Food Photographer

Sometimes the smallest thing can ignite a little creativity.

2011-02-20T13:58:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am aware that it has been quite a while since I've last visited. No, I was not stranded on an island or doing time in the Graybar Hotel but it does feel like I have. Perhaps I have been on a hiatus, not of my choosing but perhaps it's the Spring like weather or other changes going on in my life but I have a renewed need to just go out and shoot some things that I encounter during my day. It's not work oriented just even high tech experiments.

This week, I picked up a Canon G12 point and shoot camera. It's amazing how the cameras I use for work are always used in manual mode and it seems so natural for me. This G12 has so many options and sub menus that it will give you a headache if you don't read a little before picking it up. The "miniature mode" has certainly caught my attention and I hope that I don't bore others by using it too much. Anyway, I will post a few images and hope that I inspire a few people to pick up a camera and share their experiences with others.

Rainbows, butterflies and little icing swirls

2008-08-07T10:04:00.006-04:00

Perhaps it started with my Mother baking cookies or pies or even a double layer cake when I was a little boy. Who am I fooling, my Mom could barely open a box of Little Debbie snack cakes in between a Marlboro Light and afternoon cocktail. I have had a sweet tooth as long as I can remember. Cheesecake, brownies and keylime pie are my favorites and I'd gladly replace them for dinner if I had the choice.
My friend Tami has dropped off another batch of cupcakes. This time, they are Red Velvet with a Creme Cheese icing and I had to do something productive before sitting down and eating one or two. Is it any wonder that I feel the need to go out in this heat and go for a run? Maybe I'll download the soundtrack to Willy Wonka or Tony Bourdain's podcast for my iPod...just after I finish that last cupcake. Thank you, Tami!

Nothing says, "I Love You" like cupcakes...

2008-07-23T14:35:00.005-04:00

It's been a long, hot, patience testing summer here in Hotlanta. It's a miracle those Police helicopters aren't circling over my studio but we won't get into that story. My friend Tami, the genius Food Stylist and Mad Scientist in the kitchen came by with a batch of double chocolate cupcakes. All I can say is that I had to save the last three for a personal shoot. Yes, I ate the less photogenic ones but the hero's were not sacrificed until the job was completed. Now, after the sugar buzz has kicked in to effect I can send them to a better place... Thank you Tami and I'm hoping that you believe that nothing says, "I Love You" like a martini made from organic vokda with a jar of pickled green tomato garnish. Cheers and think of me if you hear a helicopter flying overhead.

Top Chef Wednesday

2008-06-12T09:45:00.006-04:00

Is it any wonder that considering my career, I embrace the reality show Top Chef. It all started after a far too filling dinner of BBQ. It left me feeling that a two day fast would be in order. My friend Tami, the Food Stylist was working all week and we wanted to cook something in honor of the show. I decided to go vegetarian with braised Red Cabbage with a little goat cheese and roasted Acorn Squash brushed with brown sugar. The meal was a hit and we continued the meal all season.

As you can see, the guest list has grown and I have met some very nice people. A couple weeks ago, the party moved to Clint's home for the Jamie Oliver recipe of Lobster BLT's which so conveniently fell on my birthday. Trust me, the candles on that cake could have been used to boil the water for our crustacean. The fire department was not needed and only the lobster was harmed.

Now we find ourselves at the season finale and the theme of the meal is comfort food. In honor of our favorite contestant, Richard Blais of the restaurant Home. I try my hand at a spicy fried chicken, I bring back the braised Red Cabbage and a spicy Cornbread. Tami creates the Mac and Cheese with an added layer of Bleu Cheese, a Black Berry Cobbler and the spike in my Spiked Arnold Palmer cocktail. The twist is the ice cubes are made with sweet iced tea.

Unfortunately, our favorite did not win but I think he won people over with his constant display of talent, imagination and most of all his generosity to his competitors. I can't wait to dine at his restaurant and show him some support.

