love cook and i love the food and its meanings. I use my camera to shot the results of my work, when i have time... i love to have a look later in the days and realize how wonderful is food as part of nature as well
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2008/11/biscotti-allavena.html

[Jen - Beebee Mod]

Yes, I heart food. And I love the details associated with it. And plus, it doesn't move, so most of the time, my shots aren't blurry.
http://americana.visualblogging.com/archives/11454_1807447140/314122

[Puna]

I made a simple Thai meal and wrote about it. I will surely visit your food blog.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/?s=tropical+storm+meal

[shelli]

I don't like to cook food, but I love to grow it. And I don't have a macro lens, but one day when my son got bored of his magnifying glass, I started playing with it:

http://web.me.com/pabis/Mama_of_Letters/Camera_Happy/Pages/Nikon_D60.html#48

:-)

[Elena]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mycologie/2077571027/

[Heather]

Food is my life. My husband and ex husband are chefs. Though I am now a server, I once owned a restaurant. FOOOOOD. GOOOOOD. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/3047240895/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/2989975731/in/set-72157607764138512/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/2702173503/in/set-72157605961787746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/2396477581/in/set-72157604434557615/

[Jean M Fogle]

I visited your blog and look forward to trying some of the recipes!
My food pics are up today.
http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

[ELK]

jane ~welcome ... what a beautiful post!

i love food ~ i love to laugh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/3016566985/

[Alli]

I love taking pictures of our food making process and the outcomes. Sometimes I have to stop myself from taking pictures, because I get lost and the recipe is screwed up. My fault, I know, but still!

Here are current favorites of mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crumleydotorg/3042647616/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crumleydotorg/3042704694/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crumleydotorg/2534549324/in/set-72157605325387939/

[Angie]

I love menus, too. Does that count?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anewsome/328467097/

[Kimberly Taylor]

I too love photographing food, but am still very new to it. I was fortunate enough to have just returned from Italy where there happens to be an abundance of fabulous looking food. Eataly is a particularly incredible store for spending hours looking through your lens!

My photos are on my blog and flickr site:

www.mimicharmante.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31901002@N04/

[Karyn]

I love using macro and taking food pics, especially the steps in the process. Here was a step in the caramel popcorn recipe last month. So yummy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayak57/3048237792/

[Gayle]

Oh, those blueberries! So beautiful. I took some food photos the other day after going food shopping!

http://planetmfiles.com/2008/11/19/photogenic-food/

Now I have to go check out your food blog!

[Kacey]

I lust after a macro lens. So much so that I gave my photo taking son one for his birthday...and I took it out of the box and used it before I gave it to him... I know, kind of a horrible mother, right?

http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2008/07/07/do-you-think-its-wrong/

[Gail]

I just had fun exploring your website - lots of fun recipies and great photos - will be checking it often!
As for me - I just started attempting more food photos - mostly using the macro setting on my G9 - with the thought that I will attempt putting together a cookbook of family favorites for my two married daughters. I have been learning just how hard it is to get a good food photo...for example while trying to get a pic of these cooking veggies the lens would keep getting steamed up! It's fun learning tho!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/3047470899/

[Amber(Homeschool Diva)]

I just started appreciating how beautiful food can be through the simply breakfast blog. Now, I am addicted to shooting things to eat. I hope it doesn't inspire me to eat more;-) Here is a shot I did last week, that makes your mouth water.
http://www.homeschool-diva.com/2008/11/14/photo-fridaymy-breakfast/

[Diane Schuller]

I love taking photos of food but don't post many. I'm on my way out of town so since time is of the essence, I'd love to share two that I have put up at Flickr. Yes, I love taking photos close up though I don't have a macro lens -- I too love the details and getting up close.

In my food and drink set I struggled picking just one but here is one that is a little different:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/2409479922/

Even cool drinks get my attention:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/2526114468/

Have a wonderful weekend -- I'm hopefully off to the city this weekend -- hooray!! First time in a year!

[Puna]

I know I left a comment already, but I have to leave this link of me cleaning a fish. I just started bloggin recently and for some reason, I was compelled to post this. I apologize in advance.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/cleaning-the-fish/

And here I am frying them. I love food by the way...love it.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/frying-the-fish/

Bon appetit.

[jfrancis]

The blue in the middle.
A dessert to die for:
every day add 1 or 2 oz. fresh frozen blueberries to yoplait
mountain bluer=berry yogurt as you eat it for dessert and
old age will never find your eyes wanting. and that is only
the tip of a healthberg.

[Anita]

The photos are amazing. I can't wait to check out your blog. What a great idea. I love photographing (ok, I love everything about) food. I posted about it on my blog ( http://www.anitaroachphotography.blogspot.com ) today.

