 Food Photography | BlogLife of an OC Food Photographer!Welcome! I mostly write about my experiences shooting restaurants as an Orange County food photographer. On occasion, I will also talk about some of my techniques and how I approach my work along with any interesting food industry news or re-posts. I may also talk about some of my other photography and documentary film projects here as well. Shameless plugs! I love shooting food and look forwad to sharing my passion with you. Hope you find something interesting to read. I will work for food! Well, sort of.... 
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Food Photography
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Jason's Downtown | Santa Ana Food Photographer
On the Line On the Line: Jason Kordas of Jason's Downtown By Edwin Goei, Tuesday, Sep. 1 2009 @ 1:00AM Comments (0) Categories: Photo by: Rio Photography Jason Kordas has catered for Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Pete Wilson. And for the past two years, his Santa Ana restaurant Jason's Downtown has been a fixture of the downtown dining and music scene. Kordas also still offers his catering services if you have people at your shin dig to feed. And you don't have to have held a political office to secure his talents. Here are his answers to our survey. 1. Dish that you cook that most represents you. Caribbean Rumaki - bananas wrapped in applewood smoked bacon in a brown sugar rum spice glaze. Love bananas and swine is fine!! 2. What was the last meal you had at home? Pizzadillas w/ my son for dinner with gala apples and popcorn. 3. Your favorite restaurant (other than yours): In OC, Stonehill Tavern; in NYC, Babbo; in San Fran, The Boulevard. 4. Fast food guilty pleasure: Wienerschnitzel's chili cheese dog--a couple times a month got to drive thru and get one on the run. 5. Complete this sentence I would like to [verb] [Food Network Star] with [noun]. (for example: "I would like to BEAT BOBBY FLAY with A STALE BAGUETTE." or "I would like to SHOWER GIADA DE LAURENTIIS with FLOWERS"): I would like to beat all the Iron Chefs in a cook off. Then sit down with Cora and drink Ouzo. Hey, I can dream can't I? 6. Last meal of your life, what would it be? Cream cheese & wild strawberry jam omelette with toasted English slathered in sweet butter. 7. Items you always have in your refrigerator: Colby cheese, cream cheese, baby dills, White Castle mini cheese burgers and some frozen Trader Joe's entrees. 8. Your most indispensable kitchen tool or appliance: My Cuisinart and spices. http://www.orangecountyfoodphotographer.com
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Whole Foods- Made in China?
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Food Photography Equipment
My Food Photography GearHere is the food photography gear I use to sucessfully shoot food, drinks, interiors and exteriors for restaurants in Orange County and Los Angeles. I've been a commercial photographer and filmmaker now for several years specializing in mostly nature and natural history assignments. I fell into food photography by accident after a good friend simply asked me if I could shoot some food photography for her restaurant. Thinking this couldn't be too difficult, I agreed and the next thing I knew, I was lighting, styling and shooting several plates in one day. What I found was that this was not an easy task! My first few attempts looked aweful and I quickly realized that food photography is not only an art form but also very very technical requiring specialized equipment.
So, if you are an inspiring food photographer or you just want to know more about how this process works, I would like to share some information about my equipment and how I use it. Every photographer uses different equipment and different technics. But having the RIGHT equipment is a must. Here is what I use.
Camera
I use a full-frame Canon 1Ds Mark II DSL camera, with an assortment of top-of-the-line Canon L-Series lenses: Canon 700-200mm IS 2.8, Canon 28-70mm 2.8 and a Canon 16-35mm 2.8 wide angle. There is no better camera on the market. I always shoot in manual mode where I have full control and can make minor adjustments including focusing and exposure. This amazing camera shoots an impressive 16.7 mega pixels. Want to make a full size advertising poster for your restaurant window? This camera was made for that! An update to the tremendously popular EOS-1Ds, the EOS-1Ds Mark II is a must have for those seeking to capture huge, beautiful images, fast. With an all new, full frame 16.7 megapixel CMOS image sensor, combined with Canon's blazing DIGIC II Image Processor, the EOS-1Ds Mark II captures up to 32 consecutive shots at speeds up to 4 frames-per-second, and has dramatically decreased startup and card-writing times in comparison to the EOS-1Ds. These improvements are complemented by Canon's renowned build quality for reliability in even the most rugged conditions. Compatibility with over 50 EF Lenses, in addition to the entire line of EOS accessories, including the new Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1 accessory easily makes the EOS-1Ds Mark II the most remarkable combination of resolution and speed in the history of digital SLRs.
