Food photography tips from The Pioneer Woman

I'm actually writing today's post on Wednesday since I still have some time to kill before we can get the dang U-Haul out of our driveway. Plus I won't have my computer set up and online until late Friday and by then I'll be surrounded by boxes in our new home, furiously unpacking!

I've mentioned my friend Quinn over at Limelight Food Photography a few times on this blog. She is simply amazing! But some of us don't quite have those skills when it comes to photographing food, so I suggest you read "Taking Photos of Food -- 8 Helpful Tips" from The Pioneer Woman. All eight tips seem pretty manageable, even for an amateur like myself. The one I have to do a little more reading on is #4 relating to aperture, but I'm sure Quinn can help me understand that one a bit more!

By the way, I've also learned that using white dinnerware is a super way to make your food look extra scrumptious so I've stocked up on a set from Ikea. If only they weren't packed in a box somewhere... --Emily

"Taking Photos of Food -- 8 Helpful Tips"

And since I won't be cooking for yet a couple more days, bake up a yummy batch of these and eat a few for me, will you?

Dark chocolate-dipped macaroons
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 pkg (7 oz) sweetened flaked coconut
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Heat oven to 325. Line two baking sheets with nonstick foil. Whisk egg whites, sugar and extracts in medium bowl until foamy. Stir in coconut until evenly mixed. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until set and browned. Cool on wire rack.

Once cool, dip bottoms and about 1/3 of the macaroons in melted chocolate. Tap off excess chocolate. Place on same foil-line baking sheets. Let stand at room temperature until set. Makes 2 dozen.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. ~Virginia Woolf

Image by tonx, shared via Flickr.

A photographer who's fabulous with food and friends

It's 1 am and I should be packing up my kitchen rather than sitting here updating my Facebook and Twitter profile pics, but I couldn't help myself after seeing some of the great shots my friend and photographer Quinn Curtis took during our recent SassyScoops.com visit to Farnsworth Farms. I knew she was good with food since I'm always catching her recent food-related photo shoots on her Limelight Food Photography blog and I knew she was good taking photos on site at our SassyScoops reviews, but I never realized what an all-around talented photographer she is. She can do anything! She can even make a rainy-day hay ride look fabulous!

Here are a few collages of her photos from the Farnsworth visit:













Okay, so the last one was of food and sort of a given that it would look amazing, but don't you think the rest are just as wonderful! Quinn has not only changed the way I look at food but also inspired me to learn more about photography. I even got brave enough to played around with the manual settings on my point-and-shoot camera!

To see what all my fuss is about you simply must view Quinn's portfolio. You can find her "sweet" photos by visiting LimelightFoodPhotography.com. By the way, you'll want to have a napkin handy to wipe the drool from your chin! Consider yourself warned! --Emily