Yesterday was my Birthday, one made very special by my family and friends. In honor of the fact that I have managed to survive for 56 years, I’m going to spread the joy around a little and give away a new book that I have been enjoying. The book is Hélène Dujardin’s “Plate to Pixel”. Hélène is the author of one of my favorite food blogs, Tartelette. Her style is gorgeous, on the rustic side, and has a beautiful simplicity that I envy. In this book, she gives an incredible amount of information about every aspect of food photography, from styling to post-processing. There is something new to learn and think about in every chapter, and I’m sure I’ll be referring to it for a long time to come. And now, so can you. It’s simple – leave a comment, telling us why you think food photography is so popular, [just one entry each, and limited to US shipping addresses please] and you will be entered. Please be sure that you fill in the email on the comments, so I can get in touch with you if you win. Entries close on the 19th at midnight Eastern time and I will choose the winner next Friday May 20th via the random integer generator, and announce it that afternoon. In the meantime, you can check out the book on Amazon by clicking here: Plate to Pixel: Digital Food Photography & Styling
And, as always, thanks for your visits here – I appreciate you more than I can ever say.
Happy birthday one day late. And I had no idea you were 56! Nice to know there are a few more “mature” bloggers around.
Food photography helps make people want to enjoy food even more! Happy birthday!
I think that food photography is so popular because so many people are on diets. Those people need something delicious to look at since they don’t get to eat that stuff. That’s my theory anyway.
I won’t buy a cookbook that doesn’t have photos.
Happy birthday!!!
When you’re looking at a recipe, you can’t always picture what it will look like when it’s done. You might understand the tastes, but maybe not the textures. When you see a photo you can imagine what it tastes like, even if you don’t know the herbs and seasonings. When I see a photo, it makes me more interested in a recipe than just looking at the list of ingredients. And even if I’m not going to make the recipe, photos of food are attractive.
After so much time, I’m finally realizing that people, myself included, do eat with their eyes first. I admit that I give a recipe with a gorgeous picture the first look over one without a photo.
What appeals to me about this author is what you said about her being rustic. I like that very much; it’s more my style as well. Thanks for making the book available to a lucky person. That’s very kind of you.
And, on another note, happy birthday. I also am happy to see someone else on the other side of 50 (I just hit the 50 mark a few weeks ago). Of course, I feel 35, but that’s another story. I hope your year is full of joy and peace.
To me, food photography is art. It’s taking what YOU see and trying to convey it to others. It’s a sprinkle on a cupcake, the melted cheese in a sandwich, or a tiny “hair” on a raspberry. No matter what, good food photography makes people want to eat whatever the subject may be. But it’s not just about the food. It’s about the props, the angles, the natural lighting, the “ambience”. I cannot wait to get a copy of this book soon. I am sure I will learn a lot from it.
Happy Birthday!
Wish you a very happy birthday.
I think that you get a whole new appreciation for food when you are looking at it as subject matter and not just something to cram in your face :) You see things for what they really are, pretty or not so much!
I think food photography has become so popular because, finally, the images are trying their best to match up the amazing tastes of the recipes. The images work to convey the best parts of the recipe, whether it be the simplicity/complexity of the flavors, beautiful colors, and/or appetizing features.
I agree with the comments above – If there are no pictures then I won’t buy the cookbook.
AspiringImagesbyRachel {@} gmail.com
An exquisite image of food will make you wan to eat it. It will lure you in, make you hungry, and invite you to create it.
First of all Happy Birthday! You are still young. I can only speak for myself but when I first started taking photos of food, I was a little disappointed, because I felt the food tasted much better than my photos made it look. So learning photography has been of great interest. Sounds like this book would be a great resource.
-Gina-
Baking photography allow us to consume the food with our eyes as well as our mouth. There is great joy in capturing an image that yells, ‘take a bite!’ Thanks for the book giveaway.
Unfortunately I don’t qualify being in Canada, but goodluck to the winner :-). This will certainly be a lucky winner :-)
I think that food photography is so popular because people really do eat with their eyes! If a recipe has no picture, I often don’t even look at it. If it has an amazing picture, I am far more likely to attempt the recipe. :) Happy Birthday!
Many many hearty b’day wishes to u dear……That’s an gr8 way to celebrate u r birthday……by that way we are all part of u r celebration….thank u for it……most talked subject after food is food photography….love to know more about it as i am a strict follower of her blog……
I think food photography is popular because we all love to eat!!!! It’s also a quick and easy way to discover new foods, flavors, and recipes. Happy belated birthday!
Happy day to you!!! Yay! I think food photography is so important because a picture evokes emotion and jogs your memory of times past. Food is the same way. So for me when I see a good recipe photographed in a good picture it makes me wat to run to my kitchen and replicate it! And eat it!
Happy Birthday! (I am Canadian, but if I was lucky enough to win, I’ll send it to one of my American friends)
Food photograpgy is so important because you eat with your eyes first. In a picture, you can’t smell or taste a dessert, so capturing the essence of what the chef is trying to present is so critical!
Food photography is popular because more people want to share their experience of the wonderful food they have been cooking and eating. Good photography is one way to do that. Happy birthday!
Food had become so much more a part of our lives than mere sustinence. It is the new pop culture and photographing it makes it more accessible to everyone. Even the novice cook or baker gets inspired to create a daunting new recipe when they can see the finished product before beginning …in glossy magazines or cookbook pages. Especially if it’s step by step photography.
They say you eat with your eyes first, it helps us imagine what that meal could be like to see it rather than just reading a description. It pulls you in, it makes you want to try it yourself.
Happy Belated Birthday! There is the saying that some people have eyes that are bigger than their stomachs. Food photography is so popular because of that; we want to eat what we see that looks good. I think more people will try your recipes if it is visually appealing, regardless of what the person/blogger says it tastes like.
