Here is a question for you…

What do food bloggers all have in common other than their love for food?

Their love for taking pictures of their food!

That being said, when Kerstin organized a photography session with a professional culinary photographer and asked if I would be interested in attending, I jumped for joy and screamed, ‘YES’!  Ever since I started my blog, my appreciation for cameras, photography and capturing the moment (and food) has certainly gone up.  I’ve actually read some of my camera’s manual to understand the features and functions on my camera.  Can you imagine?! I’m not quite sure if I was able to process all of it, but I’m proud that I at least made the try.  For that reason, I knew a few tips and tricks from a professional was definitely up my alley and definitely something from which I could benefit.

Image Credit – mediabistro.com

We (meaning 14 food bloggers and 1 husband) arrived at Gary Tardiff’s photography studio promptly at 2pm to begin our photography lesson.  I think everyone (including Healthy Chow) was excited to meet Gary and to begin taking in some of his knowledge.  We all listened closely as Gary introduced himself, talked about his work and informed us that he wanted the afternoon to be more of a discussion rather than a lecture.  Sounds good to me, Gary!

We’re like little sponges…

Our personable, experienced and knowledgeable photog friend went over some of the basics of photography.  He showed us some of the cameras he works with, the different types of lighting and lenses he uses and the purposes behind them.  Gary mentioned that he had the chance to take a peek at our blogs before we arrived to get a sense of our picture taking abilities.  He said we made some nice efforts and that with a few tweaks and some guidance, we’d be well on our way to taking some great photos.  Again, sounds good to me, Gary! But one of the common issues he noticed about our pictures was the fact that our average white balance was not set properly.  Because of this, our pictures tend to come out ‘discolored’ or with tints of color that may not be intended.  Gary went on to talk about shutter speed, aperture, depth-to-feel, the difference between low and high ISO and how the fundamentals of exposure is key.  I really enjoyed listening to Gary and I learned quite a bit.  However, most of the things he mentioned pertained to using a DSLR camera, something which I do not own (not yet, anyways…).  I’ll have to admit that many of the terms Gary used were foreign to me and I couldn’t fully grasp what he was saying being that I have never used a DSLR camera.  But, being that I was in the minority (most of the other bloggers were fully equipped with DSLR’s), I just went with the flow.  I was at Gary’s studio listening to Gary’s words because I wanted to learn.  Once I do get my very own DSLR, I know I’ll be good to go.

After our discussion on photography basics, Gary gave us a tour of his place of business.  It was so interesting!  I think all of the bloggers’ jaws dropped when we saw his collection of plates.  Holy crap on a cracker! If only I could have access to all those plates when I’m taking pictures of my food…I’d be in heaven!  Gary also mentioned that the props he has he finds just about everywhere and anywhere.  They aren’t anything fancy, they’re just items he found that he made work for him.  For example, Gary showed us this beautiful door he found discarded from a building.  To the people tearing down the building, the door was trash.  But to Gary, it was found treasure.

A food blogger’s dream!

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Wall of photography equipment

An example of Gary’s talent

The next part of our lesson was my favorite part.  Gary demonstrated how he would set-up the staging for a client.  Being that we were the ‘clients’ for the afternoon, Gary asked us what we wanted to have photographed.  Adrienne was the first to volunteer her home baked bread.  It looked delicious in person, but once Gary finished photographing, it looked like the most extraordinary loaf of bread I had ever laid my eyes on!  He showed us how to play around with lighting in order for it to appear ‘natural’ and with a few inexpensive tools (ex: vellum attached to wooden frames), pictures can come out priceless.

Gary’s simply constructed lighting box

Gary reviewing the shot on his computer

Kelly’s granola-in-a-jar was the next model for the day.  Because the jar was something that Kelly was having trouble photographing on her blog, she decided to ask Gary for advice.  Gary demonstrated with the the use of mirrors, lighting, a white backdrop and black paper for shadowing, the glass of the jar can be made to be as visible or hidden as needed.  The concepts that Gary was showing to us were so simple and yet, I would have never guessed to utilize them.  I guess that’s why he’s the teacher and I was the student!

