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 .jpg "intro_crop") What makes a great picture? Is it the subject, the lighting, the styling, the composition? Well a great picture is all of these things. Unfortunately there is no definite answer to what a great picture is. What makes a picture great is going to be different to everyone. When it comes to pictures of food this couldn’t be any more true.
.jpg "intro_empanada") Happy National Empanada Day! Today, April 8th, is when we pay our respects to the empanada. If you haven’t had an empanada before, you are missing out. They are delicious! 14 comments  April 8, 2011 - 9:17 am
Yum, look at that delicious filling! I lovvvve empanadas, but haven’t made them. Must remedy that! Happy National Empanada Day  April 8, 2011 - 9:43 am
I didn’t know there was a National Empanada Day. I just love making and eating empanadas. Thank you for sharing this recipe, They look SO GOOD!  April 8, 2011 - 11:02 am
Being puerto rican I consider myself an Empanada Connoisseur (haha, not really). I’ve eaten my fair share of them, though. By looking at the dough you used, you should try frying it instead of baking. Argentinians have a wonderful dough used just for baked Empanadas (they’re soooo good). Make some deep fried Empanadas tonight, I promise you won’t be disappointed. I’m off to the store to buy some ingredients to celebrate National Empanada Day! Thanks for sharing the recipe.  April 8, 2011 - 11:57 am
Mmh I love empanadas! Wish I had the ingredients to make this today!! They look fantastic! If you have any leftover, feel free to send some my way!  April 8, 2011 - 2:12 pm
Thanks Vanessa! This batch were all eaten, but there will definitely be empanadas in the future! April 8, 2011 - 2:13 pm
Thanks Yadi, I was wondering if the dough I was using was meant for frying. Baking didn’t quite give the golden crust I was looking for. I will definitely take you advice and fry next time!  April 8, 2011 - 2:54 pm
YUM! Empanadas are my favorite and using Chorizo is genius. In honor of National Empanada day I’m heading over to the Argentine bakery down the street to get my fix!  April 8, 2011 - 7:18 pm
empanadas are a.ma.zing.! i’ve tried one that had a beef salpicao and other with chicken ala king  April 8, 2011 - 8:09 pm
Oh yum. I could lick the sheet pan clean of these!  April 9, 2011 - 1:25 pm
How did I miss empanada day??? Those look awesome! April 9, 2011 - 1:49 pm
Thanks Brilynn! Its never too late to celebrate!  April 10, 2011 - 10:51 am
Wow… I really want one of these now!  September 12, 2011 - 8:52 am
These look absolutely fantastic! I think I’m going to try making with vegetarian chorizo…
.jpg "deep_fried_carrot_cake6") I have brought you my State Fair inspired treats of Deep Fried Cookie Dough and Funnel Cake, well that got me to thinking. Why not fry my favorite dessert? This naturally lead me to…. 16 comments  April 6, 2011 - 5:04 am
Bloomin’ heck, that’s a funny thing to do. Looks great tho’! April 6, 2011 - 7:57 am
I’ve always said that you can probably deep fry almost anything and it would be delicious… This is so ridiculous that it’s amazing!! The frosting in the middle looks so good!! April 6, 2011 - 9:39 am
Oh my lands! I need this in my life! April 6, 2011 - 10:21 am
ha ha, it is pretty awesome stuff! April 6, 2011 - 10:21 am
Thanks Vanessa, I agree that you can deep fry anything. Cake might b excessive, but it is really tasty!  April 6, 2011 - 10:26 am
Wow, you took carrot cake to a new level! Love it!  April 6, 2011 - 1:42 pm
Oh. My. Word. You had my heart at funnel cake, but somehow you’ve managed to raise the bar. Congratulations. This deserves an award of some sort. April 6, 2011 - 1:52 pm
Thanks Maria! April 6, 2011 - 1:53 pm
ha ha well thanks Marnie! Eating it was the best reward !  April 6, 2011 - 2:22 pm
lol..this is funny, you should take this recipe to that state fair that looks for new fried foods…it’s surely a winner.  April 6, 2011 - 3:50 pm
Oh My! This has me drooling right now! I LOVE carrot cake and love fried foods! Really you can’t go wrong with this! Thanks for sharing. April 6, 2011 - 6:09 pm
Deep frying cake… And here I was, thinking that I had tried cake in all its forms.  April 7, 2011 - 11:25 am
Wow, I just ate breakfast and now I’m hungry again!! These looks amazing!  April 8, 2011 - 2:22 pm
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh fair food!!  April 13, 2011 - 2:52 pm
This looks amazingly good, thanks!  April 15, 2011 - 1:26 pm
Deep fried carrot cake??? That sounds amazing! I bet it tasted amazing too! Love your ideas.