Amnesia in Atlanta...

2008-04-19T14:47:00.012-04:00

Sometimes, it's all about who you know. My friend Tami is the top Food Stylist in Atlanta and she blogs about food and wine. She had an extra ticket to Toast of the Town, a wine tasting and food gathering to be held at Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium. Needless to say, I happily volunteered to be the Official Photographer to runningwithtweezers.com for the evening. The question suddenly occured to me, can you hold a wine glass and operate a camera at the same time?

I will have to admit that I really wasn't concerned about gathering information on the details of food and wine. I imagine the pictures speak for themselves. My highlights consisted of meeting Michael, Woodfire Grills Executive Chef, Olivier from Grand Marnier and Tauras' roast beef and garlic mashed potatoes. I have a philosophy when it comes to food and wine, there is no better expression of love than to actually prepare a meal or adult beverage for someone. That was certainly confirmed after meeting Michael and Olivier and I'd like to thank them and all the vendors that attended the event.

When I asked Tami, "What exactly did we eat and drink tonight?" her response was simply "everything".

My $3.00 Photo Shoot

2008-03-30T16:31:00.004-04:00

I am suffering from a photo shoot hangover. I received a call from a magazine this week about doing a shoot. I have never worked with the Photo Editor and the shoot would be at one of top restaurants in Atlanta. I was excited about the shoot and challenged by the PE, who is a former photographer. Anyway, the shoot went well and I got what I wanted. I've got to admit that it kicked my butt. But, don't we all want to be challenged by our job and continue to improve?

So, it's a grey kind of Sunday morning and I'm looking in the cupboard for breakfast. Suddenly, I see a box of blueberry muffin mix. The little light bulb goes on over my head and I think that it would be fun to try something new. I proceed to make coffee and break open the mix.

I am trying to broaden my horizon and go low tech. The muffins, a linen, a plate, no lights and I'm off. As the commercial goes, Blueberry Muffin Mix $3.00, Going Green by using no lights, recharging your creative energy... priceless.

Serenbe escape

2008-03-25T17:35:00.006-04:00

After the Tornado of last weekend, I needed to find a little quiet spot and just relax. My friend Tami has been singing the praises of the little village of Serenbe. We both wanted to have dinner at The Farmhouse at Serenbe with Chef Nicolas Bour. So, I grabbed a camera and we drove about 30 minutes south of Atlanta.

I was struck by the small shops including Harris and Clark which is a gourmet shop. James Harris, the owner is also conducting workshops that are geared towards foodies that want to share experiences. After visiting with James and his wife Anissa, we made our way toward the Inn at Saranbe. The trail was beautiful and we found a variety of creatures, gardens and cottages.

Dinner was truly outstanding. The Beef Carpaccio with Truffle creme was good enough that Tami wanted to order another for dessert. As you can see from my drawing... I had the Salmon with sauteed spinach. Trust me, after walking around the village I was hungry and the camera was put away long before the wine was poured. Where did I hide those crayons?

Finally, I saved the flying pig for last since we were happy as pigs when we left The Farmhouse. Thanks to Nicolas for the memorable meal and hope to see you again soon.

An unsettling weekend

2008-03-16T16:35:00.003-04:00

The weekend in Atlanta was supposed to be a fun one, we were hosting the SEC Basketball Tournament at the Georgia Dome and the Hawks were playing the LA Clippers at Philips Arena. The clouds were ominous and the Weather Service started giving Tornado Warnings about 9pm. As the tournament games were winding down the lights began to flicker. Suddenly, the power went out and the winds started to howl. It didn't take very long for the storm to blow through and no one in my building seemed to have any problems.