Can you see the granola in the mirror?

What the granola looked like after Gary worked his magic…

The final models for the day were M&M cookies made by Jen and eggplant crostini made by Cara.  Both looked absolutely delectable in person; we were all drooling as Gary was taking pictures and showing us how he reviews and edits them on his computer.  I’m actually surprised we weren’t reaching in to grab cookies and pieces of crostini as bloggers took turns practicing their newly acquired tips and tricks.  Lucky for us, we did get to sample the goods after we were done photographing them.  Thanks ladies!

M&M cookies

Eggplant crostini

I had such a wonderful time with my fellow bloggers and of course, Gary.  Gary, you are an amazing photographer and a wonderful teacher.  To be able to have such great talent, and then to be able to pass along that knowledge to others in a form that makes them want to learn more, is truly a gift .  I thank you for your time, your patience and your wisdom.  Some of the most important lessons I learned were:

• To focus on the front portion (or the first 1/3) of the food you are photographing, since the rest after that is pretty much a repetition – For example, focus on the front part of a bowl of pasta, not the entire bowl.
• To look with your eyes, and not with your head – We often times get so happy and excited to take a picture that we just snap it as soon as we see it.  However, we then notice that there are things in the picture that don’t belong, and then it might be to late to take the picture again.  If we take the time to make sure things like the lighting, the composition and the angle are correct, we will be able to take a much better picture.  We need to see and pay attention to the details as we are shooting, and not assume that the shot we have is perfect.
• To make the person who is looking at your picture want to eat what is in the picture – When photographing, we should think about what the person who is looking at the picture would want to see.  We should consider how to make that person want to believe in what we are shooting.  For example, if we’re taking a picture of a cookie, adding a cup of coffee with a few crumbs next to the cup might make the photo seem more realistic and add to the allure of the cookie.

All in all, no matter what kind of camera you have, no matter how expensive or inexpensive, whether you’re in a professional studio or at your home, whether you have a special lense or a homemade lightbox (I made one out of cardboard and tissue paper) or whether you’re a professional or a complete novice, the most important thing is to have fun.  The perfect shot is not going to come with the first try and it’s not going to come instananeously.  By playing around with things like lighting, props, exposure, etc, we can attain a good photo.  By sticking with it, practicing and having a light-hearted attitude, the shots we take can come out picture perfect.

The Graduating Class of Gary Tardiff’s February 6, 2010 Photography Session

(Starting from the back row, left to right)
Shannon, Jen, Sophie, Kerstin, Chels,
Lauren, Adrienne, Elina, Mary Kate,
Healthy Chow, Cara, Kelly, Jen, Sues

Thank you again, Gary and Kerstin! And thank you, Lauren, for driving and navigating!

Do you have any special photography tips and/or tricks?  How much time do you spend taking pictures of one dish?  Do you like to take a few photos?  Or are you like me and take 100’s?

Namasté,
Nicole

Remember last week when I gave out my ‘Healthy Chow’ award?  Well, just the other day I was fortunate enough to be awarded my own by two extraordinary bloggers.  I received the Over the Top! Award from Allie and Shannon.  I feel so honored! Thank you, Allie and Shannon.  This means so much to me.  I feel like I should have some sort of acceptance speech ready or at least some fabulous red carpet-worthy designer gown on but I don’t, so what I can do is answer a few questions while I’m wearing my blogging sweaties (trust me, they’re real hot!)