Have you ever wanted to take a picture of delicious food cooking on your stove? Well in last week’s Mini Funnel Cake Post, I did. To change my picture from the one on the left to the one on the right, it took a little bit of planning and problem solving. 11 comments  April 4, 2011 - 7:54 am
Thanks for the helpful tips! It helps so much to see the environment in-which you took such great photos. April 4, 2011 - 9:17 am
Thanks Caroline! So glad to hear you found this useful April 4, 2011 - 10:39 am
Fantastic! Love the scene of the full setup with the diffuser. Thanks, Taylor! April 4, 2011 - 10:43 am
This was amazing! I actually just ordered those 20′ diffuser circles you had on your blog a few posts back! I’m excited to play with the whole shooting inside thing, something I’m currently struggling with. April 4, 2011 - 11:13 am
Awesome Vanessa ! I hope they help! Just keep practicing and don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas!  April 5, 2011 - 12:12 pm
Great job on your photography! You really know your stuff, so thanks for sharing these useful tips. You have a beautiful blog and I’m looking forward to exploring your recipes! April 5, 2011 - 1:25 pm
Thanks Georgia! If you have any topics you would like to see let me know and I would be glad to cover them!  April 8, 2011 - 3:36 pm
Great tips, Taylor! I really needed to read this post since I just moved into my apt and the lighting in the kitchen isn’t too great. For those of you without a camera remote, you can also use the timer feature on your camera. I set it for 2 seconds and that way I don’t have the shake effect after pressing the button.  April 9, 2011 - 10:49 pm
I really, really, really appreciate your tips. Thanks for showing the lighting/diffuser affect in your kitchen. The final photo was indeed so much better with that set up. I need to find a source for those white panels and better lighting sources for when I take things to the next level. The current problem I am having is uploading my photos from my new i-photo (on my new Mac) to FoodGawker and TasteSpotter. My photos have a slight blur when I upload them to these sites. On my blog they are much crisper and sharper. Do you have tips or knowledge in this area? Is frustrating because I spend so much time trying hard to get a nice shot and then the rejections will say “blur/not sharp” . Thank you!!  April 11, 2011 - 9:54 pm
Wow- that is a very helpful walk through. Much appreciated. So what did you top those cakes with?? (And what in the world is in all those glass jars on the counter – whey?) April 11, 2011 - 9:57 pm
Thanks Dana. Powdered sugar was on top of the cakes. Ha ha the jars were just full of soap and water I was cleaning them, forgot they were on the counter.
11 comments  April 1, 2011 - 10:21 am
I make a mean Sourdough stuffing at Thanksgiving! Great Pics, I love the Panini Press one!  April 1, 2011 - 10:49 am
YES! Sourdough Soup bowls are my favorite! Especially with a delicious baked potato soup! Yum! April 1, 2011 - 10:51 am
This post is just as awesome as I expected it would be! I love your bread bowl and can’t wait to make one filled with some rich, cheesy soup or chili! Yum!  April 1, 2011 - 12:00 pm
Gorgeous photos! I am proud to be a native of the city famous for sourdough — San Francisco. I grew up eating it, and still love it as much today. April 1, 2011 - 12:42 pm
Thanks Carolyn! Sourdough soup bread bowls in San Fran are amazing! April 1, 2011 - 12:43 pm
Sourdough and baked potato soup is a delicious way to celebrate! April 1, 2011 - 9:30 pm
that hot pressed sandwich looks crazy good!  April 3, 2011 - 6:03 pm
How did I miss this celebratory day! I will make up for it! April 3, 2011 - 10:16 pm
Oh my son would love this bread. He loves soup in a bread bowl and so do I. Wonderful photo. I’ve been trying to make a new type of bread every weekend. This weekend I outdid myself, however, with some overly ambitious cooking projects for my newbie cooking self. I’ll be posting on them later this week but I’ll have to get to my new bread mid-week. Love your blog! April 6, 2011 - 5:22 pm
Yummy, tantalizing photos! Did you make the bread or purchase it? It looks like bread from Panera. I love their bread, but I want to make some myself. If you made it, could you provide us the recipe? P.S. I’ve made cinnamon toast that way, too. It really is good. I make extra cinnamon/butter filling and keep it in the fridge for a quick cinnamon toast on any day. April 6, 2011 - 7:44 pm
Thanks Memoria! I bough the bread at the grocery store, so sorry no recipe for that. That is a great idea to keep cinnamon sugar butter on hand!
Thank you to all who voted in the first round of the College Food Town Championship. It was a close race, but the Final 2 have been determined… 3 comments March 31, 2011 - 10:57 pm
I didn’t know you were born in Austin! So that makes you a fellow Texan  April 1, 2011 - 12:27 am
I voted for Austin…even though I am a die-hard Badger. Definitely better food in Austin!  April 1, 2011 - 4:22 pm
You know I have to vote Austin – I have eaten in half of those places and they are extremely yummy! Especially Hey Cupcake for desserts!
A few weeks ago, I shared with you one of my favorite treats from the State Fair of Texas, Deep Fried Cookie Dough, well here is another of my favorite fair foods… 46 comments March 30, 2011 - 12:57 am
SO cute! They’re fun-size! March 30, 2011 - 1:26 am
Thanks Julie! I have a ton of ideas for them as well, i might make another post dedicated to its uses. Like instead fried chicken and waffles, why not bacon and funnel cakes or some other form of pork and funnel cake. mmmmm  March 30, 2011 - 2:02 am
YUM! I’ve GOT to add this to my list to make! March 30, 2011 - 8:32 am
Great Pics!! Can’t wait to make these for my kids! March 30, 2011 - 11:03 am
I can’t even see straight right now!!! WOW! There is no doubt in my mind I will be making these this weekend! Thanks!  March 30, 2011 - 11:07 am
Yum! Funnel cake is one of my favorite foods! I grew up in Texas and always associated them with festivals and the rodeo in Houston. Good memory. March 30, 2011 - 11:21 am
So glad to hear this brought back some good memories! March 30, 2011 - 11:21 am
Thanks Alissa! I hope you enjoy them!  March 30, 2011 - 3:08 pm
Drooling…the photography captured the fun and what I imagine to be the lightness of the cakes, haven’t had these in years, thanks for the inspiration, again your photos are excellent and now off to find some rings for the pan March 30, 2011 - 3:14 pm
Fried chicken + funnel cake?? OMG will you marry me?? Brilliant!!  March 30, 2011 - 3:45 pm
mini funnel cakes! genius for real. will definitely be putting this on my to-bake (fry?)list. March 30, 2011 - 5:45 pm
