JUDGES FOR DMBLGiT AUG 2011

 Thanks for everyone who had sent their entries for DMBLGiT  and I am excited to see all your gorgeous shots. For those who have not sent yet, no worries... do send them.  You can still send them until midnight of August 22nd 2011.  

I am very happy to reveal the lovely judges for this month's photography contest.  Hope you all enjoy reading about them and don't miss to see the tip they gave about the food Photography. 

1. Kris Ngoei @ Bakeinparis

  I am a great admirer of Kris  photography. He is basically a graphic designer who found his passion of baking along the intriguing journey that involved Sydney, Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok.  And in turn, various baking courses have introduced him to the meaning of delicacy, quality, aesthetics and supreme taste.  The constant effort to capture the look of his cakes and desserts stretched his arms wide open to embrace blogging, food styling and photography.  All were seemingly coherent with his years of graphic design practice. Only when his creations appeared in a dessert magazine and several food photo contests, he was determined to explore this exciting path of blending baking, food styling and photography.   His latest passion is sugar flowers and fondant cake decoration.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                 

                                                                                                               

   2. Sala @ Veggiebelly                                                                                                                                                                 

Sala is one of my favorite blogger and  I love her Photography.   She is from India  and  now lives with her husband on the east coast.  She loves to cook, to her there is no greater joy than turning on the music and  cooking a meal for the people she loves.  Growing up in southern India with fiery, bold flavors has influenced her cooking a lot. She almost travelled over 36 countries in 6 continents and lived in 3 countries.  Along the way she picked up new ingredients, tastes and methods of cooking. 

What she says about Food photography ... 

Take some pictures of the food along with its context.  For example, shoot the dish with someone eating it, or shoot the dish being made in the kitchen, or take a picture of the cook.  This will tell a story about the dish, and make the food more interesting.

That's interesting one Sala, Thanks so much :)                                                           

                                                                                                                

3. Soma Rathore @ Ecurry

                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                    

 I love the way she plays around with spices.  Needless to say about her pictures she has got so many Badges of DMBLGiT :)  she is a happy woman who loves to read, travel and very crazy about exploring and experimenting with food.  But enjoys being a mom for the best two little girls in this world who makes her smile, laugh and teach to live life in a simple, silly, child like way without inhibitions.  Her husband who is the main inspiration is her best friend and best critic.  She loves her Family which is the most precious treasure of her Life.

When I asked her about the Food Photography, wow she gave lot of info.. see what she says ....

Use natural light, with the table set up beside a window.  I also use a white board to bounce light and to avoid shadows. That would be about what I do, nothing fancy.  Light from different directions and  shots from different angles has the ability to change the mood and personality of a photograph. Use the props, but with self restraint and care!  The food should still be the hero.  Make a skeleton drawing on paper before the shoot if that helps with the composition and styling.

Take a million shots, go over it and see what you like best or what is it that you would like to change. Scrutinize your photographs. Inspirations of food photography is everywhere... it does not have to be on your shooting table.  The uncommon places and circumstances often capture the essence and life of food photography.

So sweet of you Soma :) Thanks so much, Hope those tips will be very useful for everyone.

4. Xiaolu @ 6Bittersweets 

Xiaolu's  pictures are really pleasure to view and needless to say about her baking skills.  She is a Chinese-American girl in her mid-20s who loves baking, cooking and pretty much any food-related DIY project.  She recently left the legal field to return to a poor student's life -- all in order to pursue a career in nutrition.  In addition to food, her other biggest passion is music.  She is  new to blogging, but already have connected with many fabulous foodies around the world through this community.  Blogging has led her to discover a great passion for food styling and photography.  For anyone who's interested in her photography set-up, she has shared some tips and behind-the-scenes photos recently. She uses the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS camera with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens.  Both are on the lower end of the price range for DSLR equipment.  Though the Rebel XS has served her well,  she recommends starting with a slightly higher-end model if you expect to be serious about photography.  Even though she have no professional aspirations, she tries very hard to make the images as inviting and mouth-watering as possible for viewing pleasure!

See what she says about Food Photography and styling :)

First, you want to be careful in preparing/presenting the food to make sure it looks appealing.  Many factors big and small can enhance the look of the food.  For example, if using veggies, make sure they're fresh.  Spritz a little water on things if they should look moist but are drying up.  If photographing something cooked, pick the best pieces and make sure they're positioned at an angle that's attractive.  At the same time, it's often best not to make the food look too "pretty" or "perfect".  A little messiness or anything that adds a human touch (a bite taken, crumpled napkin, etc.) often makes the shot more relate able and mouthwatering.  Lastly, I encourage budding photographers to have a mood and look (a "story" so to speak) in mind when preparing to photograph. And to include something of themselves in their photography.  Whether it's propping, composition, light etc. Don't be afraid to play around and develop your own unique style. 

Thank Xiaolu :)

Again thanks all of you for your valuable tip and helping me out !!!

5.  It's me Pavithra @ Dishesfrommykitchen

More about me :) :)