Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Sunday 9 November 2014

Cook it, plate it, take a photo, and pack it for a picnic

Prawns in Penang
It has been a little while since I have done much food photography as life seems to have gotten in the way over the last few months.  Any food photography was at best just a snapshot before I ate it! 
This is a pic of a delicious food-hall dish we ate in Penang in October.


So last Monday, my day off work, I rectified this and had a day in the kichen cooking and taking pics.  I have just bought a long cable so I can attach my camera to my laptop while I am shooting. This is called "tethered" shooting. You work through "Lightroom".

To read more please click on "read more"


Basically you can see the images you have shot on your laptop screen as you shoot them, instead of trying to decide from your camera screen whether you are happy with the shot or not, or not seeing your images till you download them onto your computer. You can look at the image on your laptop screen, and make any adjustments to your layout etc if needed, and then take another shot. This is really useful if you are photographing for a client. They can see the images as you take them, make suggestions if they want something changed, and let you know when they are happy with the shot. You can read more about tethered shooting on Christina Peters' fabulous food photography blog- Tethered Shooting

Anyway back to my day....




 I love Rachel Koo's "The Little Paris Kitchen" TV series from the BBC. Have you seen it? They are running repeats at the moment where I live.  I made one of her recipes, Cheese, Pistachio & Prune cake. Whilst not the cheapest cake to make, it really is delicious. It is a savoury loaf with a touch of sweetness from the prunes. You can click on the link to download the recipe - Cheese, Pistachio & Prune cake

Here are some of the main ingredients - pistachios, prunes, goats cheese, eggs, plain yoghurt, flour. If you are doing a food photography blog, it is a nice idea to show the ingredients... The background here is plants through my kitchen window. I have warmed up the image in post-processing.
Food looks so fresh when you let the sunshine in don't you think.
 

The recipe says to wait till the cake is cooled before cutting, but I couldn't wait - so delicious spread with a bit of butter.  The morning light in my west face kitchen window is fabulous.



Here is another of Rachel Koo's recipes -  "Oeufs en cocotte" - Eggs in Pots - so delicious. The recipe for this one is on the BBC blog too. Eggs in Pots


 Next off - savoury quiches. To make it easy I used a muffin tin lined with muffin liners. Then cut a sheet of puff pastry into four. Popped the the pastry into the tins. Then filled with the quiche filling. Use whatever is your usual quiche recipe. I have grated carrot into mine. My recipe made six quiches.



The quiches can be eaten hot or cold and with the French loaf would be perfect picnic food. Don't forget the wine!



Maybe finish off with some chocolate slice



Just keep those pesky seagulls away - I've played around with a bit of post-processing with this one to add a bit of drama to the sky and water...though it doesn't much look like picnic weather now.... 




Do you have a favourite picnic food? Tell us about it in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, and What's It Wednesday.  Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
What's It Wednesday

You might also like - 

Food photography in the Ferguson Valley
Summer plum galette
Summer fruit and salad days


33 comments:

  1. Oh my that picket basket looked delicious! I like the look of that cheese, pistachio & prune cake. I think I might have to download that recipe. You really are versatile - baking and taking photos. I would end up with flour all over the camera lens!

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    1. You must try the recipe Kathy. It really is delicious. Yes it is difficult to cook, style & photograph. No wonder it took me all day. One of these days I hope that someone else will cook & style, and I will just photograph!

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  2. Everything looks delicious and so beautifully plated and photographed!

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  3. You've put together a healthy and delicious picnic basket. Love the photo of the garlic, I finally grew my own this year, don't know why I didn't long before now.
    Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday Jill.

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  4. The picnic basket looked so scrummy - fresh, whole food with stems on! Just divine. I loved the look of the little quiches you cooked :)

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    1. Those quiches were really easy to make using the muffin tins.

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  5. That is a brilliant picnic basket, I love the freshness and the home baking. The tones in the seagull photo are awesome. Now all I need is someone to pack me that basket, it has been such a long long time since I have been on a picnic x

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    1. There is nothing like a picnic basket with fresh home baked goodies is there Rae? Springs is certainly a great time for picnics

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  6. I adore wonderful sweet and savory recipes...I haven't taken a picnic in a long time....but these foods would be delicious.