Confession time-I’ve never had a funnel cake! I better get myself to a fair or make your recipe:) March 30, 2011 - 6:00 pm
Ha Ha thanks! I think a post dedicated to the many uses of funnel cake is needed March 30, 2011 - 6:00 pm
Thanks Cindy! This is definitely a dish best fried! March 30, 2011 - 6:01 pm
Maria that is something that definitely needs to be fixed! If you make them they are best when they are warm and fluffy topped with powdered sugar!  March 30, 2011 - 7:59 pm
this look great, you should just open a restaurant with a random assortment of food, everything you make seems to look delicious  March 30, 2011 - 9:29 pm
Oh yes! These look great and easy, too! I’d love for you to submit this to the M&T Spotlight at http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight March 30, 2011 - 9:54 pm
I’m definitely going to make these very soon. I’ve heard so much about Funnel Cake, but never actually tasted it. The last time I came close to to having some, was last year in Alabama, but the restaurant was out of it (or at least that’s what the waiter told me).  March 30, 2011 - 10:46 pm
They look so dainty and cute! March 30, 2011 - 11:21 pm
Thanks Swee! March 30, 2011 - 11:21 pm
Yadi, if you have never had funnel cake , you have to try it! its awesome!  March 30, 2011 - 11:47 pm
Oh my gosh. This recipe has changed my life. I’ve always loved funnel cake, but never known how to make it at home. Thanks! March 31, 2011 - 12:14 am
Funnel cakes are definitely one of those guilty pleasures of mine. I have to get one every time I go to a fair or boardwalk! Love that these are in mini sizes!!  March 31, 2011 - 8:19 am
Yum yum! Yummm!!!  March 31, 2011 - 1:41 pm
I think you read my mind- yesterday I posted that I could ‘barely’ contain myself from looking up how to make these at home! I linked you in my blog : ) Can’t wait to try them! http://www.ocmdbeachgirl.com/2011/03/funnel-cake.html  March 31, 2011 - 5:08 pm
I’ve been meaning to make my own funnel cakes for a few summers now. I love your photos and scaled-down portion size. I think I just got the extra motivation I needed to finally make them, so thanks!  March 31, 2011 - 5:46 pm
This idea is genius. I’ve never been a huge fan of funnel cake, probably due to the size but this I like. Would be fun to make as dessert for a dinner party with lots of toppings. Thanks!  April 3, 2011 - 11:55 pm
[...] you ever wanted to take a picture of delicious food cooking on your stove? Well in last week’s Mini Funnel Cake Post, I did. To change my picture from the one on the left to the one on the right, it took a little bit [...]  April 5, 2011 - 11:38 am
Ohhhhh! These are so cool! I have just the supplies to make this for the weekend!! April 5, 2011 - 1:21 pm
Thanks Marie! I hope you enjoy them! April 6, 2011 - 2:51 pm
[...] have brought you my State Fair inspired treats of Deep Fried Cookie Dough and Funnel Cake, well that got me to thinking. Why not fry my favorite dessert? This naturally lead me [...] May 24, 2011 - 6:59 pm
[...] was shooting video the majority of the time, so I forgot to take stills of the grilled oysters and mini funnel cake that were also there. But the star of the tailgate was the crawfish [...] June 17, 2011 - 11:53 am
[...] confession: I only go to the fair for Funnel Cake! I’m going to try this recipe for funnel cake on [...]  June 26, 2011 - 1:00 am
I made these tonight in my deep fryer, and the batter was a little too thin. I added about 1/4 c more flour, and it was just the right consistency.  July 18, 2011 - 1:19 pm
Hello this is a great idea for little ones, I made these for our annual fund raiser and they were a it…thanks for sharing you product with us July 19, 2011 - 8:35 am
Thanks Dee, so glad you enjoyed them! September 3, 2011 - 8:33 am
[...] told him about a mini funnel cake recipe I’d found and asked if he’d like me to make them. Of course, he said yes, but I was [...]  November 21, 2011 - 2:42 pm
I think i’ll try this! But why not use star- or other shaped cookie cutters! I’m gonna try and personalise them for holidays or so… Hope it works out!  November 22, 2011 - 9:50 pm
Oh yum! Just what I need… the ability to make these in my home! Oh well, everything in moderation, right? -Brandon  December 2, 2011 - 3:37 pm
Does the batter refrigerate well for later use as well?  December 3, 2011 - 2:26 pm
I think I will cute some soda cans and try that instead of buying a bunch of cookie cutters. Thought I’d pass that idea to you. December 7, 2011 - 12:08 pm
that could work, just be very careful about the sharp can edges December 7, 2011 - 12:09 pm
Unfortunately, it doesn’t refrigerate well, it is best used soon after making it  January 11, 2012 - 1:34 pm
U could prob use the outer rim of canning jar lids 4 the circle 2 instead of cookie cutters or cut pop cans. Otherwise the recipe sound simple & easy! Thanks!  February 5, 2012 - 5:24 pm
Making these for super bowl Sunday! April 30, 2012 - 7:24 am
[...] These are cute and keeps you from eating a whole plate full! Complete instructions HERE at TaylorTakesATaste [...]
It’s hard for me to believe that 6 months ago, I was in week 4 of my College Football Tailgating Tour. For 13 weeks last fall, I visited the best college football tailgates in the country. It was an amazing few months that taught me more than I could ever have imagined. 10 comments March 28, 2011 - 10:30 am
Love this post! So fascinating to see how you handled the different situations thrown at you while shooting in unfamiliar environments. March 28, 2011 - 11:08 am
another great post! thank you for that. March 28, 2011 - 12:01 pm
I love game days:) Great post! March 28, 2011 - 12:44 pm
Thanks Maria! March 28, 2011 - 10:39 pm
I loved this post! I have officially put those diffusion discs on my must buy list. Love how you showed how to adapt to the light changes!  March 29, 2011 - 8:59 am
Thanks for the heads up on the diffuser disk. My partner shoots jewelery outside and I shoot food sometimes and we were looking for something other than tissue paper (LOL) to diffuse the light. Like Vanessa, we are definitely buying at least 1. Much appreciated. March 29, 2011 - 12:56 pm
You are welcome Sunshine! That isn’t the only size they have. Another option is a 5 in 1 reflector. The 5th part is a diffusion disc and it works as a reflector if you need it as well. May 24, 2011 - 6:54 pm
[...] restaurant I dine in when traveling. The reflector and the diffuser I talked about a lot while tailgating. The foam board I have not yet shown [...]  August 6, 2011 - 12:28 pm
thanks for the helpful tips.  March 29, 2012 - 6:41 pm
This is one OUTSTANDING post. I found it incredibly informative and as I am an amateur food photographer, I am learning a great deal all the time and this post helped me. Thanks!!!