I was up early to make sure that the building was still in there. Good thing I slept through the smoke alarm from my neighbors late night cooking. After going across the street and picking up a newspaper, I had that sinking feeling when I read that Saturday's storm could be even more powerful. It came about 3pm and brought hail stones about the size of marbles. If that wasn't bad enough, one of my window frames leaked like a garden hose. Now that the storm has cleared, the power restored after 36 hours and the water cleaned up, I'm relieved that I didn't have the damage that others experienced. The view from my rooftop does not show the damage to the Georgia Dome roof or the collapsed building in Cabbagetown. It does show the blown out windows in the CNN and Equitable buildings. I guess that I can put away my escape kit which contains the essentials for me to work, computer and change of clothes...just in case.

Needless to say, I saved the beer, wine and stinky cheeses before the power was restored. I hope that everyone woke up safely on Sunday morning.

Is it summer yet?

2008-03-07T12:25:00.003-05:00

Call it cabin fever or just plain seizing the moment but when my friend and styling genius calls, I pick up the phone. I was being held hostage by UPS, who was delivering the proof for my new promo card and she had a personal project that she wanted to shoot. It's the middle of the winter and she wants to shoot fresh seafood and make it look like it's summer. Sensing a challenge and an opportunity for a great meal, I happily said yes.

Tami arrives with food, propping and a beautiful patio set. Yes, there is no detail that escapes her eye. I set up a little environmental mojo and prepare to be dazzled by her. Tami is in the kitchen space doing her thing when the talented Jennifer from a local design group drops by to say hello. Tami and Jennifer have worked together for a number of years and are catching up on the behind the scenes of their projects. After a little coffee, conversation and tweeking of set we are ready to shoot. Now, I've got to say that Tami's food is all natural, no additives, synthetics to make it more attractive and makes for a well catered shoot. We're motivated to work quickly and enjoy the results.

As usual, we were pleased with the images, the food was outstanding and UPS arrived at the absolute end of the day. The proof looked great and those of you on my mailing list should receive it in a day or two.

Sometimes you've got to simply enjoy the view.

2008-02-18T19:28:00.006-05:00

I've got to admit, the year started off with a bang and I'm able to stop and look around and finding some amazing sights. I decided to go up to my rooftop and check out the view. With an adult beverage in one hand and a camera in the other, I was greeted with a beautiful sky filled with the clouds of an approaching storm. As you can see, I am located near downtown Atlanta. There on the left, you can see the Georgia Dome and if it weren't for the billboard the gold dome of the State Capital would standout. Instead, I direct you to look just right of the Fulton County Jail and you'll find the Capital;) All I can say is thank God for photoshop because otherwise the little pawn shop down the street would have been the focus point of the image.

Who knows, if activities go as planned I'll be back in the studio and shooting images for a new promo card. Until then I'll have another round and try to persuade others to put off today what can be done tomorrow...

The Chili Cookoff

2007-12-29T16:14:00.000-05:00

My friend Tami at runningwithtweezers.com World Headquarters is hosting a Chili Cookoff. I started looking through my cookbooks and found a very simple recipe that I thought that I could actually complete. My mentor, John from Lafayette, Louisiana turned me on to Talk About Good II which benefits local children. I encourage you to checkout the cookbook and Tami's blog and you may even get motivated to participate.

Chili recipe
small amount of cooking oil, 2 tbl whole cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped, 1 tbl brown sugar
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped, 1 bay leaf
2 pounds lean ground beef, 2 tbs catsup
1 small can tomato paste, 1 tsp Accent
1 small can tomato juice, dash Tabasco
1 pound kidney beans, salt and pepper to taste
3 tbp chili powder, 1 cup water

Saute onions and bell pepper in a small amount of oil. Add ground beef and brown. Add rest of the ingredients and simmer for two hours. Serves 4-8 people.

Yes, there is crack in those cupcakes...

2007-12-21T13:10:00.000-05:00

As the holidays arrive the snacks and libations have been plentiful. This week, I had a shoot with a magazine that has been one of my best Clients and a group of people that I love being around. The Stylist, Tami from runningwithtweezers is quite the baker. She arrives with what I've referred to as "The Tower of Love". Tami has been up till all hours assembling peppermint brownies, a variety cookies, and these mini cupcakes made of red velvet cake, icing and sprinkles that I'm sure is crack...

