A new and different project

I was asked by personal chef, Barbara Bridgewater, www.feastofnh.com, of Bradford to shoot photos to update her website. Many of you heard me mention how I love watching the cooking shows on TV, but I’m a fussy eater and don’t like to cook. Meeting Barbara was a great opportunity to learn more about cooking and food. 

Yesterday I did my first stint at photographing food. I’ve heard about spraying food with something to make it look more vibrant and pleasing in photos. My mind struggles with that as I’m a photographer who works hard to make a photo look real and Barbara is a chef who promotes healthy eating. (The spraying of a chemical to make the food look better just doesn’t sit so well with me… of course, I could be wrong.) 

We had an enjoyable couple of hours. I got to taste-test, too, which added to the enjoyment, and she provided take-home containers giving me a delicious meal for later. I never eat asparagus because I didn’t think I liked it, but she made it look so good, I decided to try it. It was yummy and I will be eating asparagus again.  

The first round photos came out OK; not great, but passable. This is a learning experience for both of us. We both have ideas on how to do better. I got up this morning with my mind overrunning with suggestions and I couldn’t wait to get to the computer to email her. We are inspiring each other. Hey, I’m willing to work for food! We’ll need to work out details so we are both satisfied.  

What’s interesting about Barbara is she’s a vegetarian, her husband prefers meat, and they have relatives who require special diets. This means she has the expertise to create tasty meals to fit any client’s tastes and requirements. Also, her prices are reasonable and she is planning to offer delivery in the local areas. She does all the grocery shopping, prep work cooking, and she provides directions on heating and storing leftovers. Imagine having your meals cooked and delivered! 

I’m excited about this direction. I totally believe that we all have something we are good at and it’s great when a barter-type system can be worked out. In this case, I can take photos and help with writing a blog/articles and I’ll make a little money and get some delicious meals in return. What’s also good about this type of work is that it isn’t something that requires specific times, so we work on the project when opportunity or timing allows or as needed.