Happy Friday! More importantly, Happy National Pecan Day! Today is the day to celebrate the pecan. When I think of pecans, there is only one food that comes to mind….. 7 comments  March 25, 2011 - 11:45 am
Texans take their pecan pie pretty seriously, and I must say, this one looks scrumptious!!! Would love a big piece of that for lunch! March 25, 2011 - 12:13 pm
This is hands-down my all time favorite dessert. And would you believe it, as a kid I hated the stuff??? Now that I live outside Texas, I realize all the opportunities I missed to eat pecan pie. Now I must make one, even if it’s not Thanksgiving or Christmas! Thanks for the reminder!  March 25, 2011 - 1:45 pm
Hmm, since it is a no-meat Friday for me, perhaps I’ll have to eat pecan pie for dinner tonight! Or at least butter pecan ice cream… March 25, 2011 - 2:54 pm
Gorgeous pie! I love pecans — I think they’re my favorite nut. March 25, 2011 - 4:19 pm
I detest pecans, but that first photo is killing me! Wow. Fantastic photos! I always make pecan-less pies because I love the syrupy base. YUM. March 25, 2011 - 5:10 pm
Now I feel like I need to make something with pecans.. Hmm. I love the first photo. That pie looks delish!  March 25, 2011 - 11:50 pm
Wow, I didn’t know today was National Pecan Day!
For those of you who have followed the blog last year, you probably noticed my love for college sports and college towns. Well with the NCAA Basketball Tournament in full swing, I decided to create a tournament of my own. Only I need your help…. 24 comments March 23, 2011 - 2:53 pm
Austin and Athens make me hungry.  March 23, 2011 - 5:25 pm
thank you for the UT koozies! after living there for 4 years, i’ll swear up and down that no city can rightfully beat austin in a food bracket  March 23, 2011 - 5:33 pm
Well I have Wisconsin making it to the Final 4 in my bracket, so I gotta go with Madison Dude. BTW-Great pics!  March 23, 2011 - 5:42 pm
Your Austin pictures are always beautiful! I went to college there. You make it look extra pretty.  March 23, 2011 - 10:24 pm
bbq briskit at the salt lick and the elvis doughnut…. solid winners in my book! now making me choose between those two- torture! great idea to relive all the bests of your trip- and make us salivate one again over all the great food you got to enjoy! March 24, 2011 - 2:43 am
I only know about Austin’s food, so I pick Berkeley! LOL! . . . or Athens.  March 24, 2011 - 1:55 pm
I’m also bias… had to go with WI too  March 24, 2011 - 2:23 pm
Can’t wait to catch Athens chef Hugh Acheson, from Five & Ten, on Top Chef Masters starting April 6. Genius!  March 24, 2011 - 2:33 pm
Athens and Austin! What can I say? I’m a Southern girl. And Austin deserves a vote for the Mexican Martinis alone. Full disclosure – I live in Athens, and I know that the food here cannot be beat. Can. Not.  March 24, 2011 - 2:54 pm
Athens vs Austin in the final, no question. If you show a picture of beer in the Madison photo, you have to show it for Athens, too. There are a couple breweries and brewpubs in town, a ton of bars, and Athens parties as much as any town its size. March 24, 2011 - 7:37 pm
I can’t argue with that! March 24, 2011 - 7:38 pm
Athens is a great city! I can’t wait to go back! March 24, 2011 - 7:39 pm
I have heard great things about the night life in Athens, unfortunately I was unable to part take when I was there. I will definitely have to go back! March 24, 2011 - 7:55 pm
No Problem! Austin does have some amazing food! March 24, 2011 - 7:56 pm
Thanks Marci! March 24, 2011 - 7:56 pm
Ha Ha yes I would say you are familiar with Austin’s food scene!  March 24, 2011 - 8:22 pm
I voted for Athens, just out of spite. March 24, 2011 - 11:01 pm
Ha Ha thanks Levi March 25, 2011 - 11:34 am
[...] If you haven’t already, Don’t forget to vote for Austin, Berkeley, Madison, or Athens in the College Food Town Tournament ! [...]  March 26, 2011 - 3:50 pm
Really enjoying your site Taylor! Though I’ve been living in the SF Bay Area for several years now and love Berkeley, I have to go with Austin since I went to school there and miss all the great Texas food. I haven’t made it out to Round Rock for that giant-sized doughnut which I think you have as part of your collage, but have to someday…YUM! HOOK’EM! March 26, 2011 - 5:16 pm
Thanks Mark! I would definitely recommend a trip to round rock next time you are in Austin! Thanks for your vote. hopefully Texas will make it to the final!  March 27, 2011 - 7:56 am
I’ve been to all four towns, but being a UW-Madison alum means huge bias towards Madison cuisine. And I’m happy to exercise it here. Nothing beats Union ice cream, a toast with beer from the Union tap, and a caloric deluge from Mickie’s Dairy Bar. Sorry Athens–you got served…bacon on Tuesday night. March 27, 2011 - 10:29 am
Thanks Aaron! Yes Beer and Bacon at Wando’s on Tuesday nights is a magical time!  March 28, 2011 - 3:50 pm
Athens!!