Lenses
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens Review The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens is my favorite and most-used lens. Combining a very popular and very useful focal length range with excellent image quality, professional build quality, superb autofocus performance, a fast aperture and one of my favorite features - Canon's valuable 3-stop Image Stabilization - makes the 70-200 IS one of Canon's most desired lenses. When I really need to make every shot count, the 70-200 IS is one of the first lenses I will include in my bag. It is one of the most-professionally-used lenses available and finds a home in the kit of many, many serious amateurs as well. Weighing 3.24 lbs (1470g) and measuring 3.4" x 7.8" (86.2mm x 197mm), the 70-200 IS will not be mistaken for a light or small lens. However, I can carry this lens for long periods of time without feeling it is a burden. This is a weather sealed lens that is ready to take professional use (or should I say "abuse"). The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens balances out great build quality with excellent image quality. Images are sharp wide open (f/2.8) - corner performance is remarkable even with a Full Frame body. Stopping down to f/4 delivers even sharper results with better contrast. I have received some comments on the ISO 12233 resolution chart samples for this lens - some think they are too soft at f/2.8. As I get time, I retest questionable results - Or even buy another copy of the lens to insure accurate but expectable results. I re-tested this lens and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L non-IS USM Lens at the 200mm focal length using AF, MF and bracketing - obtained results were identical. The chart is tough on optical performance, and real life images do seem sharper. I use this lens wide open much of the time - the results are quite satisfactory to me. Stopping down from f/2.8 to f/4 will show a difference - and will make this lens very close in performance to the remarkable Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens at the same aperture. Color and contrast are good. Some CA is present (especially in the upper focal lengths). Vignetting is well controlled, basically only showing in the corners at f/2.8 and encroaching the most at 200mm. I notice slight barrel distortion at the 70-200's widest focal lengths full frame body. Distortion is not an issue with a 1.3x or 1.6x FOVCF body. Utilizing an 8-blade circular aperture, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens delivers foreground/background blur quality that is renowned. It doesn't get much better than this. The longer included focal lengths will create a diffuse background blur as well. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens delivers fixed focal length lens performance in a much more versatile (in my opinion) package. Use the included ISO 12233 Resolution Test Chart sample crops to compare the 70-200 IS with some of the fixed focal length lenses in this focal length range such as the Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L Lens and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II USM Lens. The primes have some advantages (a wider aperture is one of the biggest) and I use them, but the versatility of 130 other instantly-available focal lengths causes me to far more frequently use the 70-200 IS. Having zoom versatility can mean the difference between getting the shot and getting nothing with a young, energetic child. Any cropping required on a picture shot with the prime will quickly negate any image quality advantage it has. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens' internal focusing is very fast, quiet and accurate thanks in part to Canon's excellent Ring USM (Ultrasonic Motor). An autofocus range limitation switch enables enhanced autofocus performance. Aside from a very slight amount of play in the focus ring (not enough to impede manual focusing), the zoom and focus rings are very smooth and nicely sized. The objective lens does not rotate or extend with focusing (or with focal length changes).
Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens ReviewThe Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is a very impressive lens. Pictures from the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens are very sharp - The contrast and saturation are quite impressive. As with the newer 24-70, very little contrast and saturation post-processing is necessary. A fixed f/2.8 minimum aperture makes this lens as fast as any Canon EOS zoom lens made. The wide aperture also produces nice bokeh (background blur). The biggest downside of the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens (in my opinion) is it's size and weight. This lens is not small or light when used as a walk-around lens. I minded the weight much less after reviewing my pictures. The Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is a part of Canon's L Series Lenses. See that page for more information. The Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens extends down to 28mm which is not real wide on a 1.6x FOVCF body, but is still wide enough to for landscape or group pictures. At 70mm, the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens becomes a nice portrait lens. The zoom functionality allows capturing those quick frame-and-shoot situations (have any kids?). All that said, I regard the Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is the second-best walk-around lens (the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L Lens being the best).
