droolworthiness
Anh recently informed me that I had been selected for a Droolworthy Blogger Award! Quite the surprise as I didn’t know one existed, but also an honor to be chosen by such a talented woman as Anh from the land of Oz. Thank you.
It seems that food blogging involves as much discussion about the photography as the food today. I am often peppered with questions about equipment more than anything else in the photog category. Why is that? I think people mistakenly assume great photos can only be taken with great (and expensive) cameras and glass. That saddens me, because it equates money with talent, relegating the photographer to an automaton who pushes a button. In my mind, money has more to do with lack of sense than any innate talent or hard-earned experience. There are too many photographers out there toting around very nice cameras taking really shitty pictures. Many of my favorite food blogs with great photography started with point-and-shoot cameras and eventually graduated to the dSLR. Do you actually think Yoda would hand you a Canon 1Ds Mark III to begin your Jedi training? Pshaw!
it’s not a camera, it’s my third eye
I began blogging over three years ago as a therapeutic way to express how I was feeling day to day after my sister died. I blogged for me. It was passed about to friends so they could keep a finger on the pulse of my daily musings. Food was ever-present from the start, however it was more incidental than anything else. I have always been a visual being, but the initial focus of my photog development was on the outdoors – not my dinner plate.
Being an OCD who loves documentation, I began to shoot everything: landscapes, flowers, dog, husband, knitting, cooking, cardboard boxes, bandaids… I think that daily practice had an enormous impact on my learning curve. When I shot film in the 80s and 90s on a 1960 era Canon Ft-b, it was a slooooow and expensive process. I went through two digital point-and-shoots before my first dSLR. And at some point during the dSLR era I began to regard my food the same way I regard the wilderness, as beauty to share.
That’s my approach to food photography. Eventually it became obvious that my fooding needed a home of its own, and here it is. And here you are! Thanks for reading and peeping and engaging. The sharing and exchange are the best part of it all. Now the time has come for me to pass along this most esteemed Award of Worthiness and Drool to some of my favorite food blogs.
and the droolworthy blogger award goes to…
B Comme Bon
Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Dessert First
thepassionatecook
Rasa Malaysia
Each blogger has her own style of writing, her own style of photography. What is undeniable is how delicious and beautiful the blogs are. Congratulations to the winners (but really now, you’re all winners in my book) and another big thanks to Anh!
November 26th, 2007 at 12:37 am
:blush:
Thanks so much. I am so with you about not needing an expensive camera! My first two years were with a Nikon Coolpix 4600…and I won 3 DMBLGIT awards(which surprised me greatly!).
I’m always inspired by your photos and even more since we talked about how you use the same lens. It truly makes me want to keep getting to know my camera more and more.
November 26th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Dang, you already saw it before I could leave a comment on your blog. Granted, I was busy trying to write up the DB challenge too. Congrats and you deserve it!
November 26th, 2007 at 2:43 am
Sometimes my English is not perfect! Sorry… One thank you very much for this award it very pleases me. See you soon.
November 26th, 2007 at 5:19 am
Well-said! I completely agree that camera is like the 3rd eye for me. And it is the love for beauty (food, nature and everything else) is the key :). Great choices of blogs to award, too! I will be checking them out.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Jen,
Thank you so much! I’m incredibly flattered to have been chosen by someone as talented as you are. Ever since I discovered your blog it’s been one of my biggest sources of inspiration, both cooking and photography wise! Hope you don’t mind if you find me peppering you with photography questions in the future!
P.S. Love your rig!! I totally agree, good photography depends so much on understanding how to use your camera. I got my first SLR this year and I’m still trying to catch up to it!
November 26th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Jen- Congratulations! You truly deserve it. Your photos are stunning!
November 26th, 2007 at 10:28 am
I would have to agree with Ahn… you are eminently “droolworthy”. Congratulations!
November 26th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Jen, your photos are always inspiring and your posts equally poignant.
Though I may not share the same personal loss, I find it heartwarming that you’ve also found a therapeutic outlet through blogging and photography.
Congrats on the fab award!
November 28th, 2007 at 11:32 am
I abolsutely love the layout of your Blog – Shame I’m stuck with freakin’ Blogger. Astonishingly beautiful photography.
(Even if you do use a Nikon, lol.) Booo! *Hiss* at Nikon-lovers!
November 28th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
b comme bon – you are so welcome! I absolutely love the photography on your beautiful site.
Anh – thanks again :)
Anita – ha ha, we could sit here complimenting one another back and forth. I love it when you post something new because it’s always lovely and delicious! Feel free to ask questions. It helps so much when we can learn from one another.
SGCC – Aw thanks. You’re on your way too. As long as we are all having fun, right?
Dolores – why thank you! You are so kind.
HB – Lady, you’re one to talk! I was simultaneously happy and bummed that Anh had picked you because *I* wanted to pick you ;) Yes, blogging has been therapeutic for many things, including graduate school – a ha ha. So many good people in the food blogging community though… such as yourself! Congrats to you too.
Graeme – dude, you should shop around because Blogger isn’t the only game in town :) Hee hee, my analog camera is Canon. I love both Canon and Nikon and my little point and shoot is a Canon elph. So really, I’m loyal to both companies – they make such great cameras. Thanks for visiting. I’ve been meaning to hit your site, but had to wade through a gazillion Daring Baker posts recently. Whew!
November 30th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
wow… thanks you so much! very honoured indeed, especially since i am not always that happy with the pictures i take… there’s so much to learn, i don’t think i understand half of what my canon eos 20d can actually do!
December 1st, 2007 at 8:41 pm
johanna – you’re doing a great job and just keep at it. getting to know your camera is just like getting to know your partner – it takes time, but it’s great fun (usually!!) ;)
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
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