22 comments March 21, 2011 - 2:06 am
hey taylor! it’s summer here in the philippines and shooting outside is perfect. my trick is to shot under a shade.  March 21, 2011 - 9:58 am
this is such a great help!  March 21, 2011 - 10:12 am
Wow, I wish I had as much equipment! I use a handheld circular diffuser about 18″ in diamater. It works great but it doesn’t work unless I can hold in while snapping! Thank goodness for the tripod. March 21, 2011 - 10:58 am
Katerina, An 18in disc is great! I have one that I use all the time when traveling. You could try using an A clamp to clamp it onto something. March 21, 2011 - 10:59 am
Thanks Suzie! Glad you found this helpful! March 21, 2011 - 11:18 am
Thank you so much for these photography tips. I have had 14 rejections to FoodGawker and 1 acceptance. I’m new and determined but I sure do need help. I’ve purchased a 50mm macro lens but learning how to manually adjust everything is a challenge. I think basically I might be getting too close to my food for it to some out clear and sharp. I am trying to understand lighting techniques and your post really does help. I’m off to read more! Thank you. March 21, 2011 - 11:42 am
Looks like I’ll have to order a nifty diffuser. Wow, what a difference that makes. Thanks for the great tips. Before, I always seemed to be moving around my backyard, looking for light that was not too bright, not too dim, but just right. It was never easy. March 21, 2011 - 11:53 am
Great post! I love seeing your setups!  March 21, 2011 - 12:16 pm
the color of your raspberry limeade is just incredible, so irresistible, like a candy March 21, 2011 - 2:33 pm
The raspberries are gorgeous! Great tips for the sunny months ahead!  March 21, 2011 - 3:42 pm
Yeah it surely is different in this part of the world! It summer already March 21, 2011 - 3:42 pm
This sounds delicious, and thanks for some great tips! I’d love for you to submit this to the M&T Spotlight at http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight  March 21, 2011 - 7:45 pm
That limeade looks delicious and your photos are amazing! Thanks for the outdoor photography tips! March 21, 2011 - 7:56 pm
Thanks! Glad you found the tips useful! March 22, 2011 - 7:21 am
How is it that I live in Charlotte and just found your blog now?! I definitely will be consulting your site for photography tips. I’ve been dying to take a photography class, but never have the time or funds. I am lusting after all your equipment though!! Can’t wait to keep reading! I think I need to buy something white to do that diffusion thing!!  March 22, 2011 - 8:37 am
Wow, you take really gorgeous photos. Thank you for sharing your tips, I am such an amateur and I can use all the tips I can get. I usually take decent enough photos but any information like this is so helpful. March 23, 2011 - 7:41 am
Vanessa! Awesome to meet another food blogger from Charlotte! Glad you have found this information useful!  March 25, 2011 - 6:03 pm
Wow, I had no idea this much went into taking these outdoor pictures. If it were a cloudy day would you have to use any diffusers or would you just be able to shoot the pics? March 28, 2011 - 2:07 pm
Hi there! I just discovered your blog and am loving it, especially all the photography tips! April 1, 2011 - 11:12 am
[...] I have shared with you some tips on lighting your food shots. Last week I shared with you how a lit some outdoor drink shots. The same fundamentals apply, but how you use them is slightly [...] May 25, 2011 - 1:01 pm
[...] A recipe for Raspberry Limeade [...] August 29, 2011 - 4:31 am
[...] Source: adapted from Taylor Takes a Taste [...]
It is another Friday which for me means celebrating another National Food Holiday! Last week was a new food to me, Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day. Today is one of my favorite foods, Oatmeal Cookies! 10 comments March 18, 2011 - 12:51 pm
the recipe looks east enough to try this weekend! thanks! March 18, 2011 - 1:46 pm
Thanks Laurence! I hope you have a great National Oatmeal Cookie Day!  March 18, 2011 - 2:20 pm
Happy National Oatmeal Cookie Day. I added Cranberry Mac Nut Oatmeal Bars to the flickr pool. March 18, 2011 - 3:36 pm
YUM, and of course they are healthy for us all thanks to the oatmeal, I love a healthy cookie. LOL! And coconut to any cookie is an added bonus I think.. March 18, 2011 - 4:02 pm
I think oatmeal cookies are the “healthiest” of cookies! enjoy oatmeal cookie day! March 18, 2011 - 4:02 pm
sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!  March 18, 2011 - 10:42 pm
Mmm, butterscotch and toffee is definitely the way to go for oatmeal cookies. The results must have been super good. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog and I’d like to invite you to stop by and link your cookies up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweets-for-saturday-9.html March 19, 2011 - 11:20 am
These look wonderful, I can’t wait to try them! I just made oatmeal butterscotch cookies last week but they weren’t quite what I was hoping for. A bit too thin, but I think the coconut will help with that.  March 25, 2011 - 1:14 pm
I made these cookies and within two days they all disappeared … I swear the roommates ate them all! I had to make a new batch last night for my long bus ride tonight. Thanks for sharing! June 17, 2011 - 4:31 am
[...] Source: slightly adapted from Taylor Takes a Taste [...] |
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and I mean hot dry and arid summers of Kuwait. I don’t think I’ll ever shoot food out here but I can see how beautiful it can be through yours!
79 comments
The Waspy Redhead - Such a great post! I was just taking some pictures this afternoon for a recipe I’m sharing this week, and as I was looking through what I had captured I found myself realizing none of my images were well suited to the darn 250×250. I am CONSTANTLY getting rejected by tastespotting – only 3 of my images from 3.5 years of food blogging have been accepted.
Thanks for the tips on image composition – and the good advice not to let the rejection get to me.