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens Review
Until it was replaced by the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens was my first choice for a full-frame, wide field of view, low light lens. Measuring 3.3" x 4.1" (83.5 x 103mm)(DxL) and weighing 1.3lb (600g), the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is relatively small and light. Build quality is very high - indicative of its Canon L Series heritage. This is a very nice handling and carrying lens. It is easy to take this lens with you - mounted or in a case. "In a case" has special merit as a short focal length range (inhibited primarily on the long end) is one of the downsides for this lens. The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens works great by itself, but it is especially useful in a kit with a 24-XXmm and/or 70-XXXmm or similar focal length range lens(es). Utilizing Ring USM, the 16-35 L focuses very fast, quietly and accurately. The focus and zoom rings are nicely sized, turn smoothly and are nicely damped. This lens does not extend with a very small exception - the objective end lens elements move in/out slightly inside the lens barrel during focusing. All movement takes place behind the filter threads. If you have a filter installed, you will not have any external movement. Since the filter attaches to the lens barrel - which does not move, the filter also does not rotate. This matters when using a Circular Polarizing Filter or split neutral density filter. The common 77mm filter threads make sharing filters with Canon's complementing lenses easy. The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is weather-sealed but I suspect that this lens requires a UV Filter to complete the sealing. The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM Lens shares the 16-35's small lens element extension feature, and the 17-40's manual indicates that a filter completes the sealing. The 16-35 manual does not specify this. At 16mm, the 16-35 L is very sharp in the center even wide open (f/2.8) and improves little when stopped down. The 16mm full-frame corners are soft wide open (with a flat target - because of field curvature) and improve noticeably at f/5.6. At 16mm with a close subject distance, strong barrel distortion is noticeable even on a FOVCF body. Barrel distortion enlarges the center portion of the frame and shrinks the corners. This effect makes the center performance at 16mm seem especially good when in direct comparisons with lenses exhibiting less barrel distortion. You will likely notice this when comparing the 16-35 L's 16mm ISO 12233 resolution chart sample crops with other lenses and focal lengths. Distortion is much less of an issue with longer subject distances - I seldom find it to be a big issue in my real-life images. While on the ISO 12233 chart sample crop subject, I should note that the 16mm samples require a relatively close subject distance. It is very hard to eliminate light reflection from the chart in the edge sample crops at this distance. You will notice lower contrast in the bottom 16mm ISO 12233 chart sample crops because of this. By 20mm, the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens' barrel distortion is dramatically lower and corners sharpness approaches center sharpness. Sharpness wide open is very good across the focal length range with the longer end being slightly weaker than the wide end. By f/4, this lens is very sharp across the frame. One of the most notable negative features of my Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is a tendency to overexpose. As long as I do not clip highlights (because of this tendency), color and contrast from this lens are superb. CA (Chromatic Aberration) is very well controlled. A 7-blade circular aperture delivers excellent OOF (Out of Focus) blur quality. Of course, it takes a close subject and a wide aperture to get a significantly OOF background with this ultra-wide angle focal length range. Flare resistance is very good - very important as it is easy to get the sun in a 16mm image.
StrobesCalumet Genesis 400Enter the world of studio lighting with these extremely affordable, and yet sophisticated self-contained flash units. The Genesis 400 monolight provides you with all the power and lighting control that you will need to create professional-looking portraits and great still-life tabletop photographs. They will provide you with recycling times as low as one second. The Genesis flash units’ 5-volt sync voltage is even safe for today’s digital cameras. Flash operation has never been easier. The convenient rear control panel of each Genesis puts their full range of flash controls at your finger tips. Each model features digital, variable flash-output controls that allow you to adjust power levels over a 5-stop range. You can switch from full to proportional modeling with the press of a button. A built-in optical photo cell provides wireless flash syncronization and it is adjustable to increase or decrease sensitivity, depending upon the environment you are working in. An audible flash-ready alarm lets you know when your Genesis is fully charged and ready to go. Angle of Coverage of standard 8.25” reflector – 65 degrees.
Food Photo Links:How to photograph foodA comprehensive look at the whole process of shooting for a restaurant of other food clients. My food blogThis is where I talk more about my work and the restaurants that I shoot.
My food photography portfolioHere you find several examples of my work. 
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Food Photography web site
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Cha Cha's Charity Event in Brea
Brea, Ca. March 5, 2010 - Cha Cha’s Tacos & Tequila is pleased to host Giving Children Hope, a charity event to aid Orange County homeless children, Wednesday, March 24th , 5pm –10 pm. In the spirit of giving back to the community, Cha Cha’s has partnered with the Giving Children Hope organization to launch the first of regular fundraisers to be held every third Wednesday of the month. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from each event will be given to the Orange County based charity.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be involved with such a great cause and delighted to give back to the community in this way,” said Cha Cha’s owner Don Myers. The money raised in this event will go towards Giving Children Hope’s Mobile Medical Clinic and We’ve Got You’re Back programs. GCH is dedicated to alleviating poverty and eliminating hunger in the community. The mobile clinic operates locally by going out once a week to treat the under-served populations in Orange County. The We’ve Got You’re Back program is a weekend nutrition education program that distributes backpacks filled with healthy foods to elementary schools every week of the school year.
“Orange County has the 2nd highest rate per capita of homelessness behind Detroit. Most residents are not aware of this,” said GCH director Jenise Steverding. “The children’s academic performances have gone up as a result of the programs because they are no longer hungry and withdrawn.”
