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I had originally intended to post this a few days ago, but the weather and traveling toll of tailgating caught up to me. I have had pretty bad cold for the last few days that has left me sleeping more than working. I don’t really have much of a voice right now, but luckily this is a written blog and not a video blog. Anyway, here is a little piece from my Thanksgiving.
Earlier in the week, I brought you what I found at the Dane County Farmers Market. While in Madison, the farmers market wasn’t the only place that I was able to see and taste a variety of cheeses.
3 comments  November 11, 2011 - 2:09 pm
Cheddar is probably one of my favorite cheeses! It looks like you had an amazing trip to WI  November 15, 2011 - 6:41 am
Dear Taylor, If you really like cheese you should have a look at this website, http://www.asturiascheese.com/spanish-cheese. I´m sure you´ll get mad about it, Spanish cheese is the best in the world and it reallyh suits almost anything, so just try it, you won´t regret it.  November 29, 2011 - 1:52 pm
Nice pics and great read. The cave is freakin’ cool. I wanna be a cheesemaker in my next life. Keep up the great posts!
5 comments November 9, 2011 - 7:05 pm
All gorgeous, but the kale and beet shots are my favorite!  November 9, 2011 - 9:10 pm
Oh, how I miss Madison. And the Dane County Farmers’ Market. I want to live there again!  November 11, 2011 - 11:36 am
[...] in the week, I brought you what I found at the Dane County Farmers Market. While in Madison, the farmers market wasn’t the only place that I was able to see and taste [...]  November 11, 2011 - 4:06 pm
What an awesome opportunity! I’m excited to read through your future posts about this. That Kale bouquet is absolutely stunning. I’ve seen it growing in front of houses on my walks to class and never realized what it was. Awesome!  November 22, 2011 - 10:18 am
Gorgeous shots. I didnt even know Brussel Sprouts grew on a stalk.
Halloween is that special time of the year where as an adult, you can wear a skin tight orange spandex suit, or walk around with a cape, or pretend to be a super hero, and no one will look twice. Well these activities are seen in the tailgating world every Saturday!
2 comments  October 27, 2011 - 1:26 pm
Okay, the larger gentleman wearing the purple and yellow morph suit WITHOUT a pair of shorts is just wrong. Is that at an LSU game?  October 27, 2011 - 1:27 pm
College fans really do come up with some pretty impressive costumes during football season. I’m attending the UM vs Virginia game tonight so I’m sure I will be in for a few costume treats:)
Remember a few posts ago when the pumpkin was the subject? Well something had to be done with that pumpkin!
6 comments  October 21, 2011 - 1:50 am
I always learn so much from you! Thanks Lately I’ve been struggling with composition: I’m having a hard time taking vertical shots with enough background. Does that make sense? I think I practically need a 10-foot long board so that my background looks ‘endless’ Such a frustrating shoot today. Wish you lived closer October 21, 2011 - 1:54 am
YUM, the recipe sounds delicious, and looks even better in your photos!  October 21, 2011 - 12:58 pm
Lighting is such a struggle, closely followed by composition and then thirdly not noticing weird details (like a string hanging off a napkin, etc.) With the days getting shorter I think I will have to break down and buy an artificial light.  October 21, 2011 - 2:55 pm
Thank you so much for this tutorial and showing us the behind the scenes look at how you get these great shots! I’m always struggling with getting the right lighting and it’s definitely getting harder as the days get shorter! Love that you propped your fill card up with a vodka bottle!  October 21, 2011 - 3:21 pm
Those look delightful! I need to invest in some artificial lighting; my apartment has only North-facing windows, which does nothing for my poor camera most of the time. As for the recipe, I think some key words may have deleted themselves? I’m assuming it requires, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 3 cups flour, but the recipe’s not complete.  October 25, 2011 - 12:16 pm
Thank you for this great explanation! I really enjoy all of the diagrams that you show. I always have a really hard time with lighting, and find that I take all of my pictures from one or two angles. I feel like your demonstrations have given me some tips I’ll be able to use to expand my horizons. Thanks!
Fall is here. With the new season comes a variety of new foods. Let’s take a look at the Butternut Squash. I love squash roasted with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Delicious. With squash season comes a problem though; shorter days. This means less time to shoot with natural light. Don’t worry, there is a solution though.
1 comment October 15, 2011 - 8:28 pm
I LOVE your blog! I’m learning so many things about photography and trying my best to put it all to use, even though I only have a little point-and-shoot. (If you know anything about how to best utilize the features of a Canon powershot SX210, please lmk!)
Technically, the first day of fall was September 23rd. Not until today did it feel like fall to me. I am not sure what it was that made today the day when fall finally hit me. I love fall! It is without a doubt my favorite season! I welcome the break from mid ninety degree temperatures and love wearing long sleeves, light jackets, and sweaters. Most importantly it is college football tailgating season! I love drinking pumpkin flavored drinks, and well eating anything pumpkin flavored ! With the change of seasons come not only changes in what you eat, but more importantly your color palette!