Cheers
Waspy
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen - Wow! This is such a great post! I am learning more and more about photography and appreciate this.
Richard Haber - Taylor,
Thanks for putting so much art and effort into this post. I agree with you that in most cases, it is the subject that dictates the visual approach and unless one is specifically shooting for a particular type of media, fitting a lovely rectangular peg into an arbitrary square hole is not going to work well.
I usually judge rejection on its own merits. Understanding that every criticism has its biases, there are still many things to be learned from the constructive kinds. “It didn’t fit” is not a valid one for me.
Richard
Bunny Eats Design - Great post! I’ve been blogging for less than a year and I can see my photos getting better and better. Every time I cook, I think about colour and how I’m going to plate something. It’s nice to read about food photography from other food bloggers. I usually take a vertical and a horizontal shot, but I find that I mostly use horizontal shots because they fit better on a website. I’ve submitted many images to Tastespotting but only ever got 1 accepted post. I took it really personally but hopefully in a few more months, I will have the confidence to submit some more images to them. Part of being a good food blogger is to be able to look at your images critically. If you think that all your images are wonderful, you won’t learn anything.
Stacy @ Say It With Sprouts - Awesome, Taylor!
I’m new to photography & the blogging world, so it’s very cool to read your tips and insights! They’re very informative & I hope you will post more “tutorials” like this in the future! Your photos are beautiful, thanks for sharing!
Rosemary - Great post, thank you so much for the tips.
Kulsum at JourneyKitchen - Loved reading this. I often felt that when I’m excited about a picture which I think was far better than many others, it still gets rejected and some that I’m not sure of gets accepted. Its hit and try thing but as long as it brings traffic no one’s complaining.
nisha - its a great post…thanks for all those tips
Cristina | Positively Beauty - Thank you for sharing, I loved reading this. I’m just a beginner at photography and most of my photos get rejected; I did manage to get one accepted, and that was a huge boost.
However, I try not to take the rejections personally, and just strive to improve my photography.
By the way, I love the horizontal version of the cupcake!
Beth - This is probably the best and most comforting blog post I’ve read about food photography, specifically because I love your attitude towards the definition of a good picture.
Thanks for the reassuring advice!
Beth
The Poet Herself - Great post! Definitely a challenge cropping down for Tastespotting, foodgawker, etc. from a full-sized image if you don’t plan ahead. And their rejections can hurt (especially the “non-sharp” rejection when the image is, to the contrary, quite sharp) but you’re right–it’s a tough job moderating those images and somebody has to do it. Just keep on trying.
amy - I love that they posted your post about your rejections on tastespotting in the first spot
shaz - Hi there, I surfed on over to your site, ironically from one of the food sharing sites
Thanks for the great tips and the encouragement. It does get disheartening being rejected over and over and over again, but the good part is that it makes me think a lot more about taking the photo, and to learn as much as I can about how to take a better photo. Thanks to people like you, I’m learning more every day.
Pearl (Crunch and Chew) - Such an interesting post + a delight to read!
Shanon - Thank you for your tips and for such a great, informative post. Your pictures always look incredible to me! The cropping thing has definitely been an issue for me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Shanon
Joan Nova - Very helpful article…and I found your site via a link and recommendation on one of those food photo websites. I think Tastespotting?
Brooke (Baking with Basil) - Your photography posts are always so informative and helpful!! Thanks so much for sharing and taking the extra time to showcase the details!
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction - I actually stumbled on this after seeing your photo on TasteStopping… LOVED this post. Thanks for sharing! I look forward to reading more.
Rochelle - When you see such beautiful photos be rejected, it makes me feel a bit better about my photos that I love and then see rejected myself.
Every time I get rejected though, I do get frustrated and annoyed but after I vent and shake it off I try harder to improve my photos for not just getting it accepted but for myself and those who come to look at my site weather a photo site says it’s good or not
Thank you for taking the time to share with us all important techniques that can help us all with our photos, but more importantly for telling us that it’s ok to be rejected as long as we keep trying!
Maria - Another great post. Thanks for always sharing such great tips!
SandeeA - Great post! I have found it very interesting… and also encouraging! It is true I’ve sometimes get some photor rejected that I love, and sometimes I get it published in one site, and rejected in other… So I’ve learned not to mind much about rejection! Thanks for sharing!
Kristen | Pixelated Crumb - Thanks for the fantastic post! It’s helpful to know that even professional photographers get rejected because it can get pretty frustrating. That said, it does make it even more exciting when a submission is accepted! Still, I can’t believe that all three of those photos were rejected? They make me hungry!
Miriam/The Winter Guest - Getting rejected every now and then on vague reasons doesn’t piss me off… too much. What really pisses me off is to see photos published that are definitely worse than mine (that “definitely worse than mine” thing is defined by me, of course
).
Taylor - Thanks, I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this! Don’t get frustrated, keep practicing, and keep enjoying it! Thanks for the comment
Taylor - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Taylor - Thanks Richard, I like the comparison of rectangular peg into a square hole, definitely true. Thanks for the comment!
Taylor - Just keep practicing and you will definitely build that confidence. Glad to hear that you are able to take the criticism constructively and learn from it. Thanks for the comment!
Taylor - Thanks Stacy, welcome to the blogging world! If there are other tutorial topics you would like to see let me know!
Taylor - Thanks Rosemary! Glad you found the tips useful.
Kristen - Such a great post, Taylor. Great tips and great advice (and gorgeous, stunning photography!)
Taylor - Thank you to everyone who has looked and commented on this post. I am so glad to hear that you are finding the information useful. It sounds like many of you have a great attitude about the food sharing sites, just keep practicing and trying new things! Thank you all for your comments!
Bobbie - Your post on cropping is wonderful! ..There is nothing more respectable than a person willing to help others.
