Every Picture Tells A Story

I know this is a line from a song even though I can’t remember who did it at the moment. This thought came at me the other day when I was culling through some photos and thinking about what makes a good photograph? Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?  Usually I try not to ask opinions because if you ask 10 people you'll get 10 answers. I shoot what I like and what I think is appealing. I have a good eye but photographically speaking I am a work in progress. Frankly, do we ever stop learning at all in anything we do? I think not. For me learning whatever it is I'm doing is a progression that never ends. My philosophy is to look at those I admire and take notes. Never copy anyone but find your own  style.

The most important aspect of good photography is light. I think if you were to ask any photographer this question light would be top on the list. The way it hits the subject be it a person or a plate of food makes or breaks the image. A soft light that makes whatever you are looking at improved. I guess you would say it flatters the subject. It makes skin tones look creamier and food look like you want to eat it.

My husband and I were talking about different photos he liked or didn’t and we were chatting about the blog in general. He mentioned liking the storytelling aspect. I agreed. The first part of this equation is taking good photos. A good photo makes you linger and read on.
Last night he helped me with some photo editing. Having an art director for a husband is very handy indeed and his expertise is much appreciated.

So every picture does tell a story and that is the aspect I love most about what I am doing here on my blog. A post without pictures is boring. A post with bad pictures disaster.  I would love to be considered a food photo journalist. I love the realness behind the visual. Some of my favorite photos are things just laying around the kitchen that I love that tell a story.

The plate in this picture is an example. We had just finished our morning breakfast of  raspberry pancakes. I was clearing the breakfast bar and loved the way the berry and syrup smeared the plate. That to me is art. So I grabbed the plate and put it in my favorite window and voila.

You can stage a photo and try to get a look but the real moments have a magic to them that can’t be re-created. They just are.