As much as I was looking forward to, pining for, and desperately needing a weekend off, I’m so glad Kevin suggested coming down at the last minute, to get started on the photos for the new book—The I Love Trader Joe’s Party Cookbook. We got 10 sets of shots for different menus, and it’s always great to work with my boy!
Whitnee (of Cooking Revealed) helped us the first day—note to self: have someone terrific to help prep, shop, clean, and cook some of the dishes—makes it soooo much easier to move through the scheduled dishes! I know this seems incredibly obvious to fancy-pants food stylist/photographers, but when we shot the first book, it was just the two of us, muddling through. We made lists, we shopped, we prepped, we cooked, we styled, we re-styled, we shot, (we ate!), we cleaned, we washed dishes. We lathered-rinsed-repeated. And then we weeded, rejected, accepted, color-corrected, and finally, we had the photos so many of you have praised in The I Love Trader Joe’s Cookbook. While we learned a lot, and I’m happy with the way the photos came out—especially after receiving a lovely compliment about them from Steve Legato at the IACP book signing—this time around we need twice as many shots, so we are definitely going to play it smarter, and get help onboard! So glad I have a fabulous and supportive staff, who are willing—hell, they are eager!—to jump in and help, in exchange for a glimpse at what went into getting each shot onto the page.
We are also putting new skills to work. Kevin has been putting his Canon through its paces, taking tons of great shots around San Francisco, where he’s living and working. I took a terrific food styling and photography workshop from the vivacious and uber-talented Denise Vivaldo and the terrific and equally uber-talented Matt Armendariz, as well as attending a Food Blog Forum event in Los Angeles, where I met and learned from masters- Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen, the White on Rice couple, Evan Kleiman of the terrific Good Food radio show and more savvy bloggers and masters of the inter-webs. (I count myself among neither, but I learn at the feet of the masters!)
I’ve been squirreling away props and plates and glassware, in anticipation of finishing the writing part (submitted the manuscript June 1!) and commencing this photography part.
Can’t wait to show off our handiwork in November!
1 year agoshooting photos for my mom’s new cookbook