1 comment  October 11, 2011 - 3:11 pm
Neat! Thanks for making this tutorial for clueless people like me. I never even thought about this. All your pictures are beautiful, by the way. I live very far away from Charlotte and can’t attend the workshop. That stinks because I’d love to know how to shoot at night. Or with this horrible and almost constant super intense greyness that starts in October and stays until May. To those who can make it, have fun!
Mmm Boiled peanuts. These delicious treats can be found all over the South. From roadside stands selling hot bags of them to a standard items at college football tailgates, late summer and fall is boiled peanut season. For the recipe you can head over to Taylor Tailgates Today I am going to use these boiled peanuts as an example to show you how to create a diptych.
7 comments October 7, 2011 - 2:57 pm
I’m bookmarking this one. Occasionally, I like to do this, but I usually end up spending too much time trying to figure out how to make everything fit.  October 7, 2011 - 9:06 pm
Thank you SO MUCH! This is exactly what I needed! With a little luck, my photos will look much less drab.  October 9, 2011 - 9:22 am
Thanks so much, Taylor. This is an easy to follow tutorial! I can see myself making a few PSD diptych templates to use on my blog.  October 11, 2011 - 8:02 am
Loved this tutorial Taylor! I plan on incorporating some diptychs into upcoming posts!! I always wondered how you did that. October 11, 2011 - 6:17 pm
I just discovered your site and I love it! I am desperately seek all the photography help I can get. I’ve recently decided to step up the game in my photos on my blog. I’ve discovered that it’s impossible to just figure it out on your own! I’ve read your last 5 posts and will be spending lots of time going through your archives. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions. October 14, 2011 - 9:39 am
[...] is another example of a diptych. The squash on the left is before roasting for an hour and 15minutes at 400F. The squash on the [...]  October 15, 2011 - 10:03 pm
The pictures are awesome displayed in a diptych. Maybe when I grow up someday and really learn how to do photography, I’ll be able to come back and give it a go.
As you have probably noticed, football season is in full swing! I am spending mine traveling to a new tailgating spot every weekend, but between those tailgates, I am still taking pictures of my food. I am sure that you have noticed the days are getting shorter and fall weather is here. This might be great for tailgating and spending time outdoors, but it can be awful for your food photography.
8 comments  October 4, 2011 - 4:33 pm
Great looking brownies and wonderful tutorial! This is very similar to how I set up with my speedlight, works quite nicely at night  October 4, 2011 - 5:12 pm
Amazing looking Brownie and an equally amazing tutorial. Thanks Taylor  October 4, 2011 - 5:23 pm
You are a life saver! Not for the brownie recipe (although it looks scrumptious), but for the tutorial on night lighting, something I struggle with. I look forward to the next installment.  October 5, 2011 - 12:19 am
SO interesting about shooting at night, if I don’t have a diffuser panel can I use a white sheet? What would work as a good alternative? October 6, 2011 - 3:40 am
[...] Recipe? Well, the original recipe was too large for just three of us to finish in a reasonable amount of time, so I made one-third of the original proportions. In some places, it was a bit difficult to scale down appropriately, so I fit in proportions that “made sense” and just crossed my fingers. My adjusted recipe follows, but the original recipe can be found here. [...]  October 6, 2011 - 10:28 am
Always love your tailgating trips, and the helpful tutorials on photography. Thanks! October 18, 2011 - 11:07 am
[...] Food Writer’s Blog I follow, Taylor Takes a Taste , was showing a tutorial on the use of Tungsten Lighting and he just happened to include his [...]  October 25, 2011 - 5:27 pm
Hey Taylor – I just purchased the Lowel Tota Pak lighting kit, and would like to buy a diffuser panel and light bounce as well. Do you have any suggestions for specific brands? I love your posts on photography techniques and tips… I really want to improve my food photos, and you have definitely been helping =).
If there is one lens that I love the most, it might be my 100mm Macro lens. If you are into food photography or aspiring to learn more about food photography this is considered to be the best lens for capturing food.
5 comments  September 27, 2011 - 4:41 pm
Thank you for introducing me to the 100mm last summer. It is one of my favorites! (Although, I don’t have IS, and you are right… it is a little challenging at times.) Great post and pics as always! September 27, 2011 - 5:08 pm
gorgeous photos!! thanks for all the awesome tips September 27, 2011 - 5:24 pm
This post was very helpful to me taylor. I was thinking of buying a 100mm lens for a long time now. But i was contemplating about buying the L series one or not. Now I know which one to go for. Thanks a lot  September 28, 2011 - 10:37 am
Great post – now off to see if the Nikon offers something similar! Love the pics.  October 2, 2011 - 8:47 pm
I now really want this lens. Got an extra one you feel like giving away? ; ) This has been on my wish list for a while and your shots have helped sell me on it.