In addition to live flamenco entertainment, Cha Cha’s will be offering a three-course special for two, which will include any appetizer, entrée and bottle of sangria for only $19.95 per person. Regular menu items will also be offered.
About Giving Children Hope: Giving Children Hope is a 501(c)3 faith-based non profit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty (domestically and abroad) through disaster relief, health and community development, vocational training and advocacy. GCH works to promote family sustainability, economic independence, and self-sufficiency so that children may grow in stable environments. GCH also plays a role in the development and rehabilitation of under resourced clinics, hospitals, and orphanages. GCH has also developed many programs such as the mobile clinic and “We’ve Got You’re Back” in order to bring help to local Orange County communities.
About Cha Cha’s Tacos & Tequila: Highly regarded as one of the best new restaurants in Orange County, Cha Cha’s offers a unique take on Latin cuisine, serving dishes inspired with a combined infusion of new and traditional flavors. Cha Cha’s dining experience is further enhanced by its status as being among the only Mexican restaurants in Orange County to utilize an open kitchen, and a wood-fired clay oven, allowing guests a clear view into the heart of the restaurant. Along with their signature California-Latin-inspired menu, Cha Cha’s offers a vast selection of premium tequilas and handcrafted cocktails. Wine connoisseurs will also enjoy Cha Cha’s wine selection that includes central coast, Spanish, and South American wines. Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Cha Cha’s Tacos & Tequilas is located at 110 W Birch St, Brea, CA 92821. For reservations and additional information call 714.255.1040 or visit www.chachasbrea.com
DONATIONS AND INFORMATION:
GIVING CHILDREN HOPE www.gchope.org
MOBILE CLINIC www.gchope.org/mobile-medical-clinic.html
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK www.gchope.org/weve-got-your-back.html
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Lorraine Barbosa 714.473.7033/ lorraine@714media.com
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Orange County Food Photographer
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Haiti Fundraiser at Haven Gastropub
Haven Gastropub to Partner with Charlie Palmer and a Host of Orange County’s
Finest Restaurants for Haiti Earthquake Relief Fundraiser
Orange, CA – Haven Gastropub is pleased to partner with Charlie Palmer restaurant in Costa Mesa, in participation with a group restaurant effort to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief. The fundraiser, organized and hosted by Charlie Palmer’s Eryck Chairez will be held at Charlie Palmer in Costa Mesa from 7pm-10pm Monday, February 22nd. The unprecedented event is a coming together of some of Orange County’s finest restaurants. In addition to Haven Gastropub, other popular restaurants include AnQi, Lola Gaspar, 320 Main, and Mesa. The fundraiser also attracted two popular restaurants from San Diego, including Confidential Restaurant and Loft, and Whisknladle.
“Teaming up with our industry friends is a great idea, and we are pleased to be involved,” said Haven Gastropub Executive Chef Greg Daniels. “It’s great we can all pull together in this way.”
Cocktails will be served by a representing bartender from each restaurant at $7 each. Hi-Time Wine Cellars will also be holding a raffle. All proceeds raised will be directed to the Red Cross for their continued support in Haiti. Charlie Palmer is located at Bloomingdale’s at South Coast Plaza at 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA. For more information about the event, call 714.352.2525.
Immediately following the massive earthquake, Haven Gastropub hosted Haven For Haiti, a fundraiser, which proved an overwhelming success raising over $10,0000 for the cause.
About Haven Gastropub: Open less than five months, Haven, favored by foodies and connoisseurs of quality beer, has quickly built a reputation as one of Orange County’s most notable new restaurants, earning rave reviews from the local press, including Best New Restaurant by the Orange County Register, an exemplary 14 rating from Gayot, and voted Best New Restaurant by the reader’s of OC Weekly, among other honors. The kitchen prides itself on old world fare with a modern American twist. Its unique dishes are served alongside distinctive handcrafted beer, and select wine and spirits. Fashioned with the comforts of home, guests dine in a relaxed setting of rich dark woods, and the warming effects of candle chandeliers and a cobblestone fireplace. Haven Gastropub is located at 190 South Glassell Street, Old Towne Orange, CA. For reservations or more information, call 714.221.0680 or visit havengastropub.com. Walk-ins are welcome.
Media Inquires: Rob Hallstrom 714.473.7033 / Rob@714media.com
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Where Magazine
 My "famous" milk jug beer shot from the Matador Cantina was featured recently on the cover of Where Magazine. Very cool!
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Haven Gastropub
Haven Gastropub Launches New Website and Blog Orange, CA (February 11, 2010) Haven Gastropub officially announces the launch of its fully redesigned company website and blog, www.havengastropub.com .
