Tart Tartine

This is the first shot where I've been crazy enough to try and cook something myself. Scrambled eggs are about as fancy as I normally get for cooking.

These are my tests of the set. I want to work on this idea of the really dark set again. If anyone reading this has any ideas or wants to make something they think would work in a dark set please let me know!

This is how NOT to make caramel. Notice all the crystallization? Big no no. Took three attempts, and a different pan, to get it right.

This is the final image.

Africa and Beyond

I just got back from a busy trip to Southern California. Scouting and pre production for one client and shooting for some friends of mine who have a high end African Artifacts store on Prospect in La Jolla. The container from their latest buying trip finally arrived, after a few hick ups with Customs, and they wanted me to shoot several hundred of the pieces.

 I am usually just shooting clean product shots of their artifacts against black like the images above but this time we also shot their home. I really liked those pics so I put them up on my site. All the props are from their store, Africa and Beyond. 

Shannon's Apartment

I have been trying to convince my Stylist friend Shannon Thompson that her apartment is amazing and that we should shoot it. You're always your own worst critic so she was skeptical but once we got started watch out. She just kept coming up with more and more ideas of areas to shoot and ways to shoot them. Now I just need to get these out to some magazines and see if we can't get them published!

More Macaroons!

There is a shelf at Carol Hacker's prop house that I am always drawn to. It has all this old well worn pewter and tarnished silver. I always thought I would do a very classic still life with some of these and I think I have pulled it off.

First here are some tests of different possible setups. I like the one in the middle best.

Now tests to refine the lighting and figure out what color Macaroons I want to use. And once again my trusty assistant helping himself to the stand ins.

And the final image....

Feel Good Bakery

There is a great bakery in Alameda called Feel Good Bakery. I love their macaron's and have wanted to shoot some of their pastries for some time. I finally got around to it. I ended up shooting images of all three of the things you see here. Loved the Russian Tea Cookies on the right!

Exotic Fruit

Every time I pass the exotic fruit section at Berkeley Bowl I want to try something so today I picked up a bunch of New Zealand Kiwano's. Expensive and a bit of a pain to eat but well worth it. They have a delicate flavor that tastes great chilled. Just cut them in half like the one I photographed and spoon out the fruit. They're a perfect refreshing summer dessert.

Shrooms

Far West Fungi at the Ferry Building often has these mushroom terrariums. I'm not sure that's the right name but it's descriptive. One of these days I am going to buy one just to shoot because they look so great. Very Alice in Wonderland.