Lately, I’ve really wanted to step up my food photography skills. I took some photography classes back in art school and loved it, but for my food photos, I’m more interested in getting it done as quickly as possible so I can eat. I normally use my iphone camera (with no attachments) which automatically sends my pictures to Dropbox on my computer. Then, I edit them in Photoshop and format them for the web. This lets me post often and fast, which is great for frequency, but not so great for quality.

I have a few props that I use and I always take pictures in natural light. I take very few photos maybe 6 to 10, so I still have time to eat the food before it gets cold. However, pictures can easily end up blurry and the depth of field in a camera phone is nonexistent. So, in the future I’m planning on breaking out my DSLR and getting serious about my photos, which is why I downloaded Tasty Food Photography ($19) by the blog Pinch of Yum to help me get started on this project. Click here to visit Pinch of Yum for more information. 

What I liked best about the book were tips and links to set up a proper studio space for your food. Although it sounds like it would be a lot of work, they make it seem easy and affordable. Since I live in an older one bedroom apartment because Los Angeles is crazy expensive, I can’t take pictures in my unappealing and dark kitchen. So any advice I can get my hands on to make a pretty setup is greatly appreciated. I also liked how they described the different lighting situations with the camera settings that were used. Since manual settings are still something I struggle with, having the examples to reference will be really helpful as I try to get used to adjusting the camera myself.

I was lucky enough to get sent a preview of the new book Spartan Up!: A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life. From what I’ve read so far, I’m definitely looking forward to its release date on May 13th. As someone who prides themselves on ancestral cooking and eating habits, I am intrigued by the concept of leading a lifestyle and philosophy similar to the Spartans . Although my nerve pain prevents me from pushing my body physically, I am grateful to learn this wisdom vicariously through the real-life stories offered in this book. I believe this wisdom can also be applicable to any endeavour requiring an extraordinary amount of will power, whether it be related to diet, health, money, or relationships. Since the Spartan Races are essentially extremely brutal obstacle courses, there is a very obvious and effective metaphor for overcoming difficult obstacles, and coming out stronger, and more focused (and thus happier) at the end.

I am especially looking forward to gaining more insight into such motivated individuals. When taking your health into your own hands, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to step outside what are considered “normal” habits. It can be especially difficult after encountering one scary setback after another, only to be faced with debilitating fear and doubt. My favorite part of the preview was when it briefly mentioned how much easier it became to make decisions and handle the stress of work and family, especially after facing a difficult race where food, water and shelter were your only concerns. This trial by fire, is essentially giving its participants amazing perspective that lets them better able to handle the difficulties and surprises in their own lives. Although, I’ve never been in a Spartan Race, dealing with constant chronic nerve pain has given me similar perspective about what is really important in my life. Once I was able to prioritize what matters the most to me, it became much easier to steer clear of temptations and distractions, especially those of the dessert variety.