Produced by Crossgrain Creative Studios, the site aims at serving the guest, as does the gastropub itself. As part of the close-knit community of Old Towne Orange, Haven’s goal was to have an equally integrated online presence. Further, Crossgrain created an easy to use interface easily accessible from any mobile device and fully integrated with today’s most popular social media.
As much a social portal as an informational resource, the site includes prominent icons connecting to social media, food and drink menus with “Share” tabs that also make it easy for guests to share their experiences, a subscribable blog with all the latest Haven happenings and a feature that allows guests to share their photos. The use of flash was also avoided to ensure easy accessibility and full functionality from any mobile device.
“We wanted an online presence as unique and welcoming as walking through the doors of Haven Gastropub itself,” says managing partner Jeff Hall. “The new features are aimed at making it easier than ever to make our Haven yours.”
About Crossgrain: A business-minded design firm whose marketing strategies generate revenue for service-based companies, Crossgrain Creative Studios takes a comprehensive approach in working with clients, examining needs and allowing them to communicate creatively and effectively. Crossgrain is located in Orange, CA. www.crossgrain.com.
About Haven Gastropub: Open less than five months, Haven, favored by foodies and connoisseurs of quality beer, has quickly built a reputation as one of Orange County’s most notable new restaurants, earning rave reviews from the local press, including Best New Restaurant by the Orange County Register, an exemplary 14 rating from Gayot, and voted Best New Restaurant by the reader’s of OC Weekly. The kitchen prides itself on olde world fare with a modern American twist. Its unique dishes are served alongside distinctive handcrafted beer, and select wine and spirits. Fashioned with the comforts of home, guests dine in a relaxed setting of rich dark woods, and the warming effects of candle chandeliers and a cobblestone fireplace. Haven Gastropub is located at 190 South Glassell Street, Old Towne Orange, CA. For reservations or more information call 714.221.0680 or visit havengastropub.com.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Rob Hallstrom 714.473.7033 / rob@714media.com
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Matador Cantina Marketing Video
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Haiti- Food Distribution
Massive food distribution begins in quake-ravaged Haitian capitalBy Moni Basu, CNN January 31, 2010 10:44 p.m. EST STORY HIGHLIGHTS - NEW: 376 metric tons of rice distributed to 100,368 people at nine locations, official said
- Food distribution program coordinated by aid agencies and Haitian government
- Only women allowed to receive the 55-pound bags of rice being handed out
- Official says food given to women is more likely to be shared fairly by everyone
-- A massive two-week food distribution effort aimed at reaching 2 million people began Sunday in Haiti's quake-ravaged capital. Slightly more than 376 metric tons of rice were distributed to 100,368 people at nine locations during the day, World Food Programme spokesman Marcus Prior said. The food distribution plan, coordinated by the United Nations World Food Programme, international aid agencies and the Haitian government, was to hand out food at 16 identified points across the city. But on Sunday, people at only nine of those places were able to collect, Prior said. More time was needed to prepare ration coupons at five sites, Prior said. The other two distribution points, located in the dense slum of Cite Soleil, were a no-go for security reasons. "The area has been extremely volatile recently with a significant increase in gang violence, but we are hopeful we will be able to reach them soon," he said.  Video: Mobs turn angry in Haiti  Video: Airlifts of injured suspended  Video: Child trafficking arrests Distribution was orderly elsewhere, Prior said. Only women were given tickets to collect a 55 pound (25 kilogram) bag of rice per family. Forty-two metric tons of rice will be distributed each day over the next two weeks. At Champs de Mars, the city's central plaza which has turned into a sprawling makeshift camp for the quake displaced, women formed a long line that snaked up to trucks carrying the rice. Full coverageOne by one they stepped up and walked away with a white bag on their heads. A smile blossomed on some faces. U.S. soldiers were out in force to guard against chaos. "There was no way we could do this without them. There's no way we could push back people without the troops," said Jacques Montouroy, a logistical planner for Catholic Relief Services, one of eight aid agencies participating in the two-week food plan. Prior said the WFP will work with its aid partners to ensure that men in need of assistance are not excluded. Women are receiving the food vouchers because they tend to be responsible for the household food supply, Prior said. "Our long experience in food distribution tells us that by delivering food into the hands of women, it is more likely to be redistributed equitably among the household -- including the men," he said. Montouroy said most men have someone -- a wife, a sister, a mother or girlfriend -- who will be able to feed them. He said it was safer to deliver the rice to the women. But things didn't sit well with some men. "What about me? I didn't get anything. I need food," said Johnny Sanon Stevenson. "Many people could not participate." The missing, the found, the victimsWith tight security, it was impossible for crowds to enter cordoned off areas where the food trucks were emptied. The WFP said the specified drop sites are a key step in establishing food security. At the central plaza, Master Sgt. Ranny Lewis helped a woman carry her bag of rice and then led women waiting in line in singing "Glory, Glory Hallelujah." Lewis, a native of the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda who serves in the 478 Civil Affairs Battalion, said gospel was the lifeblood of the region. Song was a way of overcoming frustration and calm fears. Lewis said it was a dream come true for him to be able to help the people of Haiti in their greatest hour of need. "This is the ultimate civil affairs mission," Lewis said. "This is where the rubber meets the road." "It was difficult to control my tears," he said. "It brings me home, to my roots. I was one with the people." WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said the January 12 Haiti earthquake was the "most complex challenge" the agency has confronted. "But this distribution system will not only allow us to reach more