Pears | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Pears** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I signed up for a food photography class and promised to fill you in on the experience – well that long awaited day is here along with some pictures from the four day workshop! The class was offered through the International Center for Photography and taught by Susie Cushner, an amazingly talented food and still life photographer.

Seriously, her level of knowledge and attention to detail are incredible – what she can do transform light with a few foam core cards and a black curtain are something to see. Each day I’d come home, brain tired and spinning from all the information it was trying desperately to retain!

We were also fortunate to have the gifts of Nancy Adler, TA and student whisperer, and food stylist Dana Bonagura at our disposal. Dana was on hand during our studio shoots to help us translate our ideas – in my case something vague like “moody vegetables about to be roasted” into beautiful, natural compositions.

Root Vegetables Phase I | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Root Vegetables Phase I** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Root Vegetables Phase II | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Root Vegetables Phase II** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

My fellow students were fascinating too and the diversity of backgrounds – two chefs, a photographer’s assistant, a photography student, a photography professor, a non-profit communications professional, a blogger, and an event photographer – nationalities, and levels of experience added so much to the discussions. I was lucky to be paired with Margarita Garcia – a much, much more experienced photographer and thankfully one who was so patient with my scramble up the learning curve. Watching her work and talking through the process with her was fascinating; I began to understand the kind of meticulous mindset that professional photographers are in during a shoot.

Bread | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Bread** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Admittedly I didn’t shoot a much as I would have liked, but it also gave me plenty of opportunity to observe and consider how my own process might be informed by my experiences in the class. These were my takeaway lessons…

1. Understand the basics. Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, White Balance. Read about these concepts or better yet watch a ton of YouTube videos until you know them cold.

2. Know your equipment: being familiar with how to change the settings. This video was particularly helpful to me because it used the same model camera I have.

3. Consider the subject. What will you be photographing? Will the shot be of whole ingredients, process, the finished dish, a plated portion? What do you want the viewer to take away from the shot?

4. Consider the composition. How will you frame the shot? How many elements will be involved? Don’t ignore the edges or corners – as Susie reminded us the edges are where things get interesting.

5. Think through the styling. Is the tone rustic, formal, modern, natural, structured? Is it in the kitchen or on the table? How do the props (vessels, linens, utensils, etc.) contribute to telling the “backstory” of the shot? Susie’s mantra: the magic is in the details.

6. Observe the light. What mood or time of day do you want to convey? What shadows and highlights are present? Does the light help to capture the texture and color of the subject or are some adjustments needed?

7. Adjust, adjust, adjust. A small tweak here, a nudge there – continually make small changes until you get the shot you want. Repeat after me: the magic is in the details.

8. See what You see. Bring your personality and perspective to the final shot.

Already I can see the ways that these takeaways lessons are informing the way I approach food photography. It takes an amazing amount of energy and focus to create even the most simple shot and I have such great respect for the professional photographers, food stylists, and prop stylists in this field.

Fish | Image: Laura Messermith — **Fish** | Image: *Laura Messermith*

Greenflea Market | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Greenflea Market** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Every once in a while one of those lazy, not-much-going kind of weekends comes along when there’s plenty of time to do a little browsing through New York’s flea markets. I love the sense of discovery that comes from carefully surveying a booth that’s packed to the brim and the flashes of nostalgia when I spot something familiar from my childhood.

But let’s be honest - the dizzying array of souvenir postcards, 80s lunchboxes, vintage sunglasses, and mid-century doodads can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. Luckily, I went into last Sunday’s Green Flea Market with a clear mission: search for new additions to our kitchen and “tabletop” collections as they call it in the Pottery Barn catalog.

As I’ve taken more pictures of recipes I’ve been looking for ways to complement the final dish with a place setting that contributes to it’s appeal and continually keep the photos interesting… Are you tired of the white plates with blue stripes yet?

Sometimes it’s contrast that makes an image pop - a delicate tart on a stoneware plate - while other times a giant steak looks just right in a rustic cast iron skillet. There were some solid contenders in the schoolyard at PS 87 - I was definitely tempted by the mother of pearl butter knives and the earthenware bowl in particular. But, the search continues, so those blue and white plates will still be in heavy rotation for a little while longer as I continue to search for great finds around the city. Stay tuned!

Scouting: Food Photography Class

Scouting: Greenflea Market