Propping and Prepping : Adventures in Food Styling

For some reason I thought  sure , I can do the food styling for this new cookbook. I mean, I food style everyday . Whether it's a simple birthday cake or an elaborate wedding dessert table, it all has to look great. Details are a part of my job.  Plus I've been a witness at multiple photo shoots as to how this stuff actually gets done. I've always been fascinated with the art of photography and how it transforms the subject . Cakes that look barely mediocre seem to shine on-set with the just the right lighting. Like a miracle.  So months before the manuscript was due, along with eight color photos, I starting raiding my Mom's closets for vintage plates and linens for the shoot. Then I started shopping  like crazy. I think I bought every white tiered cake plate in this hemisphere. My dining room table was strewn with this stuff for months as I plotted each shot. Are there too many items in each shot? what items should I show? and on and on... Many sleepless nights and horrible practice shots later, I packed up the car for Boston. I knew that Scott ( http://www.scottgoodwin.com) would handle the photography for me as soon as I signed the book contract. We had worked together on numerous Intermezzo shoots and he had shot the The New Lasagna Cookbook, too. He is extremely talented . Talented and patient with my amateur food styling status. As was Kristin, his amazing assistant  for all her coaching much more experienced eye. Many thanks for the adventure!