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Photography


2021 UPDATE - I'm keeping things simple these days and am just using my trusty iPhone and natural light for blog photography.
 
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PHOTO GEAR / TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Several of you have asked what photography equipment I use, so I thought it might be neat to include that information here.  Because Brad and I shoot weddings, we have accumulated some great pieces of equipment over the past several years.  However, you can create beautiful images of your food without purchasing tons of photo gear!

I would say that about 98% of the photos that you see on this blog were taken with the Nikon D50 camera body, the 60mm macro lens, and a Nikon SB-600 flash.  The Nikon D50 isn't my "best" camera body, per se, however there is just something magical about the D50 when paired with the 60mm macro lens.  It's hard to explain, but they are a match made in camera heaven.  This is the first camera I really learned to master when we first started shooting weddings, so it has a special place in my heart.  I even switched to the D200 for my food photos for a while but eventually went back to the D50.  In my opinion, it just produces a more beautiful image and more vivid colors in the end.  Brad wants to convert it to an infrared camera one day when we upgrade, but I'm not so sure about that yet.  ;)

Most photographers will tell you that the lenses you use are just as important...No, probably MORE important!...than your camera body.  The lens is really where a lot of magic can happen, and high-quality lenses can make all the difference in your photography.  


 Nikon D50
 Nikon D200
 Nikkor 60mm Macro f/2.8 D
This lens allows me to get up close and personal with the food I'm photographing.  I use it for most of the photography here on the blog.
 Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 G



 Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 D
This lens produces beautiful, creamy backgrounds in photographs.  It's undoubtedly one of my favorites.

 Nikon Speedlight SB-600 Flash


 Nikon Speedlight SB-800 Flash


Riley G Designworks "Blue Victorian" Camera Strap
Riley G makes awesome camera straps...Check them out sometime!
(Photo courtesy of Riley G Designworks)


As far as editting software, I use a combination of Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Bridge.


Plate to Pixel:  Digital Food Photography & Styling is a treasure trove of photographic advice from author Helene Dujardin.  Her blog, Tartelette, is one of the very first that I started following in 2007, and her work continues to be an inspiration to me.  She is incredibly talented, is a sweetheart of a person, and her book is an absolute must-have!


 Food Photography:  From Snapshots to Great Shots by Nicole S. Young is an excellent book for beginner and experienced photographers alike.  If you are interested in improving your food photography, I highly recommend this book!

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