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  7. I love all your photos! The picnic basket is my favourite - all the goodness and healthy food in it. I will never get tired looking at all these lovely photos.

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  8. Mmmm - how delicious!

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  9. Everything looks scrumptious. My favourite picnic foods are fried or roasted chicken, grapes, brie and french bread.

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  10. I am in awe, your food images just made my mouth water. maybe it is because I am just awakening and have not set foot in the kitchen yet, however the food does look marvelous. I am going to try the mini puff pastry quiches for my Thanksgiving Day brunch, Of course, I may just have to practice beforehand. The bread looks scrumptious too. Eggs, not sure about, I am so picky. Chocolate...ha it does the body good ;) Beautifully done Jill~

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  11. Lucky it's lunch time because I'm salivating :D But I note your post title doesn't mention 'eating'?!?! That probably explains why there aren't many food photos on MY blog!

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    1. oh yes, and eating...we had hot quiches for dinner and cold quiches for lunch the next day. Delicious both ways.

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  12. I admire food photographers and also those who can snap a photo of birds! These are just beautiful, food porn!

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    1. thank you Gayle. The seagull shot was just a lucky capture really, they were flying and squawking all around me!

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  13. Wow, such yummy things you've made and photographed! I like yummy things to eat (of course!), but I don't like cooking... -
    I collect cookbooks only for their photos.
    Greetings from Germany

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  14. Wow, wonderful pictures Greetings from Finland

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  15. Oh, wow! I love not only your food images, but also how you styled them, too! The cheese, pistachio, and prune cake? I think I might want to make this without the prunes, though or maybe substitute some other dried fruit for them.

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    1. yes you could easily substitute dates, raisins-sultanas or dried apricots perhaps.

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  16. i need to save this post for next spring/summer!!

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  17. Looks so great, I'm ready for picnic now!
    My post at: http://hanshb.wordpress.com/

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  18. All of this looks wonderfully delicious! I like the quiche idea. Stopping by from Communal Global.

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  19. You are right, food in the sun does look fresh. That last image definitely is moody. I don't play around with my photos much, I'm not sure whether it is because trying to in those programs scares me or I just don't really want to. Like your explanation at the beginning I am just a snap and eat person, never time for anything else or the people around to eat it.

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    1. I try not to photograph food when people are waiting to eat, so if I am going to do some food photography I plan something I can cook and photograph in the morning, then reheat for dinner later. As for post processing, I don't do a lot, but I must say sometimes a little can add a lot to the final image!

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  20. Thank you for sharing such delicious recipes and beautiful photography. Each one of them looks absolutely divine, I am thinking that the petite quiches would be
    a great little appetizer to start off any upcoming Holiday gathering. Such a delightful picnic basket and oh my the cheese, pistachio and prune cake is truly a beauty.
    It is a pleasure to meet you and thank you for visiting me as well, means so very much to me!
    Jemma

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  21. Oh my, I'm drooling after having just eaten lunch! I love the picnic basket with all your baked goodies, everything looks so delicious! And thank you for telling me about Rachel Khoo's series (I thought her recipes were only available in her book). Just watched how she made darling croque madames in a muffin tin! Wow... gives me hope :)

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    1. thanks Catherine. I haven't seen that episode, I had better download it on-line.

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    2. Here is a link to those croque madames - http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/04/07/croque-madame-muffins-recipe

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  22. Your pictures are amazing and I think I'm going to try that savoury bread recipe, it looks yummy!

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  23. These look all so so so delicious! Your photos make me hungry!!!

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  24. Hi Jill, I'm sure those dishes are delicious but I'm so in awe of your food photography. Great lighting, beautiful staging. And you gave wonderful photo tips for food bloggers. I have not tried tethered shooting. I'm just too lazy for things like that, that's why I settle for photojournalism kind of shots:) But your photos are just so inspiring that I may experiment on it one day. Hope things are going well with you.

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