Monday, January 18, 2010

He steals my beer, but he knows what he's talking about.


I don't know enough about art or photos or aesthetics to talk about food photography with understated gravitas. I do know that the photo editors at Martha Stewart (I am a fan) started a trend of bright white, shadowless, over exposed, etherial food shots. The folks at Real Simple and Oprah are along for the ride. And so is everyone else who wants to be just like them (which is just about everyone else).

In a world of intense food guilt over any plate that isn't raw/vegan/macro/local/heirloom/organic I understand the appeal of bright white this-food-is-angelic-so-I-promise-it-won't-hurt-you photos.

I also understand the appeal of reproducing something you see and admire. What better way to learn? It's sort of the subject of my blog.

But sometimes I want to see something new. Or something old. I want something other than what all the photo editors publish.

Mark is spectacular at what he does. His most recent post is an entertaining and thoughtful discussion on personal work and lighting and it hints at the very real trauma of being married to me.

2 comments:

  1. So true with the overexposed heavenly food shots! I like to see a grimy old cutting board with a half burnt hunk of peasant bread on it now and then, oh and don't forget the gnarly, slightly rusted bread knife.

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