28
2011A Cookbook’s Photographer
“I want to remember this forever!”
I have some pretty big news to share that I have been sitting on for a while and now I finally get to share it. As you know, I love food, and I enjoy taking photos of food almost as much as I enjoy eating it. It’s always been a dream of mine to “one day” do the photography for a cookbook. Or, you know, talking among friends saying, “Wouldn’t that be the BEST job ever?” Perhaps you can see where this is going, but a few months ago now I was contacted by a cookbook author about doing the photography for her latest book. It wasn’t until after fourth of July that things were finalized, and it wasn’t until a few nights ago that we cooked the first meal (Cincinnati Chili) and sent off the first sample shots. (I took some shots with the blog in mind as well.)
I can’t even begin to describe how happy and grateful I am right now. Our refrigerator is stuffed with leftovers, I’m trying new ingredients and food (like TVP) I’ve never had before, and working as hard as ever and learning a lot. My days right now consist of rising, working really hard on cranking through wedding photos so I can reach my goal by 3:00, then Tom comes home with the ingredients for the night’s meal, we review my ideas and sketchbook for set up and composition, and then cook and dirty every dish in the entire house so that we can be done and set up by 5-7 when the evening light is spilling into the apartment. By the time we’re done cleaning up and I’ve worked on those photos- it’s 9 or 10 at night. The days are long, the work is hard, and the kitchen has been particularly hot, but I am loving every second of it. Four years ago, I never in my life imagined that I would be here today, happily married, eating wonderful healthy food and photographing it – as a job. When it gets closer to publication date, I promise to go crazy with link love related to the book and the author, till then it’s gleefully back to the kitchen for me!
1-4 taken by Tom
1-10, 12 shot with 35mm 1.4
11 shot with 100mm 2.8
Julie
Congratulations Sara! You really deserve this. You make every morsel of food look so delicious, I can’t wait to see the cookbook.
Mom
So, so proud of you, sweet Sara!
Jackie
Wow, I’m so excited for you, Sara! You look so radiant in these photos; everything is falling perfectly into place! <3 I'm so excited to hear more about whose cookbook it is, too! And YAY for using TVP! I love it!
Douglas
That looks pretty good Sara, make enough for four we’re coming for dinner!
Genevieve
Amazing! I am so happy for you! The photos are gorgeousssss. Everyone is going to want you to photograph their food for them!
Kim
So excited for you! And that 100mm/2.8 lens will not disappoint you on this journey. I bought the Nikon equivalent when I started doing my work for Foodily, it helped me a lot in my neverending lesson on food photography.
And TVP is soooo yummy but it’s always been really hard for me to digest. *burp*
Melissa
That’s so wonderful! Congratulations! I always love the pictures of food in your blog entries. They’re so colourful and inspirational. Makes me want to try all these recipes.
Jessi
Congratulations Sara! The whole opportunity is very exciting and I agree with everyone else in saying I think you deserve it…. keep us updated on the progression of everything ^_^
Jessica Johnson
I’m so happy for you, dear! You deserve it! They look faaaabulous!
tom
Wow – brilliant. Well done! The photos look super. I can’t believe you’re cooking all the food too. Skillz!
Alison
Congratulations! What a wonderful dream come true!
Jacqueline
Omg, that is amazing! What an opportunity. You definitely deserve it. Congrats!
Sara
Thank you so much for saying so! I’m thrilled beyond words. I took your advice too, and looked at the 24-105 and the 100mm, but ended up going with the 100mm. I’m SO glad I did! I haven’t even really had a chance to play with it though I’ve been so busy. I love it though! (So this is a belated thank you for your advice.)
Jacqui
!!!!!!!
this is wonderful news! congrats to you, sara! you certainly earned it.
Sara
Thank you so much! Perhaps one day I will be photographing YOUR cookbook! =P
miss alix
so so so very excited for you! i can’t wait to see your photos in print!
Sara
Thank you SO much. I am very excited to see the photos in book form as well. I just hope they are as good in print as they are on my screen. Here’s hoping!
Lauren
Congratulations Sara!!!! This is SOOOOO awesome! Can’t wait to see and hear more about it! You deserve this opportunity! Perhaps your business will continue to grow through it!
Sara
I really hope so, Lauren, and that you so much. I’ve been so so so over the moon about it since she contacted me but it didn’t really hit me until I made and photographed the first meal! I was dancing around the apartment with Morn I just couldn’t bottle up the excitement!