people, it will give us the qualitative step we need to facilitate the delivery of all kinds of humanitarian assistance in the weeks and months to come," Sheeran said in a statement. The food aid plan involves at least eight private humanitarian agencies: Samaritan's Purse, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, World Vision, ACTED, Save The Children, GOAL and ADRA. "Together with our NGO [non-governmental organization] partners we are working with the local authorities, churches and other civil society organizations to ensure that all male-headed households and others with special needs are not excluded from these distributions," Prior said. Details of the plan were finalized at a meeting attended by WFP, the aid agencies and senior members of the Haitian government, said Ken Isaacs, vice president of programs for Samaritan's Purse. He said those attending the meeting were given coupons, which were being handed out to needy families in the districts drawn up around each distribution point. The two-week effort aims to reach 2 million people in Port-au-Prince but does not expand to those living in other quake-devastated cities like Leogane. Ongoing emergency aid distributions to outlying areas will continue, Prior said. "Up until now the nature of this emergency has forced us to work in a 'quick and dirty' way simply to get food out," Sheeran said. "This new system will allow us to provide food assistance to more people, more quickly through a robust network of fixed distribution sites." http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/31/haiti.food.aid/index.html?hpt=C2
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New updates on restaurantsbyrio.com
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Matador Cantina Drink Photos
Had a great food photography shoot at Matador Cantina in Fullerton today. The Matador was voted #1 Happy Hour bar in Orange County by Citysearch. Here are some of the photos I shot today: http://www.restaurantsbyrio.com/matador-drinks
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Orange County Food Photographer | Alegria Cocina
Alegria's Cocina Latina
alegriacocinalatina.com Alegria's is colorful and fantastic little tapas restaurant located in the historic downtown area of Long Beach. This place is famous for their secret receipt of sangria and their amazing live entertainment including flamenco guitarists and dancers. It's got a things really get exciting at night. So the photos had to invoke the same vibe they are so well know for. The ShootWe did two shoots at Alegria's. One to shoot the live entertainment on a Friday night and the other during the lunch rush to cover food and interiors. Night shoots indoors are always a challenge. You don't want to over-power the subject with too much flash but you need to add some additional light to take a photo in an otherwise, dark environment. Getting the right enough light and fast enough shutter speed was the key. Especially for the fast moving flamenco dancers.  The day shoot was much easier but the challenge here was to try add some pizazz to the pics. We didn't have any natural sunlight to use because the entire restaurant and patio was under a large shade tree. This restaurant is filled with color and some very abstract decor so we needed photos that reflected that. The chef and I picked out food that already had a lot of color. We then tried to buildup the backdrop and decor to add additional color and depth. Another exciting shoot!  by Alan De Herrera
Orange County Food Photographer 
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Orange County Food Photographer - Twisted Vine Wines
Twisted Vine (Fullerton, CA) This is one of the best wine bars in Orange County. The decor is filled with dark wood, brick and cozy leather chairs and sofas. You feel as though you are in an upscale winery. The walls are stacked high with tasty bottles from around the world along with several micro brews included. The staff really takes care of you here and you soon know most if not all of them by first name. This is one of my favorite places to relax and take the edge off, so I was honored to shoot some pics for them. The Shoot The Twisted Vine also caters so this day of shooting was designated for these shots only. But I still got to shoot some wine bottles! Our shots were designed around a wedding party located out doors in the back patio- a fairly easy shoot. I then moved indoors to photograph some yummy appetizers. Because the place is relatively dark, with mostly ambient light coming through the large street facing window, I decided to use this to our advantage and stick with the natural mood of the place. I used the natural sunlight as a strong back light with a just a little fill and reflection off a white card to fill in the rest. Since the lighting was pretty easy, the only challenge was finding some interesting angles. Oh, and the cheese plate was killer! by Alan De Herrera
Orange County Food Photographer
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Orange County Food Photographer - Jason's Catering
Jason's Catering
 I actually shot Jason's catering company's photos prior to shooting his restaurant. These photos took place at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. This elegant and prestigious library is host to more upscale events like weddings and banquets. Great environment for shooting pics. The ShootJason's staff was prepping for a wedding and I only had about an hour and half to get in and get as many shots of the decor designed by his very talented and artistic crew. I used a combination of sunlight spilling though the large windows surrounding the large ballroom that I was shooting along with some existing ceiling lights fill flash. It can get tricky with three different types of lighting since they all have a different look and color temperature. The only real challenge was a lack of time to set up shots. This is where experience and improvisation helped tremendously. The whole point was to get in, get great shots then get out before the wedding party came in. Broke a little sweat on this shoot! by Alan De Herrera
Orange County Food Photographer
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Orange County Food Photographer - A Sweet Shoot
Dessert PhotographyDesserts are my most favorite dish to shoot. Yummy! There is just so much color, contrast and texture to work with. When I go to dinner, I always look at the dessert menu first. I think sweet. And if the photos are not leaving a lasting impression in my mind through dinner, than most likely I will skip dessert. So, for a restaurant, the dessert images have to be captivating in order to get your customers to stuff their bellies just a little bit more. I can help you with that!
