My Photography – Page 3 – We Call Him Yes!Chef!

I’ve seen the Light…another food photography post

Occasionally I teach a class on basic photography. Whenever I teach this class, I always start out with how the camera sees light and I use this photo as an example. These two photos were taken within seconds of each other and within 5 feet of each other. This beautiful woman was taking a class from me and I snapped these two photos off to show how light makes a difference in photography. She was stunned with the results. This photo has been one of the best learning tools that I have used. The picture on the left is direct overhead, middle-of-the-day sunlight. The shadows are harsh and for people, this light is not very flattering. For the right hand photo, I moved her about 5 feet until she was under the open shade of a large tree with the same sunlight reflecting off the ground and bouncing onto her face. You can see that reflected light in her eyes. The light on her face is soft and without harsh shadows.

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February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

Karen Schmautz26 Comments

Food Photography is Hard or Think Twice Before You Snap That Restaurant Pic and Post it All Over the Internet…

As a wedding photographer, I have to be able to photograph anything in any light to document all the things that go on in the wedding. The bride and groom barely remember anything that goes on in the wedding, so it is up to me, as the photographer, to document everything they have been working on for a year or more. You cannot always set up lights the way you would like or really have the kind of time that you would want to perfect each and every photo. Most often, my second shooter and I come away with 2000 photos or more of each wedding we do. I always want at least one good photo of the food and several great photos of the cake. So, I have to know a little something about good light to get those photos. However, there is no way I have the time during a wedding to set up amazing food shots like I do when Yes!Chef! cooks.

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February 2, 2013February 2, 2013

Karen Schmautz14 Comments

Get over your wintertime blues with French Onion Soup!

I think anyone who reads this blog knows how our family feels about home made soup. We love it. We even love soup in the summer as long as it is a cold soup like gazpacho. Many soups are also good for the waist-line (and every other body line, for that matter) and many people are concerned about their weight starting this new year…including me! Yes!Chef! said he could stand to lose a few pounds, too.

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January 15, 2013January 16, 2013

Karen Schmautz17 Comments

Orphan Recipes and other mystical creatures.

20121028-_MG_9493-Editweb — Fried Shrimp and Triple Cooked French Fries

I was rereading some of my past posts and found that I have been deceiving my dear readers. I have, on more than one occasion, indicated that I would post recipes and/or photos of food we have made but not posted. What? Am I just trying to get you to read my newer posts, hungering for that recipe I said I would post but didn’t? Nope. Don’t you even think it. I just plumb forgot.

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December 6, 2012December 6, 2012

Karen Schmautz7 Comments

Chili Today, Hot Tamale or The Pressure’s On

20121111-_MG_1219 web — Pressure Cooker Chili

A couple of months ago we were contacted by a cookware manufacturing company by the name of Magefesa. They wanted to know if we would try out their cookware and then report on it on this blog. We were delighted to do so. They sent us a complete set of cookware, 2 frittata pans and a pressure cooker. Our first post was here. We used the frittata pans and the covered pots to make this meal. We enjoyed using them and continue to use them almost every day. (P.S. They have some great recipes to try here. They also have all kinds of informative videos with tips about how to use the pressure cooker, frittata pans, cooking tips, etc. Check it out!)

We really wanted to try out the Pressure Cooker but Yes!Chef! had never used one before and we wanted to find a recipe that would showcase the cooker. Yes!Chef! would suggest things like beans (of which I am not a big fan), or other food items that take a long time to cook conventionally, but would work well in the PC (Pressure Cooker). We searched around the internet, but nothing seemed right. And worse, all the PC recipes we found seemed more suited to cold weather and it was still pretty warm out.

Enter the Cold Weather

20121111-_MG_1250 web — Snow on the deck

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November 11, 2012November 12, 2012

Karen Schmautz9 Comments

Crashed Spicy Sweet Potatoes are My New Fall Comfort Food

20121008-_MG_7445-web — Crashed Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Now that Fall has officially begun, it’s time to put on the warm socks, colorful sweaters and curl up by the fire. Heat up a cup of apple cider and put a stick of cinnamon in it while you are waiting for the Crashed Sweet Potatoes to finish cooking. Can you tell that I love fall.