In order to accept the award, I need to answer the following questions with just one word.  So, here goes…

1. Where is your cell phone?  table

2. Your hair?  damp

3. Your mother?  strong

4. Your father?  hilarious

5. Your favorite food?  pasta

6. Your dream last night?  insignificant

7. Your favorite drink?  water

8. Your dream/goal?  family

9. What room are you in?  living room

10. Your hobby?  yoga

11. Your fear?  disorder

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  motherhood

13. Where were you last night?  home

14. Something you aren’t?  laidback

15. Muffins?  blueberry

16. Wish list item?  food processor

17. Where did you grow up?  Newton

18. Last thing you did?  dishes

19. What are you wearing?  sweaties (I already told you that!)

20. Your TV?  flat (I guess I sorta am, too!)

21. Your pets?  non-existent

22. Your friends?  terrific

23. Your life?  fortunate

24. Your mood?  calm (for now)

25. Missing someone?  grandparents

26. Vehicle?  reliable

27. Something you’re not wearing?  make-up

28. Your favorite store?  Trader Joe’s (duh!)

29. Your favorite color?  orange

30. When was the last time you laughed?  today

31. Last time you cried?  Monday

32. Your best friend?  sister

33. One place that I go over and over?  YOGA!

34. One person who emails me regularly?  husband

35. Favorite place to eat?  Kayuga

To conclude, I must now pass along this award to some of my favorite bloggers:

Elizabeth @ Don’t White Sugar Coat It

Kaytee @ Kaytee Says…Eat!

Kerstin @ Cake, Batter and Bowl

Natalie @ No No 2 Yo Yo

Sues & Chels @ We Are Not Martha

Katy @ Silly Tater Tot

Thank you again, Allie and Shannon! You two are so sweet to give me this award.  If you haven’t checked out Allie’s or Shannon’s blog, or the ones to which I passed along this award, please do!  They are each so unique and so inspiring.

OK, I hear the music, so that means I need to ‘wrap it up’.  Thank you again, ladies and gentlemen and thank you to the Academy…

***BTW, did you sign-up for Project Feed Me yet?  If not, please check it out.  If you already did, have you bought your food items yet?  I did and I’m about to take my pics now.  I hope you do the same!***

Do you like watching award shows?  Or, are you like me and prefer to just find out who wins?

Namasté,
Nicole

This past Sunday I felt like a little kid.  I know I have my moments where I like to be more ‘immature’ than ‘mature’, but on Sunday, I honestly felt as if I was having a flashback.  My age was in the single digits and I didn’t have a care in the world.  Along with some fellow bloggers and blog readers, I went to Smolak Farms to go apple picking.  It’s been over a quarter of a century since I’ve last picked my own apples.  Holy smokes!  When I actually see that on paper (or screen), it makes me feel ancient.  Sheesh! But no matter if I’m young or old, apple picking is something I need to do more than once every 25 years!

By signing-up with BuyWithMe.com, we were able to secure a sweet discount at Smolak Farms.  All we had to do was get enough people to pay in advance online to go to Smolak Farms using the BuyWithMe.com site and we were able to receive the discount.  It was that easy! And being that it is fall and we food bloggers love to cook and bake with apples, this was no difficult feat.  To put it mildly, I don’t think I was the only person anxious for the excitement Smolak Farms had in store for us.

Lauren was kind enough to volunteer to drive to the farm and I was more than happy to get carpooled.  I’m not sure if you know this about Healthy Chow, but driving and following directions isn’t one of Healthy Chow’s strong points.  So, to know I wasn’t going to get lost driving to North Andover was a true blessing.  Thanks again, Lauren!  You’re the best!

Driving to Smolak Farms the weather was still a bit gloomy, but at least it was not raining.  However, the mood was nothing but bright and upbeat in our car.  In our car, were Lauren, Elina, Elina’s friend Katy, and myself.  With Lauren’s good driving and trusty GPS (man, do I need to get myself one of those!) we were able to arrive at the farm in about 40 minutes.  When we arrived, we met up with Shannon, the event organizer (thanks Shannon!), Shannon’s friend Rebecca, Kerstin, Kerstin’s husband, Kelly and Kelly’s boyfriend. And while the farm was a tad more than a hop, skip and a jump away from Boston, it was definitely worth it.  As soon as we entered, it was as if we had been transported onto another world.  The scenery was absolutely breathtaking!