Thanks for the lovely post. I especially love photographing food markets. But here is a fav from a photo shoot I did for a caterer.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/1300137027/in/set-72157601469019652/

[Wanda]

What gorgeous food! I was going to take a picture of the caramel walnut tart from Le Petit Provence that I had for breakfast...but I ate it before I got the camera out.

http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com

[Karen Cage]

Hi Jane! What fun to see your work on the Shutter Sisters blog! Your photos are gorgeous! I hope you're doing well.

[Lauren]

WOW... this truly is eye candy! pun intended! :)

[Robin]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hismuse/3039058655/

[jane maynard]

thank you all for your nice words! I was so excited to post here today knowing the shutter sister love would pour freely! :) I've enjoyed looking at all of your photos, thank you for sharing! so much creativity in the world...it's awesome.

keep it coming!

[nikkole!]

Just found this a few days ago
very new to all this

love love love food
and everything about about it.

this is my first post here at shutter sisters....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/_nikkole/2942573767/in/set-72157605739515079/

[Courtney]

Love the photos; Love food...two passions in life!

[Jodyangel]

Oh yes I agree. I also look at the details rather than the large picture. Maybe its a photography evolution thing lol.
I don't have a macro lens...yet. But I'm dying to get one. I love the photo's of small details. Funny thing we went food shopping today and on the way to the car I picked an orangeyred berry off a tree. Then I looked at it and thought..Nahh it won't show up. So I tossed it. I bought raspberrys and blackberrys last week and hubby asked me "Why did you buy those...to take a picture of them"? LOL but he was right. I posted them on my flickr =)

Now I will return with some photo's hopefully. This is a great topic!

[Jodyangel]

Ok I dug around my pile of photos and came up with this one. I think it Might be a bit differant than all the others lol.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3048340117/

But that was PreCanon days. Here are some of my fav things to eat =)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3049187784/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3048348427/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3044609122/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3030020753/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3030873404/

[Jodyangel]

hehe and does This count as food??

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3024025822/in/set-72157607029502356/

[Lucy]

Food...it is a love hate relationship for many. Come visit and share a mother's pride.

[HLiza]

Jane, Iove your blog!

I'm not very big on cooking, hubby is! Here's some oriental version for today's theme:

http://flickr.com/photos/54465422@N00/3049341420/

or the fried flat-noodles itself,

http://flickr.com/photos/hliza/2953542976/

And some Indian nibbles which all Malaysians love,

http://flickr.com/photos/hliza/2980199808/

and our favourite Sushi from Japan!

http://flickr.com/photos/hliza/3035394811/

Hope you enjoy them!

[Anne]

This isn't food BUT it was shot with the 50mm lens, so it counts :)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wSfAgIWxHyk/SRawL8BHRZI/AAAAAAAABe0/Q1xCpA1Wr0E/s1600-h/IMG_7087.jpg

[jane maynard]

again, love all the comments and links! and yes, anne, it counts! lots of lovely food photography, but also feel free to share ANY detail, close-up shots!

here are two shots I mention in my post...forgot to include the link in my post!
http://thisweekfordinner.com/2008/07/25/close-up/

[Emma]

Lovely pics ladies, I'm hungry now! Here's my contribution - from the local market round the corner.

http://flickr.com/photos/26239056@N05/2951035441/

Years ago I used to work as an assistant food stylist in New York - I've forgotten how lovely it is to take pics of yummy things... Thanks for the reminder - time for me to start snapping again!

[Julie Alvarez]

I always loved to approach the lens to my subjects but maybe I couldn't because of the lousy technology.
I love taking pictures of food, and I love my kitchen. So I have a whole set of food pictures here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/sets/72157605263403647/
And yes, it changed the way I see things too...!

[Gabby]

I completely get what this is about! I am fortunate enough to travel to the south of France every summer because I have family in the region and one of my all time, bar none, fav activities is photographing food. Be it the marked at large or the detail on a squash blossom... I love it!!

http://boutemy-sparrow.smugmug.com/photos/312672802_qgDi4-S-1.jpg

http://boutemy-sparrow.smugmug.com/photos/312672695_EYo2n-S-1.jpg

[Naomi]

Some samples from my kitchen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2479254145/in/set-72157605188279450/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2479254149/in/set-72157605188279450/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2887219394/in/set-72157605188279450/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2314346394/in/set-72157605188279450/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/2842486508/in/set-72157605188279450/

[jane maynard]

lovely comments, lovely photos! I'm so happy you all shared them with us. what a great sisterhood!

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