I would like to introduce myself, I am Bobbie from bobbiesbakingblog.com
stephchows - It’s refreshing to hear that even a professional photographer gets rejected from those sites. I know my shots aren’t all winners but sometimes when one I love gets rejected it’s hard not to feel the sting. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us!
Vanessa - Great post Taylor! I have yet to get any pictures accepted onto any of those sites, but I know my pictures need work. Your pictures always make me hungry, so you have accomplished your goal.
Winnie - Such a great post! I play around with cropping all the time- it’s amazing how the same photo can look so different when cropped in the ways you suggest. I happen to love tall photos and enjoy cropping vertically, but a lot of times, I then can’t figure out how to resize those photos for the food sites. So it’s good to take photos from all orientations, so you’ll later have lots to work with when editing. I have stopped getting annoyed when a photo of mine doesn’t make it into TS, FS, etc. It doesn’t means it’s not a good photo…the ones you used to illustrate this point- the limeade in particular- are all beautiful!
Heidi @ Food Doodles - Great post! Thank you so much
I just got my first dslr in January and I’m soaking up any and all tips and tricks that I can. I love that you mention that being rejected by FG or TS doesn’t mean you’ve taken a bad photo. It’s so frustrating especially when one accepts it and the other rejects it, but I always remind myself – it just wasn’t what they were looking for. Plus, I realize I have so much to learn still 
Cropping is something I’m really working on right now. It really makes all the difference!
Mairi@Toast - Fantastically useful post, thank you. As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Carol - Wow! Thank you so much! This post is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I just got rejected by tastespotting for lighting and composition, although I kind of expected it as I am a VERY amateur photographer, but I was still very disappointed . Thanks for the tips. This is a GREAT post!
Carolyn Jung - Thank you so much for this masterful tutorial. I think most of us crop by feel or gut instinct, not because we necessarily know the ramifications of what we are doing. This put into words what cropping something vertically, horizontally or tightly actually does in terms of showcasing the subject matter. And thank you for expounding on the meaning of the rejection reasons from those food photo aggregate sites. I often get rejected for “composition,” too, but have not really understood exactly what that meant — until now.
Patricia Scarpin - What a great post. What makes me sad about the rejections is that I don’t know what they mean by “composition”.
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350 - Great post! It’s nice to know even professionals get rejected. I agree with some of the other commenters, though – I feel like my pictures have gotten better and better and feedback from those big sites (and practice) has really helped them. Cropping is really one thing that can make or break a picture.
Regan - I have SUCH a long way to go in improving my shots, but this piece came at just the right time! Thanks so much for this perspective. A great read.
Delishhh - What a great post! I try to play around with cropping all the time and when you try to put your photo into 250×250 it is hard sometimes to get everything you want into that photo. I have stopped getting annoyed when a photo of mine doesn’t make it into TS, FS. Again thanks for the great tips again.
Janet Foster - Thanks for this post. I finally got my nerve up a few weeks ago to submit to Foodgawker and Tastespotting. I’ve had 4 accepted and 2 rejected for being underexposed. I anticipated one of the rejections because the shot was slightly out of focus. The other rejection I didn’t expect and it hurt a little but I’m over it. I’m going to try to take the best shots I can and not worry about what those photography sites think.
danielle - Thank you for this! I just had about 7 submissions rejected this weekend (one I thought was perfect) – I feel better now.
Natalie @ Perrys' Plate - Thank you for your insight and for your wonderful tips! It’s frustrating to be accepted one day and rejected the next for two equally great photos. But like you said, “great” is subjective sometimes
I’ve also noticed that I have to grossly oversharpen my photos so they don’t get rejected as “unsharp”. Those 250×250 squares are a killer!
Móna Wise - Thank you so much. That was an awesome piece. So helpful.
Great photos by the way!
Móna
Bunny Eats Design - I went home last night after reading your post and I submitted 3 new images to Food Gawker. They were all accepted this morning. I couldn’t believe it! I’ve never had anything accepted by Food Gawker before and then 3 in a row. I must say as much as we hate rejection after rejection, the ones that do get excepted make us feel sooooo good. Success is all the more sweeter after the bitter taste of rejection.
Bunkycooks - Hi Taylor,
This is a great post. Your photos are beautiful and your insights and tips very helpful. I have had photos that I didn’t like accepted on the food sites and ones that I thought were a sure thing rejected. What looks great to one person may not to the next and this is certainly true of food photography.
Gwen
Deeba - LOVED reading your article, and have to say each one of your pictures makes me SUPER hungry. You make me feel better about rejection too. Great article, well explained … and beautifully illustrated. A picture is worth a 1000 words, and yours are even more. Food photography is certainly therapeutic.
sophia - Great post!! I really enjoyed it, esp the last bit. Well, not that the pictures got rejected (I know the feeling too, too well) but that moral message of not letting a subjective photo site bring our self-esteem down. I think your pictures are stunning, and I’m wiping drool now.
Richard Haber - Bunny,
Congrats on getting images accepted by Food Gawker. Did you shoot with the square format in mind?
I’ve always thought that a measure of my success as a photographer is how much the rejections affect me. If they are accompanied by constructive criticism, as on the recent critique post on Dario Milano’s blog then they are a welcome lesson; if just rejected out of hand, I find myself still stinging a bit. It’s good to know I still have room to grow as a photographer.
Stacy @ Say It With Sprouts - Amazing! I would love to hear about whether or not you ever use lightboxes at all, and your experience with artificial lighting. I don’t have a lot of great lighting where I’m at, so I’m thinking of constructing a lightbox and using “daylight” bulbs. Any tips?
Thanks, Taylor!
Allison - Love your tips! And now I feel better about when I’ve gotten rejected from those sites. It’s disappointing when the photos you think will get picked for sure, don’t. And I always took it kind of personally, but now I think I’ll look at it a little differently.