It was such a nice feeling to see so many families spending the day with each other and enjoying what the season has given us.  I’m not sure who was more excited to be at the farm, the children or the adults.  Everyone seemed to be in the fall spirit and just wanting to take advantage of the fact that it was no longer raining (it rained all day long the day before).

Once we trudged up the hill into the orchards, we were able to have at any apples we wanted.  There were so many different kinds available: McIntosh, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Cortland/Red Cortland, Macoun, Paula Red, Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Red Max, Rogers Red Mac and Macspur.  However, we mostly saw and picked the McIntosh, Macoun, Granny Smith and Cortland.  While the trees seemed shorter and smaller than when I last went apple picking, they were still pretty tall for the 5 foot 1 inch (OK, I’m rounding up) Healthy Chow.  Fortunately, Katy recognized this and was smart enough to borrow an apple stick from the front desk.  This definitely came in handy! Especially for me

Katy is ready to take on the apple tree…

I’m on the hunt for red October…

So close, yet so far away…

Come to Mama!

Elina getting her apple picking on!

Anyone up for a game of lacrosse?

How beautiful!

That was a close one, Kelly!

Hello Granny!

After about an hour and a half of filling our bags with fresh and heavenly apples, we were done picking and ready to get some goodies at the bakery.  Boy, was there some serious stimulation for the eyes!  The bakery sold cookies, breads, whoopie pies, muffins, apple cider donuts (which actually weren’t hot and thus, not recommended), apple cider, tea and coffee.  In addition there was a gift shop that sold everything Halloween and fall inspired that you could imagine.  Just think gourds galore, gingerbread houses, candles, toys and even more sweet treats! And strategically, Smolak Farms placed their registers at the end of the trail of goodies.  So, you had no choice but to see (and possibly buy) EVERYTHING!  Amazingly, I just stuck with the apples.

A wall of Stonewall…

Hmmm, baked goods…

Freshly baked pies…

Makin’ whoopie…

Now I wish you came home with me…

BOO!

Trick or treat!

Who knew there was such a thing?

Are these supposed to be scary?

Ornamental indeed!

I can feel my teeth getting stuck already!

What a spectacular way to spend a Sunday afternoon!  I had the chance to reminisce about my childhood, pick some delicious apples and meet and spend time with some great people.  Plus, I had the chance to do something I hadn’t done in over two decades (goodness, that makes sound so old)!

When I was up in the orchards and walking from tree-to-tree selecting which apple I wanted to take home with me, I realized something.  I noticed that I was constantly looking up.  While there were tons of discarded apples lying on the ground, it seemed like the apple I was always trying hardest to get was unreachable.  I either had to borrow Katy’s stick or I had to walk away and find some lower hanging fruit (literally) on another tree.  And then I thought to myself, “Why are you constantly trying to pick the piece of fruit that is out of your reach?  Why is the apple that is at the top of the tree the apple you want?  Is it sweeter or somehow better than the apple you can reach?”

After pondering that for a bit, I finally decided to take a bite of an apple I picked from the lower branches.  It was delicious!  The apple was cold, crisp and sweeter than any apple I had had from the grocery store.  Not only did it taste good, but it looked good, too.  There was absolutely nothing wrong with this apple; I just somehow thought the apples sitting at the top of the tree were better.  Just like we tend to assume that bigger or taller or higher or more is always better, I thought the apples at the peak of the treetops were somehow more delicious.  I know I often think that I’m going to be happier or feel more accomplished if I can just make it to the top.  I tend to think that I have to push myself harder in order to get to where I want to be and that where I want to be is always way over my head.  And in reality, where I am and what I have at this very moment is more than enough.

I’m not trying to say that we shouldn’t have goals or things to aim/reach for.  We certainly do need to challenge ourselves and strive to be the best that we can be.  But sometimes we just need to find comfort in what we have right now.  We need to find peace within ourselves in our current state.  We need to be able to be happy with the present, instead of thinking we’ll be happier in the future.  And recognizing this may just be the sweetest bite of life.

What’s your favorite kind of apple? When was the last time you went apple picking?