Happy birthday :-)
Food photography is so popular because people believe what they see. If I get awed by a picture,no matter what the ingredients are ,I would love to try it ASAP :-)
I love taking pictures of food and sharing them! I love your pictures of food! Pictures help me to understand visually a recipe better, that when I just read, it sounds intimidating. Seeing someone else do it takes the complexity out of it and makes it more real! Besides, then I know how it should have looked when I get done trying it!
Modern style food photography is passionate, its edible Art, it brings out the creativity in us; it’s a challenge to make good food and make it look even better in a photo – so it’s a sense of accomplishment, creating and capturing the finished product and the processes involved. Food photography and blogging about it has opened up advancement channels for many; look at how many bloggers have or are in the process of publishing books since 2009 – so it’s encouraging. After reality shows being the “it” thing, we’ve moved on to documenting our lives, that now has been easier to do so than ever with blogging sites like Tumblr. Photo blogging applications are reinventing social networking; there’s a passion for exploration and documenting about it and applications like Foursquare make it doable – who doesn’t like to take photos of food, write a review/critique and share the experience? We have all the tools readily available for us to use: Mobile photo applications like Instagram and Picplz turn our regular photos into pieces of art with minimum effort; sites and applications like Color and Pinterest make it easy to catalog photos we love.
Happy Birthday to you! Hope you had a wonderful day!
When I started my blog i did not know anything about food-photo composition and was so disappointed the photos I took didn’t do justice to the food. I now believe, yes, we do eat first with our eyes. Presentation/food photography is so important. Would love to learn more about this subject and this book looks like a great way to do it.
I would love to have this book. I am just starting out, and really need to learn more. I think food photography has become very popular primarily due to availability. People have always loved to cook, and pictures definitely help ‘sell’ a recipe. With the advent of digital cameras and the internet, pictures have become inexpensive and easily accessible. I think the interest was always there. Now we have the tools.
Happy Birthday! I hope your day was a wonderful and restful day!
I think Food Photography is the first step in making you want to try different things. Just by the pictures alone I have been inspired to try something new. I then have an idea what the food is supposed to come out looking like, and that helps a lot! Some of the photos actually can make your mouth water!!
Food photofraphy is popular because humans need to see beautiful looking food….or else they won’t eat it. There is inherent beauty in anything that nature created and the right photograph captures just that.
Happy Birthday. A great photo will inspire me to make a recipe that I might not have considered trying before seeing the photo. It inspires me to make the food that I serve look more appealing.
Happy late birthday! I think people are drawn to food photography the way they are drawn to chocolate shop and bakery window displays- we can enjoy something delectable in a guilt-free manner.
Happy birthday! Food photography is a way to document our everyday life, and capture a moment of time that everyone shares, whether it’s a royalty or a janitor. Food unites us all and capturing that food in food photography is a commonality that crosses social boundaries and cultures.
We eat with our eyes! and also, it’s fun. it’s fun to see great pictures of food and it’s fun to try and style our own food and take great pictures. Oh, and Happy Birthday!
I agree that we eat with our eyes but it also gives a reality to the food that we imagine when we see a recipe. Thanks.
Happy Belated Birthday! We eat with our eyes – and beautiful photos inspire me to try things that I normally wouldn’t!
Happy {belated} birthday ~
I think food photography is popular because hey, everybody’s gotta eat!
I think food photography is important because it is what whets the palate on our blogs :) A picture is worth 1000 words, right?
Oh I’ve been eyeing this book for awhile! I think food photography is so popular, because who doesn’t love food? And food can be so beautiful.
Food photography has become art – a recipe without a photo is such an antiquated notion in a digital society such as ours. And when we can use the internet to share our culinary creations, photography is essential!
If one can master the art of food photography, I think they can take on just about anything (subject wise, and in life.) :-)
I think people enjoy food photography because its about sharing something thats universal to everyone.
Happy birthday! What a wonderful giveaway to celebrate your special day. I think food photography is so popular because we all know food can bring people together. A great food image will can immediately fill your head with smells, flavors, and the great memories you can create when the dish is served to those you love.
I think food photography is so popular b/c we all need to eat and most of the time we eat with our eyes first. to me, great photos inspire me to be a better cook, baker, and photographer, blogger. Food photos can also evoke so much emotion and memories…
Thanks for hosting this giveaway – I love Helene’s work. And Happy Belated Birthday!
Happy Birthday! I love Spring Birthdays…mine is in April. It is such a happy time to celebrate and I think all of the newness of the birds and flowers, etc. takes the edge off of adding candles to our cakes. HA!
Looks like an amazing book, btw.
Look at you with all your comments! I think food photography is popular because it’s pretty. And comforting. And makes us drool.
Happy Belated Birthday! Who doesn’t love food p*rn, I mean, photography! =) It’s beautiful and captures many more senses than just your sight (I swear when I see a good photo, I can smell, taste, and almost touch the food subject!)
Happy belated bday!!! I think food photography is so popular because it evokes our feelings about food and some of us are just plain crazy for food!!!!! Like moi!
Happy belated birthday!! Hope it was a good one :) I’ve been meaning to see if my library has a copy of Plate to Pixel so I can flip through before purchasing it. I’ve heard only good things!
Happy belated birthday!
Going to enter this as well (:
I think food photography is popular because food is something that we all love (whether we like it or wish we didn’t).
I know this probably sounds lame but, i think that food photography is popular because people like to eat!food photography can make or break an item, you can take an ordinary apple and put some specs of water on it, and make it look cold and oh so appetizing….
ps happy birthday! i am not adding this comment to get the book, so you dont have to include me in on your giveaway.! i just enjoy your site ..and you of course.! thanks