Memoria - Wow. Now I know why Foodgawker’s editor even suggested reading this post! Fantastic! I agree with 100% of what you’ve written in this post, especially the last part about being rejected. I wish I could have read such a post when I first started out blogging, but it is still helpful today for me and for many other food bloggers out there. *APPLAUSE*
Kayla - Taylor. Am I allowed to call you Taylor? I’m just assuming we’re on a first-name basis here in blogland. =) Listen. I love these posts about photography! Not only are they educational, but they’re SUPER encouraging to those of us who are just starting out and tend to get wayyyy too emotional about rejections and end up eating chocolate chips straight from the bag (not that I’m describing myself, or anything…bahaha). I’ve loved reading every post! And all your other posts. And salivating. Too much? Okay I’m done.
ANYWAY. So I think the reason I get rejected the most is composition. I checked your Tips, Tricks, and Techniques section and didn’t really find anything specific to that area of photography. I know it’s interspersed throughout your posts, but will you be devoting a post solely to that anytime soon? I know I would appreciate it, but also understand that you have PLENTY of topics to cover in your photography posts!
Thanks again for showing us that even the best get turned down sometimes! Looking forward to more tips in the future!!
snippets of thyme - Every time I have a question in mind, I come to your blog. Thank you so much for extending your talent and knowledge. I am amazed that I am going down the same path as all of the previous commentors here. I am having a nice level of success with TS and FG but I bit my nails and cringe each time I open one of their e-mails. The specific problem I have is this: My photos in i-photo are clear and crisp. Even on my blog and SmugMug they are clear and crisp. When I upload them to TS and FG. they blur. I just wish they looked as nice as the original shot. Do you have idea if I need to change any settings on my camera?
Does anyone else have this constant blue occur when they upload photos to these websites?
Kris - Thank you for this post, it’ll come really handy when I open my own food blog.. definitely bookmarking!
The Mistress of Spices - This is a hugely helpful post! I am definitely going to apply some of your suggestions and tips regarding cropping. Maybe one of my images will finally get accepted by Foodgawker this way!
Angie@Angiesrecipes - THANK YOU for sharing this wonderful entry! I have learned to not get annoyed when my submissions rejected by those food/photography sites…
louisabellissima - Thank you for this great advice!!
Morgan - Thanks for this great post! Very helpful and makes me feel better about being rejected lol. Sometimes the photos I think suck get accepted on these sites, and the ones I love get rejected! Gets frustrating when it feels arbitrary, but I know I shouldn’t let it bug me. Thanks for the advice!
megan {a dash of megnut} - great post. i’ve never thought about the negative space when i’m trying to crop photos for foodgawker and tastespotting so this really helped. it was also nice to know that professional photographers also get rejected.
Divya Yadava - Thanks to this post, I don’t feel as bad that my pictures have been rejected
. You’re right – it’s very difficult to assign concrete criteria to something subjective. As look as the pictures make me hungry, I’m happy!
Jeanette (NKM photos) - Thanks for this great article. I actually got here from a link on the foodgawker faq page I was reading after one of my images was rejected
Your article made some excellent points, one of which reminded me to revisit the ‘square’ picture rule, which I had forgotten to consider for this latest submission. It does help to know that many other photographers get rejected.
Food Photography: Tips - [...] Cropping & Orientation - Taylor Takes a Taste [...]
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chandriga - Thanks for all your tutorial and your encouragement.
Expat Gourmet - Great article, helped a lot. I don’t often have my submissions rejected by these websites but also often I don’t even bother submitting: I submit a perfectly sharp image with vibrant colours and then what I see in the preview is blurred and washed out colours. Any suggestions how to prevent this happening?
Taylor - What program are you using to process your images in? are you cropping your images to 250×250 before submitting. If it is a larger file it may be blurred when the sites compress it down to 250×250.
Ren - Thanks for the info! Great post
Verónica Cake - Thank you so much for the tips. And for your confession also, now i don´t feel so bad. My pictures weren´t probably perfect but yours are really really beautiful and full of meaning.
Angie - Great post….This is a wonderful tutorial. Thanks!!
Angela - Thanks for sharing your knowledge. This is such a wonderful way to see just what I am doing wrong and how to correct the problem. Great examples and you make it so easy to understand!! Thanks!!
Pam Rauber - I know it’s been a year since you posted this tutorial…just want to add that out of 37 submissions, 15 have been accepted. I find that one accepts or rejects and the other site picks up or declines. That’s not too bad.
One of those photos went viral on Pinterest which I would have thought to be a good thing. Only that photo is the primary photo that is being viewed on my blog, after one month posted. I actually put a blurb at the top of the blog thanking people for the awesome coverage but be sure to check my home page for more recipes….it hasn’t helped.
I’ve received on average 1,000 views a day, 950 of that photo. I could stop posting and my blog could maintain on it’s own until people on Pinterest are through looking at the photo. Ha!
In any event, I just wanted to post here on success with on line photo galleries. If you had not informed people of the many rejections, people might not pursue submissions.
Thanks for the tutorial.
Joan Hayes@chocolate and more - This is such wonderful information, so glad I found you! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
Brandon - Thank you so much for the encouragement. I keep getting rejected by these sites (although it does wonders sending a boatload of visitors my way when they accept one!), and have been feeling a bit discouraged.
I appreciate the positive message of this post, and you’re absolutely right… if I’m happy with the images, what more can I ask for? Thank you!
Gleeful - What a helpful post! As a beginner photographer, these basics are really helpful. Good tip about cropping for the sites that require 250×250 pictures. I think a lot about the space in my pictures when I take them, but not what they’ll look like if I have to crop them into a square. Thanks!
Diana Alexandra - This has been one of the more informative websites/ blog entries I have read about this technique. Thanks for sharing. Great article! Delicious food!!!