Namasté,
Nicole

Who says you can’t have dessert in the middle of the day?  Not me!

This afternoon was the first event of many for the Healthy Living Summit.  We had an ice cream social at JP Licks on Newbury Street where both attendees and non-attendees of the Summit were invited to come meet and greet the Summit’s organizers.  Of course I jumped at the chance to go!  Not only was I so excited to meet all the bloggers I had been following for months and months, but the fact that I could enjoy a frozen treat at JP Licks midday was an added bonus.

Do you know what it feels like to literally count down the minutes to something?  I felt like a little girl again on Christmas morning, standing over my mother and father at the crack of dawn waiting for them to get out of bed so I could finally open my presents.  Well, today wasn’t Christmas but meeting everyone was certainly a gift.  Just how often in life do you get to meet your mentors, the people you’ve admired from afar, or the people who you just want to flippin’ meet because they just seem so darn cool?!  And this is only the tip of the iceberg (not lettuce though, we food bloggers like something a little mo’ green and leafy!).  I haven’t even met everyone yet!

While the sunshine was lacking this afternoon at JP Licks, the smiles and laughter were a plenty.  We had a small group but it was a mighty one!  Kath, Tina, Jenna, Heather and Mark all greeted us at the entrance of JP Licks.  Unfortunately, Caitlin and Meghann, who were on the same flight from Orlando, were delayed a little bit and weren’t able to make the ice cream party.

This is me taking candid photos...

I think like me, Jenna was ready for her ice cream!

Hi Mark! Thanks for being our photographer...

Yes, the wall is supposed to look like a cow - mooooo!

I <3 JP Licks!

But not to worry, we took pictures for ‘the Floridians’ and had enough ice cream, soft serve and frozen yogurt to make up for their absence . Well, I certainly did!  I ordered a small oatmeal cookie hard frozen yogurt with chocolate jimmies (or sprinkles, for all you non-Northeasterners) in a cup and I wanted it to it seemed like it lasted forever.  Delicious!  This is my got-to at JP Licks; it never fails me.  My frozen yogurt had chunks of oatmeal cookie and it was just sweet enough for me.  I tend to go for vanilla based ice creams/frozen yogurts versus chocolate ones.  But then I like to add things like chocolate jimmies on top, so I’m not sure what my rationale is?  All I can say is, I wasn’t craving potato chips or french fries afterward .

There were even more chocolate jimmies (sprinkles) on the sidewalk...

And if the sweet treats weren’t enough excitement, we even had a special guest of honor at JP Licks – Sammie’s son, Declan.  He was so cute and definitely a blogger in training.  Maybe Declan will be an organizer at Healthy Living Summit 2029?  You just never know…

Crouching tiger...

Hi Kath!

And what would a blogger event (or any event really) be without a group picture?  Mark was our gracious photographer and did a wonderful job taking pictures with everyone’s cameras (I think there were close to 12 cameras in the group).  Naturally, the zoom function on my camera wasn’t on the correct setting so my group photo wasn’t that – a group photo.  Heather was kind enough to let me borrow snag her group photo – which turned out awesome!  Thanks Heather and Mark!  And don’t you worry, the zoom function has been set properly on my camera, so there will be many successful group pics taken this weekend.  Woot!

Healthy Living Summit 2009 JP Licks Class Photo

And there you have it, the end of the first event of Healthy Living Summit 2009.  To all of you who could make it, it was my pleasure meeting you all.  And to those that could not, we had you there in spirit!  I’m sure I’ll have a serving of yogurt or two and a drink or two (or more) for you this weekend.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream/frozen yogurt?  Or, do you always like to try new flavors?

Namasté,
Nicole

PS: I’m sorry for the late posting today!  Healthy Chow’s files were getting transferred over to another server.  Thank you for your patience.  BTW, if you left a comment for me last night, it may not have posted due to the transfer.  I’m so sorry, but as our beloved Michael Jackson said, “Oh baby, give me one more chance…!“

(If you couldn’t tell, the post title is supposed to be sung to the tune of Will Smith’s Summertime.  Oh, I amuse myself!)

