Playing with my fork.
How many times growing up did a parent, usually your mother, tell you to stop playing with your food? How many times have you been guilty of saying those same indelible words to one or more of your children?
I don’t know about you, but I lost count way back when. As an adult I also admit to saying those words or something like them to each of my four kids…and grand kids. By the way, if you were lucky as I was, you wanted your mom to say it more than your dad, if you know what I mean.
Well, my fellow photographers in both my online classes with the BPSOP and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet, I’m here to tell you to start playing with your food again; only this time with your camera.
Since I’m always carrying my little Lumix DMC-LX7 in my pocket, I’m always at the ready when that illusive photo epiphany suddenly reveals itself to my imagination. It can be just about anywhere, including a bathroom. I see it a lot at restaurants, dinner tables (mine or friends), or anywhere where food and/or utensils are served and used.
This epiphany or sudden revelation usually occurs when some form of light comes into play, and as you know by now…light rules the photo world. You find the light and you’ll find the shot.
The above photo was taken during the beginning of breakfast on the terrace at the Royal Hotel in San Remo, Italy. While waiting to be served, I noticed the early morning light casting a shadow on our two-top. I began moving around the fork and silver tea service until I had the composition I wanted. By the way, all this was happening while Mikki was patiently watching…waiting until I was through “playing around” so she could pour herself a cup of coffee.
Played with this one for a while.
So the next time you have one of those photo epiphanies and you have your camera with you I encourage you to start playing with your food. I promise I won’t tell your mother.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and watch for my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. We’ll play with our food together.
The end of July marks my twenty-eight year at the Maine Media workshops. It’s a wonderful way to immerse yourself for a week and think about nothing but photography. It’s the same week as the Lobster Festival down the road in Rockland, and offers a completely different set of photo ops than the beautiful Maine coastline, amazing lighthouses, and quaint fishing villages. The full description is at the top of this blog.
The Los Angeles Center for photography has invited me to come out and conduct a three day intensive workshop over the July 15th weekend. I’ll be making a presentation of my work on Thursday July 14th and the public is invited. The full description can be see at the top of this blog, with a link to the site. I hope to spend the weekend with all of you.
I have added a new workshop to my 2016 schedule. On September 21st, ten photographers will get together with me at my evening “meet and greet” to begin a fantastic five-day workshop in New York, New York. Check out my description at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me.
Keep sending your photos and questions to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll create a video critique for you.
JoeB