A Sweet Shoot A hard back light tends to work best with dessert shots. When you "blow out" the background, you make almost everything bright white which contrasts very well against the beautiful colors of the dessert. This strong contrast helps make these photos pop and scream, "eat me!". In regards to composition, I like to sometimes get in really close exposing the textures of cakes and bread. These dessert photos have to be as delicious to look at- as they are to eat. 
by Alan De Herrera
Orange County Food Photographer
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Orange County Food Photographer
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How to photograph food
Introduction
The job of a food photographer is to make food "look" as delicious as the food taste. To bring out the best elements; texture, freshness, zest, color and richness. Exceptional food photography may convey feelings of warmth, fond memories, inspiration , and of course, hunger! They can help a restaurant bring in lots of new customers or boost the sales of a food magazine. Capturing that perfect food image requires "out of the box" creativity, a great deal of technical expertise, a good sense of style, the right equipment and great deal of experience. Oh, and of course like any other work of art....passion! Here is how I approach a food photography shoot. 
Tips on Food Photography
PreparationLike any professional photo shoot, there must be a lot of planning prior to getting to the location and setting up the camera. Food photography should be a team effort between the photographer, chef, manager, stylist anyone else involved in the production. This will ensure that a clear agenda is set in place, allowing for the photographer to concentrate on producing mouth-watering images.
I like to first have a conversation about how the food photography will be used and what type of "look" the client envisions. Food is shot differently for web promotion then it is for a cookbook layout, print or marketing materials which will require graphics and text being added in post production. The "look" of the food photography can vary from hard mood lighting to soft warm light. The way the shot is composed can vary as well; from tight close-ups to wider shots where the props and food are in focus. Each plate requires a different approach. The creative possibilities are endless!
Once there is agreement on how the photos will look, it's then the job of the stylist to gather the props that will be used for the shoot. The types of plates, bowls and dishes including color schemes, table cloths, textures, background items etc. If a restaurant chef is going to be doing the cooking as opposed to the food stylist, then it's important to talk about how the food needs to be prepared for the shot as well. Sometimes meats for example need to be undercooked; giving a more colorful and fresh look while keeping them from drying out.
How to photograph food
This might seem like an easy task. Food doesn't move and you have time to "work the shot" unlike taking photos of kids, sports or the family dog. Well....unfortunately, this is not the case. If you are going to try and make the food sparkle and look amazing, it will require a lot of work. Food photography is one of the most difficult tasks in commercial photography. I learn new techniques every time I shoot and have begun to craft my style over time. But it took a long time to learn how to not only shoot food with interesting composition, but also how to light it. That's why most of the food photography you see on restaurant web sites looks so dull and lifeless; sometimes dark and unappetizing. And most of these are shot by commercial photographers. Bad lighting. Do you think people will get excited about that? Nope! Shooting and lighting food is a lot different than shooting head shots or generic product shots. It requires a much different way of thinking than most commercial photographers are used to. So if you are going to hire someone to shoot your food, hire a photographer that specializes in food photography. Like me! Here are some of the basics in food photography: • Composition How do you want the shot to look? Tight close-up shots utilizing selective focus is the trend right now. Moving in close to the food and focusing on the most important elements while everything else goes slightly out of focus. This helps draw the viewer's eye to that one element you most want them to experience and be impressed by. For example, if you are going to shoot a yummy taco paired with beans and rice, you will most likely focus on just one end of the taco; showing how crispy the shell is along with the chunky chicken pieces. And the rice and beans? Well, they will go slightly out of focus...not as important as the taco and its fresh ingredients. Catch my drift? How about a Asian chicken salad? Do you need to show the whole salad on the plate? No. Again, you can just focus on part of the salad; the most interesting part or the part you are selling. Like the chicken! Every restaurant makes a salad but what makes your salad better? That's what you want to focus on. Now, there are times when you do want to show everything sharp and in focus. Usually high angles pointing down towards the food work well for this. An eater's point of view. Or when you want to show off more of the surrounding decor and props. A handful of lenses are utilized in food photography and each food photographer has his or her preference. Telephoto lenses are used to zoom in tight and throw the background out of focus. A short focal length lenses like the 50mm is commonly used to shoot food giving crisp images even in low light. And when you want to get really close, sometimes you will use a macro lens to make a strawberry look like a giant red island surrounded by an ocean of chocolate. There are no hard set rules to food photography; just make the food look exciting and colorful. That's the goal of any food photographer. Remember. People eat with their eyes first!