This all started at the beginning of 2009.  I was on my laptop and had the Food Network on tv and I believe it was a commercial featuring Ellie Krieger that peaked my interest.  She was talking about making the foods you crave in a healthier manner without having to sacrifice the taste.  It was that simple.  So I kept watching and looked for when her show would be on next.  I then googled her name and not only did I find her books, website and culinary masterpieces online, but I also found blogs that featured her easy, yet healthy recipes.

They were blogs run by everyday people, mostly women, who were trying to live a healthy lifestyle through cooking, exercise and balance.  I’d find one blog and read it.  Then, I would see the blogroll on that blog and read that.   Then, I would click on all the blogs that were linked in that blog’s blogroll and then I would repeat those steps again and again on the following blogs.  It was as if a tiny snowball had started rolling down a hill with a sharp 90 degree angle in the middle of a nor’easter.  This snowball was growing at the speed of lightning and there was no stopping it.

Image Credits – blog.readysetconnect.com

I spent hours just reading all the posts from these bloggers.  I read about their journeys, their adventures in the kitchen, their achievements on foot, on the bike and on the mat, their indulgences, their cravings and how wonderful they feel through it all.  These bloggers totally moved me (another lame pun).  Each blog had its own voice and I felt as if it were my calling to listen.

Fast forward to July of 2009 and after reading and being a loyal follower of too many healthy lifestyle blogs to name, I finally decided to bite the Magic Bullet (that’s homage to the beloved green monster smoothie).  I thoroughly respected each and every one of the bloggers I had encountered and really admired their strength, support for one another and their zest for life.  I decided I was going to start my very own blog.

While I haven’t been blogging for very long, I feel as though I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the healthy lifestyle and food blogoshere and about myself.  I can honestly say that the people I have come across have been nothing short of delightful, supportive and downright genuine.  I feel honored to say that I am a part of this community.

When I began reading all the buzz about the Healthy Living Summit and saw that it was going to be right in my backyard, I knew I had to go.  Unfortunately, I didn’t move quick enough and the tickets had been sold out.  To say the least, I was bummed.  But I had envisioned myself being at the Summit and knew there had to be some way for me to get there.  That said, I saw that Caitlin was holding a silent auction on her blog for one golden ticket to the Summit.  All proceeds were going to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Caitlin’s Team in Training efforts to run the Disney marathon.  I knew that ticket was going to be mine and on July 8, that vision became a reality.  Thank you, Caitlin!

Finally, the Summit is here!  Today is the first day of events.  We are meeting in Boston (literally blocks from me) for an ice cream social where we can meet each other, gab some and eat (a little or a lot of) ice cream (or frozen yogurt, if that’s what you prefer).  Friday night we are having a cocktail party out in Boston at a swanky bar.  Then all Saturday it’s conference time where we get to formally meet and listen to our gracious sponsors, organizers and keynote speakers.  But as we bloggers know, it’s all about balance.  So after a full day at the conference, we are meeting in the North End for the Fisherman’s Feast Italian Food Festival.  And to balance it all out, on Sunday morning, there is an unofficial 5K run followed by brunch.

I am excited beyond words!  I cannot wait to meet all the bloggers whom I’ve only known through the internet and to listen and learn from them.  It will be such an extraordinary experience and I am grateful that I can take part in it.

I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard and given so many countless hours of time and energy to make this Summit a reality.  To Caitlin, Kath, Jenna, Tina, Meghann and Heather – thank you from the bottom of my heart and I look forward to finally seeing you all face-to-face!  And a big shout out to the Summit’s sponsors as well, ZestyCook, FoodBuzz and Stonyfield Farm – thank you!

Here’s to a weekend of fun, food, good times and making new friends!

Image Credits – beaconinn.com

What have you’ve been excited about?  If you have a blog, do you remember what made you decide to start one?  If you don’t, do you think you’ll ever start one?

Namasté,
Nicole