This month our food photography challenge for our food photography group, The Inspired Plate, was summer grilling. Ah, we love an excuse to BBQ here at our house. For this challenge, I decided to loosen up and do things a bit differently. I’m always so stressed about cooking the food, styling it, getting the shots…while still wanting to have a nice hot meal for the family. So this time…I decided it was all about the food. Not any big set up of props. Just the simpleness that is barbecuing at our home.
So…one of our favorite, quick, light summer dinners. Barbecued chicken. Fresh off the grill. Set on the deck railing and photographed. Let me tell you…it was a very hard thing for me to not go and drag out background boards, props, reflectors, more props, stand on chairs. Shoot from way up high, every which angle. My usual routine for a food photography shoot. Like I said…this was stepping out of my comfort zone. Piping hot off the grill and we were eating this less than 5 minutes after this shot was taken.
But, let me start at the beginning of our BBQ adventure:
Here is the first green pepper I ever grew in my life. So proud of myself!!! So
, it was destined to be picked and plopped on the grill for a yummy side. I actually had 3 green peppers…and I managed to pick them before the bugs or birds got to them.
First we marinated the chicken breasts in homemade italian dressing.
Next we fired up the grill…
Then we sat and had a relaxing glass of wine while the chicken was grilling.
So ends my stress free adventure in food photography for this month. Oh, I’m not giving up the props and complex staging of food…but this was incredibly freeing to just enjoy the process, the evening, and good food–still hot off the grill.
aside: Okay, I confess, I might have put away a bit of the food to heat back up in the daylight and stage a pretty photo with it in natural light in the morning…
another update: my husband took my set aside plate of food for lunch…doggoneit… grrrrrr. Good thing I’m crazy about him. {love}
Hop over to Jennifer Olson a San Luis Obispo, Ca Photographer and see what she had grilling this month.
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Congrats on growing peppers and stepping out of your comfort zone. The chicken looks and sounds yummy. I really love the bit of sun coming in from the left side…makes me think it’s heaven touched.
Kay the photos are wonderful. I know what you mean and sometimes stepping outside the comfort zone can make a world of difference! Wonderful work, it looks delicious!
I love that you took a step back and just made this about the food and not all the “other” stuff that goes into food photography. I think this is something we all should do occasionally to help us remember what this really all about. And go you for growing a gorgeous pepper!!! I love how you told the story with your images, too.
That chicken looks absolutely mouth-watering Kay! I love that you ditched the props and tools and enjoyed this shoot for exactly what it was – enjoying your family and making a wonderful dinner! LOL about your husband taking the set aside plate. 😉
I was going to say the same as Kat! Love that shot. I also love your story here and that you got to enjoy a hot meal!
I am raising my glass here as well. Love that.
So unfortunate that your husband got to the spare chicken before you did 😉 It must have been a load off to put the backdrops and lighting modifiers away for this challenge and actually got to eat the meal while it was still hot! Love the story here, the cooked chicken shot looks very very tasty 🙂
All about the food sounds good to me Kay! And it definitely looks yummy!
Oh how delicious. I love BBQ’d chicken, and wine too! I really enjoyed the story that went so nicely along with all your yummy pictures. Sometimes less is more & all about the food is the way to go.
Oh, Kay!! I love how you kept it simple… no props etc. Personally, the close up shot is a favorite of mine, but mostly I love the greens you have in the photos. Keeps everything so fresh. And that wine shot rocks!!