• Lighting for food photographyLighting is probably the most important element in food photography; and the most challenging. Sometimes I can spend over 30 minutes lighting a single plate. I continue working the shot until it looks like a beautiful cover model. At one given time, I may be using two strobe lights, a couple reflectors and an additional mirror or two. Remember when I said there are no set rules in food photography? Well, there is one important one worth mentioning. Don't make the food look dark! Dark food photos make the food look awful and I see this all the time. If you want great photos, then you have to do it right. There is no quick way of getting great food photography. Sorry!
Let's talk a little about how these different lighting elements are used in food photography.
• Strobe LightsProfessional food photography shot indoors or outdoors requires high quality strobe lighting. Sure you can get great shots only using the sun coming through a window but you won't have that "sun" for very long. In less than an hour the sun will shift location and the color temperature will change drastically. To mimic the look of the sun, we food photographers use studio strobe lights that get as close as you can to beautiful white sunlight. You never use fluorescent lighting or low color temperature incandescent lighting. This tends to wash out the color of food and give the image a very green or orangish look. Not pretty for food photography.
For great shots, it usually requires one or two strobe lights. One light will be your main light source or key light and other will be used as either a fill light or a strong backlight. It will depend on how you want the shots to look. Sometimes I like a very hard high contrast backlight which gives the feeling of strong sunlight coming in through a window. Or sometimes the shot calls for very soft lighting; hitting the food from an angle with a little fill light to reduce shadows. This usually requires a large soft box and/or the use of studio umbrellas.
 • ReflectorsAll kinds of reflectors are used in food photography. I use an assortment of white foam board in different shapes and sizes; from large to small depending on how much light reflection I need. Other reflectors have a shinny silver coating which creates high contrast and increased light intensity. These are good for shooting steaks and pastas. I sometimes also use a gold coated board that not only bounces light like any other reflector, but also warms up the light giving a golden feel. This might be good for shooting bread or tequila. Notice the silver reflector in the shot to the right. It's bouncing light back from the large soft box you don't see just out of frame right.
• Mirrors
I love mirrors. All kinds of mirrors in different shapes and sizes. I may put mirrors on my Christmas list this year! A good food photographer can never had enough; that's for sure. The right mirror can help point the light in a specific direction which allows you to intensify one particular element of the food. For example, say you want to brighten up just the carrots a little more to show off their beautiful orange color. A mirror can be used this way for directional lighting or, what I call spot lighting. See the little mirror in the photo to the right? I used it to brighten up a little spot behind the plate. Mirrors help food sparkle!
• Natural Sunlight
Ahhh...Good ol' sunlight. The most beautiful light in the world. I love to use sunlight whenever I can but unfortunately, it's hardly ever around when I need or want it. As soon as the light coming through the window looks gorgeous, its gone. So, if you are going to do professional food photography and take your time setting up these shots, then you have to use artificial light. Sorry. No way around it. But a great food photographer can fool the viewer into thinking the light really did come from the sun! I love to hear people say, "wow, I love the sunlight hitting the food. Bright and beautiful."
 • Food and Prop Styling
I've saved the best for last. I love food styling. When I first got into food photography, I hated it. I had no idea what was going to look good or not and had no experience in food styling. With most of the restaurants I shot in the beginning, the manager would just leave me alone in a dark hot room underneath the building to fend for myself. I was in charge of everything. No help. Nobody else wanted the responsibility of figuring out things like: what type and color of plates to use? What to put in the background? White table cloth or a colored one? There are a million different ways to dress up the shot and a million different ways to screw it all up and make the photo look bad. Well, I didn't want all my great lighting and composition to go to waste so I was forced to learn some basics in food styling. But believe me...I am no professional food stylist. