An Incredible Feast -NFMA Benefit

When I was asked to shoot the Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance's Annual Benefit, An Incredible Feast, a few weeks back, I was thrilled but also a bit nervous.  My forte is food photography and not so much people photography. :) I can get shy in large social functions, so food photography is perfect for me. People photography certainly can take me out of my element, but it was a really good challenge and a great cause to support.

The Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance, http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org, supports local farmers and runs 7 non-profit farmer's markets in Seattle. I worked with them on my Non-Profit Advertising Campaign during my 6th quarter of school, so when they asked if I would support the NFMA by being the event photographer for the evening, I couldn't turn it down! Thankfully my dear friend and fellow alum Rolan Wong agreed to help shoot it. He is great and has a lot of experience working on events, and definitely the personality for it.  You can check out his website here www.rolanwong.com.

The food was amazing and I was a bit starstruck seeing all of the amazing chefs from restaurants like Restaurant Zoe, Palace Kitchen and Ethan Stowell, just to name a few.  There were so many supporting the event, it featured 20 of the some of the top chefs in Seattle. It was crazy to see so much talent and good food in one room.  The event paired farmer's ingredients with a chef and the result was an amazing dish. Luckily I was able to taste some of the dishes, so good!

Here is a  link to more details about who was there and what was happening at the event Incredible Feast.

As far as what I have been up to, well I'm sick, boo. So I guess instead of going on a lovely hike today, I was forced to stay indoors, and rest. Sometimes I guess you just need that.  :)

Enjoy!

Candied Ginger Pumpkin Tart

Last weekend I went over to my friend Allison's house, and she made an amazing candied ginger pumpkin tart! I was of course happy to be around to photograph it.  Check out her baking blog here, Pie Drunk , which she started a few months back with her blog partner in crime, Liz. They are such talented bakers, I really want to collaborate with them more, they do the baking, I do the photos!

Here is a link to the recipe. Ginger Pumpkin Tart.

As far as the rest of what I have been up to, not much since last week! Food 52 picked an Instagram of mine from the below shoot to be on their Instagram of the week, you can check that out here Food 52.  I love their website, so I was honored to have had my photo chosen.

I have already mentioned how much I love Fall and the Halloween season... ;) So as I am writing this I am watching Jennifer's Body (Amazing!!) and planning another pumpkin patch trip next weekend.  I am also putting together a list of Fall foods that I want to shoot over the next few months before we start moving right into Winter, as well as working on getting some new projects underway! 

Cheers!

Pumpkin Patch Day Trip

Last weekend I took a trip with some girlfriends up to  Suyematsu & Bentryn Family Farms on Bainbridge Island. This is one of my favorite things to do during Fall in Seattle.  I love Fall and Halloween, and all the things that go along with it... pumpkin patches, corn mazes, scary movies, soups, sweaters... slowing down. Most importantly lately to me, slowing down.

I have been so busy over this last month, I went to Phoenix to visit my niece, sister in-law and brother a few weeks ago.  I was getting over a cold, and sick the whole time, so I didn't take my camera out, but we did have a good time, and I was able to spend time in 105 degree weather before coming back to the rain and cold.  And I felt lucky to spend some time with my 18 month old niece...and just really got to appreciate my family.

I got back and immediately started freelancing 40 hours a week the last few weeks doing styling assisting, which has been great and very new at the same time. I am learning so much.  I also shot another magazine shoot, prior to my trip, and shot for the NFMA's annual benefit this last weekend. I worked with them for my Non Profit Advertising campaign for school last year, and they were so gracious and helpful, I wanted to return the favor.  Check them out here http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org. I will post both of those soon.  I was thrilled to be asked to shoot it, and was thankful to be able to ask my friend Rolan Wong to shoot with me there, since I don't think my specialty is in people shooting. :)  

Back to slowing down. I am definitely trying to make an effort these days to slow down. Now that it's gray here in Seattle again, and cold, I don't feel guilty for not being outside every second, enjoying every last drop of sunshine.  Back to staying in bed until 10am on the weekends, curling up with some coffee, a book or magazine, just being leisurely, with no hurry to be anywhere.

Enjoy the pictures!

Coffee & Treats for Fall

As I am writing this, it is raining, there is thunder, I have candles lit. I am excited for fall, and the winding down of summer.  I love summer, but it is so busy. I am looking forward to fall, and its coziness, pumpkin patches, soups, pies, Halloween (!!), rain boots, sweaters, etc.

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of working with the talented Rachel Grunig, a food and prop stylist based in Seattle.  Both of us had decided we wanted to go with a more moody setting, since fall is on its way, with coffee and pastries the central theme.  Since most of my photography is light and airy I really wanted and opportunity to do something a little more dark, and of course, it's not even that dark...ha ha.

It was unbelievably nice to work with a stylist.  After so many shoots of coordinating the food, and props, and shot list, I was so happy when Rachel showed up with the pastries, flowers, coffee and a plan.  It was amazing!  I couldn't believe all the shots we got in a little under 4 hours. It was a pleasure to work with her, and I hope to be able to work with her again.  Her styling and choices of props really helped create the perfect mood.   Here is a link to her website www.rachelgrunig.com

The cookies & macarons were purchased at Bakery Nouveau  and the bundt cake recipe was from Smitten Kitchen.  Except Rachel used mini bundt pans, and added ginger and cinnamon to the cake.

As far as what has been going on with me lately, well I am very much looking forward to going to visit my brother, sister in-law and niece this week in Phoenix.  One last summer trip, and I can't wait to spend some time with them.  I also just finished with a few magazine shoots, which will come out the next few months.  I will be sure to post them as they are published.  And it was my birthday just a few weeks ago. I didn't feel like doing anything elaborate this year, so I celebrated in a kind of quiet way, having a few dinners with close friends, but we did go a on a small canoeing trip around the arboretum... which was really fun and funny, since my friends are hysterical.  I was happy to be able to do one last group summer activity with some very old friends.

Enjoy the photos!

Basil Mojitos & Lamb with Salmoriglio

I had been wanting to do a shoot and use my sister's grill for a while, because I felt like I was missing some more savory dishes, and meat as well, in my portfolio, so we set up a date (much like the dinner party shoot) and I got to work.  Originally I wanted to shoot a grilled beet salad too but I was loosing steam.  I also feel like I had a bit of a mojito image failure... Lately I have been wanting to keep shooting, and keep up the momentum of shooting that we had in school, but at the same time, it's been such a beautiful summer here in Seattle, that all I have been wanting to go outside, and stay there as much as possible. It has been the nicest summer here in years, with few rainy days.

I had a trip to beautiful Whidbey Island today to visit friends, and next weekend I will be going to be traveling to visit my family near Harstine Island, and see my little niece and brother and sister in-law for my dad's birthday.  I couldn't be more excited! And the following weekend I will be going to Portland for a day or two.  Nothing seems nicer when the weather is nice around here than to get outside or go on a little day trip.  The only things left (for the last month of summer) for me to do are go camping and catch an outdoor movie, and maybe some canoeing or kayaking...

I have been doing yoga in the park, hosted by Samarya Center on the weekends, running, swimming, seeing concerts at the amphitheater, hiking, cooking, visiting.  Oh, and shooting and working or shooting as work (My second magazine shoot will be out this week!, with a 3rd to come out in October). Woohoo!! Friends who have moved away have been in town, and I have gotten time to visit with near and dear old friends.  It just really seems has seemed like a time to reconnect with people and get back into the normal flow of it all.  Which I have really needed to do after school finished.  I think I can say after 2 months, I finally feel normal again. :)

Anyway, back to the post...

Here are the recipes and photos!  I have to say the lamb and salmorirlio sauce tasted great, and what could be more refreshing than a basil mojito during summer? For non-alcoholic, like I had, simply omit the rum.

Enjoy! 

Basil Mojitos from Sunset Magazine

Grilled Lamb with Salmoriglio

 

Garden Dinner Party

I have been wanting to do a photo shoot that would help me incorporate more of the human element into food photography, people, hands, etc.  A few classmates of mine had done dinner party shoots while they were at Port Townsend, which looked beautiful, so I thought I would try my hand at it as well.  This was also coupled with some suggestions by people in the industry wanting to see more lifestyle type of shoots from me as well.  So a few months ago I arranged a date with my sister so we could shoot it at her and her husband's beautiful home. Rob, my brother in-law, is an architect and designed this house, including the lovely backyard patio.

I invited several of my friends and planned a menu of 5 courses, to include a tomato tart, salmon (originally trout), peach, pistachio, and arugula salad, corn, and  a peach cake, preceded by a cheese and bread platter.  At about 2pm that day, after getting all my props together and shopped for earlier that morning, I really wanted to call it quits!  And the thoughts that ran through my head were why on earth I wanted to shoot this, and how could I get out of it, maybe I could just call and cancel the whole thing.  Ha ha, realizing that 1 assistant may not have been enough to coordinate the whole thing (who was also my lovely sister who had agreed to help with the cooking).  Typically if you were to do a photo shoot like this, you would have about 5 people on set helping to make everything look great. I would totally do it again, but next time get a one or two more assistants! Pretty typical of me to think I could do the whole thing nearly by myself. :)

I did not call it quits though, deciding to power through, and it turned out really pretty and the food was great! My friends Mel, Kate, Allison, Liz, along with my sister Nicole, and brother in-law Rob, who were gracious enough to open their home for the shoot, were fantastic participants and helping out where needed, setting things up. And I hope they had a great time. Thank you Liz too for agreeing to come last minute!

Here are links to the recipes:

Tomato Tart - What Katie Ate

Peach & Arugula Salad

BBQ Corn

Apple Cake-Nicole Franzen
(I substituted peaches for apples, since I don't like apples ;)) This was so good!! Thank you Allison for suggesting it, as an easy cake even a non baker can do.

I totally winged the Salmon, because that was a last minute decision, rather than going with my originally planned trout.  So I just seasoned it, and placed in a cast iron skillet on the grill, with fresh marjoram, and thyme.  Then Kate had the brilliant idea of tossing the remaining roasted tomatoes from the tart over the top.


Enjoy!