Thank you to the countless number of you who have sent emails and left comments asking what lenses I shoot with. Well today, I am going to tell you. I am going to start off with the lens I feel has the most value for the money. The Canon 50mm f1.4
12 comments September 21, 2011 - 12:09 pm
This was a wonderful post Taylor. I use 50mm f1.8 and I find it very useful. I loved all the Shots posted in this post  September 21, 2011 - 12:10 pm
You really have a knack for making this stuff sound easy. It’s a lot better than reading the camera manual and wanting to pull your hair out. I am glad you have decided to do this – it’s VERY helpful. (But I do miss the cupcake shots…!)  September 21, 2011 - 2:41 pm
I bought the 50mm 1.8 because I couldn’t justify the price difference. It’s my run around town lens and it’s pretty nice.  September 21, 2011 - 5:59 pm
Very helpful post! I really appreciate how you describe the f-stops you use most often and what you are trying to achieve when you use them. As an amature photographer, this is something I continuously struggle with.  September 21, 2011 - 8:12 pm
Great explanation of this lens. It’s definitely the next one I am looking to buy! Then, a new camera body…still working with the rebel xti! ISO 800 is my max…so sad.  September 21, 2011 - 9:07 pm
Thanks for posting this. I’m in the market for a new camera and lens (I still shoot with a P&S). Sometimes I wonder what are the differences between lenses and how can they be used. This post is very informative.  September 22, 2011 - 8:26 am
Thanks for sharing! I’m new to food photography and need all the help I can get! I can’t wait for your post on the macro lens  September 26, 2011 - 5:54 pm
What a lovely review. Thanks for that! I saved up and bought this a few months ago and my photographic adventures just leapt and spread their wings. I love it! so so much. Love especially experimenting with dark moody food photography. Now I just need something that isn’t quite so macro which I can use for both food and travel without constantly changing lenses.  September 27, 2011 - 11:25 am
I’ve been wanting a new lens for a while and have been eyeing the 50 mm ones! Either the f/1.4 or more affordable f/1.8–But this makes me want to hold out and save for the more expensive one! Thanks so much for going over this! September 27, 2011 - 3:17 pm
[...] I am out tailgating, the 50mm is my go to lens, but the 100mm stays close to my side. To give you an idea of what you can do with this lens, Here [...]  December 1, 2011 - 9:31 pm
Ha! I have this lens and never use it. You have inspired me to experiment.  December 7, 2011 - 12:09 pm
Lori, Its a great lens! I hope you enjoy experimenting with it!
When I think of cake doughnuts, I think of breakfast and coffee. It might not be healthy, but a good cup of coffee and a classic cake doughnut is a pretty great way to start your day.
8 comments  September 19, 2011 - 9:52 am
I love it! I have shot on a few of my cocktail dresses with great results. I needed a black background and didn’t really have anything else, but I have lots of little black dresses and they did the trick. I think this totally justifies all clothes shopping September 19, 2011 - 10:54 am
That was a very interesting as well as very informative post. The most interesting background that I have ever used was an inverted wooden drawer.  September 19, 2011 - 2:24 pm
WOW!! Great idea of using what is available rather than spending extra!! First time on ur blog..loved it. Subscribed!  September 19, 2011 - 5:03 pm
I have occasionally shot on top of our dog’s kennel. It is the perfect height and distance from the window  September 19, 2011 - 9:29 pm
Hahahaha, i’ve used an ironing board before, but not for the print just for the higher table surface  September 19, 2011 - 9:40 pm
I’ve been practicing with this concept and have learned so much just from this brief post. I never would have guessed your ironing board  September 21, 2011 - 12:01 pm
Fabric scraps, wrapping paper, fluffy towels. Newspaper is fun too.  October 1, 2011 - 4:35 pm
I also used a ironing board few times, but mine doesn’t have so nice pattern |
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You can learn a lot about a state by looking at the back of its license plate. Florida’s says the “Sunshine Sate” Arizona is the “Grand Canyon State” and Texas is the “Lone Star State”. These phrases all have something to do with what that state is known for. This past weekend, I was back in Madison, not for a f
i guess the strangest thing i’ve used besides aprons and skirt liners would be one of my husband’s work shirts that i had burnt a hole in (with the iron) who cares if i got crumbs and stains on it now right! 
8 comments
Nishi - Lovely photographs Taylor!!! Your photographs remind me of the story the enormous turnip.
Ann P. - D’aww, I’m sure your parents are going to love that gift! Your turnips look awesome! I’m suddenly hungry! I like to eat turnips the Taiwanese way–in fried cake form. They’re especially good with the dipping sauce.
DessertForTwo - Awwww I love the photos!!
I especially loved seeing your grandparent’s farm. I was worried NC had too many trees for farmland! I have hope
Lori Lynn - Hi Taylor – nice to meet you and your family! Your grandparents’ farm must be spectacular. That simple turnip recipe sounds perfectly delicious.
LL
P.S. Saw your photo on Tastespotting.
Taylor - Thanks Lori!
Taylor - Don’t worry NC has lots of farmland!
Jasper Naomi - Taylor,
Somehow, and I do not remember how exactly, I stumbled over your blog this past summer, past. And it might have saved my life…currently hating my job (shhhh don’t tell) in Durham, NC, however grateful for your glorious and very vibrant blog.
Today I decided to QUIT being a creeper and subscribe to your blog and send a note as well!
Happy Winter! I LOVE turnipssssssssss
much warmth! – Jasper in NC
Taylor - Jasper! Thanks for subscribing! Glad to meet another person living in NC!