As you can see, they are made with love, beautifully packaged and just follow the crumbs and I'll tell you that they are delicious. I hope that everyone has a great holiday and the New Year brings you success and good health. Tony

Welcome back to civilization...

2007-12-15T15:10:00.000-05:00

I know, I am far too reliant on technology. But, I moved into the new studio nearly four months ago and I have felt isolated because of the lack of amenities. After missing the entire College Football season and trashing two sets of rabbit ears. Yes, I was reduced to rabbit ears. Note the aluminum foil...and no they don't bounce when thrown.

The building is wired for satellite service, but no one actually mentioned that it didn't work. So finally the Cable Company brings the building up to speed and schedules installation. As I sat waiting for the cable/dsl installation, I realized how utterly inept our service industry is. The appointment was for between 11 and 2pm. So, I was less than thrilled when they arrived at 3:30 and didn't leave until 5:30. At this point, I'd be thrilled watching a Sandra Lee rerun but thank God for Emeril.

As I say... men, we are one evolutionary step away from dragging our knuckles on the ground. In my case, at least I have a remote in my hand. Thank you, have a nice evening and please leave the food order by the door. The money is under the welcome mat.

Drop the mouse and take two steps back!

2007-10-22T18:21:00.001-04:00

Alright, I have been MIA since moving my studio. With inconsistent wifi and no cable service, I have more time to read and think about the marketing of my business. The website has been updated and a new domain "tcphoto.org" has been purchased. The migration should be complete in the next few days... knock on wood. A new promo piece is in the works, so I'm sure that will provide plenty of stories since I'm attempting both shooting and cooking. Thank God for Donna Hay and Bon Appetite Magazines.

With no Food Network or ESPN, my friends have stepped up to the plate. My friend Ben came up with tickets to MNF which was a blast. The new place is a mile away from the Georgia Dome, but the walk reminded me of the movie "Escape from New York". Unfortunetly, the highlight of the game were the Falcon Cheerleaders;)

As you can see the seats were very good. I was located between the Giants and the Falcons fans. Everyone played well together and no one was hurt. Then there was Jim, a friend of Ben's who came in from NY. I'm not sure that he remembered his trip to Atlanta...

The Artichoke Autopsy or just me?

2007-09-10T14:43:00.000-04:00

When left to my own devices, I will try to cook or shoot something with a new piece of gear or technique. After settling into my new studio, I updated my website and had a little time to play. Lord knows that I'm using my time more efficiently since the cable and dsl will not be installed for a week (long story about living in still uncharted territory in the middle of civilization) so I'm pirating wifi from a neighbor and using rabbit ears with limited success. Maybe I'll add a little aluminum foil to improve the reception. Needless to say, alcohol consumption has risen and the video store knows me by name.

I picked up a couple artichokes while at the market this weekend and wanted to try and steam one. It is time to brain storm for a new promo piece and I've got to come up with a concept. After studying a few cookbooks I deducted that I should cut them into quarters and steam them for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, I looked in the fridge and assembled some type of sauce. What I came up with was a little dijon mustard, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, parsley and cilantro. I've got to admit that it was quite tasty. I'm sure that some may criticize me for the amateurish cleaning of the artichoke, but this is a photographers blog not runningwithtweezers;)

Anyhow, I've got to run and return the videos and replenish my entertainment. Besides, the guy at the video store was suppose to break up with his girlfriend over the weekend and I've got to talk him off the ledge. I'm dying to hear how it turned out. As if I didn't have enough drama going on in my own life!

One for the road...

2007-08-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

Oh, the humanity it is that time of year again. After a long search for a space appropriate for a photo studio, I found a space and moved in with the usual mover drama. The boxes were barely covered with dust when I found out that the building is going to condo. You'd think that the Property Manager would have mentioned that while showing me the space or even before I signed the lease...

With that in mind, Tami proposed to shoot a personal project for the Donna Hay challenge. The subject this month is gnocchi and Tami wanted a "how to" series of images. So, after a quick "set design" and camera set up it was showtime. The preparation time was minimal, the wine was chilling and Tami was ready to go. The images looked great on the monitor and the gnocchi was screaming my name. We shot the "hero" salad and were quite pleased with ourselves. After feasting on the star of the show we sat down to pull it all together. Please checkout Tami's blog for the recipe, it really was easy to prepare.

By the way, I did find a new space. It's a beautiful loft only a few miles away. But that's going to be material for the next blog entry. Let's just hope that the mover shows up on time and the gremlin's stay away...

My Top Chef Challenge

2007-07-21T09:17:00.000-04:00

After a very busy period, I thought that I would cook dinner for my friend Tami. She is a Stylin' Savant, both Food and Fashion, just checkout her link provided on the left side of the page. It was getting late in the afternoon and she confirmed for dinner. I had searched Tyler Florence's "Eat This Book" and found an appetizing recipe for Salade Nicoise with Seared Tuna. Off to Whole Foods I go to gather the ingredients.

Yes, I realize that cooking for a foodie is a serious task, but the Martini's are cold and the garnishes are plenty. Of course, as I am assembling the ingredients on the counter she calls out the dish before I unveil the tuna. I make the dressing, start the potatoes and check the wine. As the timer goes off and reset with the new items added to the simmering water, I'm gaining confidence in the dish. Finally, the tuna is seasoned and into the pan. The salad is dressed, plated and the tuna is a beautiful rare temperature. The image is a camera phone shot, I do have my priorities in order! The wine is Nora from Spain and has flavors of apples and peaches. To quote a friend, it's light, fruity and unpretentious. Needless to say, I'm pleased and I even won a game of dominos!

The year of Shameless Self Promotion;)

2007-05-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

Alright, I realize that I haven't been very diligent when it comes to updating my blog. It seems that this whole self promoting thing is a little out of character for me. But, I'm making an exception in this case.

After my friend, Tami from runningwithtweezers.com introduced me to Susan, who is a very talented Art Director at a National Magazine based in Atlanta. We were booked to shoot a series of images for The Supplement Guide. This guide is a collection of herbs, supplements and other homemade remedies. Needless to say, we were very pleased with the results and Susan submitted the story in a few Competitions in the magazine world.

As it turned out, we won a Gamma Gold Medal in the Magazine Association of the Southeast's Photography division. This is not my award, it was conceived by Susan and Tami and I collaborated on the execution of images. It's amazing what can happen when you love your work and there is a chemistry within the team. Thank you for allowing me to indulge myself and I look forward to your comments.

Yes, it was worth the wait.

2007-01-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

I should have known that it was going to be an extensive cooking experience when Tami aka "runningwithtweezers" showed up with a KitchenAid mixer. It was all for the monthly Donna Hay cooking challenge. This months theme "souffles" and I was prepping for the shoot. Needless to say, I was ready to do my part and skipped breakfast.

After Tami carefully measured ingredients, seperated eggwhites, and filled ramekins she patiently waited for the small wonders to bake. In the meantime, I setup the shooting surface and made sure that my camera was ready to fire as soon as they were done. With camera and spoon in place, I was anticapating their arrival.

Once we were satisfied with the image, it was all about cleaning up the set, ramekins and eating the subjects. Needless to say, they were light, fluffy and delicious. Tami can never say that I don't do my part to clean up. Perhaps I can talk her into a new project involving a lobster, smoked salmon or even a new wine pour for my portfolio;)

The Menu for Hope shoot

2006-12-14T18:27:00.000-05:00

My friend, Tami of "runningwithtweezers" and tamihardeman.com has gotten me involved with a worthwhile cause. The Menu of Hope helps those who are less fortunate then most of us. There are a number of food bloggers that have put together items from their favorite vendors and will raffle them off and make a contribution. Please lookup Matt at mattbites.com he's another foodie that is supporting the cause with his own items. Matt is an Advertising Executive and he also produces some beautiful images of his own.

Tami brought her basket over and we made a nice image to be posted on her blog. While we were at it, we shot a beautiful pasta that see picked up on her trip to NYC a couple weeks ago.

After we finished the shots we sat down to visit. I was enjoying an adult beverage and thought that The Food Network would be a source of inspiration. WRONG! Our timing could not have been worse because it was time for Sandra Lee aka let's cook something and while we're at it, let's make cocktails. I was trying not to pay attention, but the "That 70's Show" hair was too much to ignore. I think the ingredients were ice cream, chocolate syrup and Godiva Chocolate Liquor? Is it just me or is the cooking just a vehicle to get to liquor? Needless to say, Tami and I both grimaced and I happened to catch her with my camera phone... enjoy. Please check out the items up for raffle and contribute if you are a foodie. Happy Holiday's

PS: I'd like to congratulate Tami on winning the Hay, Hay It's Donna Day #8 Rissoto Challenge. It was both beautiful and delicious, two helpings delicious;)

Rule #1...no tv when shooting in the studio

2006-11-23T09:55:00.000-05:00

Tami and I have been very busy on other projects, but we finally had time to shoot a personal project. Tami is a Food Stylist, Svengoli, blogging Mistress and kitty wrangler. Our mission was to create a couple beautiful images and try not to consume too many holiday beverages. I think we accomplished one, but I failed the other...I'll leave you to decide which one.

So, in order to create a pleasant working enviroment I had the Food Network on when Tami arrived. I recall that Emeril was working in his casual setting and we were off! Shortly after we were assembling the first shot, I noticed that Tami was in front of the tv in a twirl. Who knew that Sandra could make a Pumkin 'tini, Pumkin Nog or Pumkin Cosmopolitan while dressed in and working in a pumkin colored kitchen? It was a little more than I could take...where are my adult beverages?

After getting back on track, we shot a few items and were quite pleased with the results. Thank God we have Jaime Oliver and Anthony Bourdain to balance out the insanity.

I hope all of you have a great holiday,
Tony

Photography is not always about taking pictures...

2006-11-21T21:09:00.000-05:00

Last week, I took the lovely Tami aka "runningwithtweezers.com" to the Asian Market Super H Mart. I was booked to shoot the market by Atlanta Magazine earlier this year and was fasinated by the abundance of Asian items. The food court was filled with Sushi, Korean, Chinese, and other interesting items. Tami was like a kid in a toy store and walked down each row of produce, fresh fish and frozen items with great delight. I've got to admit that I was reminded of my months in Japan after seeing those little sweet bean treats and live eels.

After walking every aisle and deciding that another day was needed to plan another project, we stopped by the little dessert shop. The shaved ice with sweet toppings were too much to pass up. I've got to admit that the advertised "Ladies Night" left quite a bit to the imagination. As you can see, Tami was obstructed for a short time but reappeared shortly afterwards. The one thing that I learned about my friend...there better be an outstanding food experience or one hell of a cocktail waiting for Tami to go out to the 'burbs. Disclaimer...the image is altered to protect the innocent.

My new photo studio

2006-11-04T15:15:00.000-05:00

Oh, the humanity! I have just completed the move to the new studio and am ready for business. The fact that one of my favorite restaurants and bar is around the corner is pure coincidence;) I got into photography because I wanted to create beautiful images. I didn't realize how much effort was required for the building of sets, editing of images and don't get me started about the shameless self-promotion.

I have been very blessed to have worked with some very gifted people. But more important a few of them have become close friends. It's in those slow times that we support one another and work on our personal projects.

If your into photography, food and wine or just blog surfing I look forward to hearing from you.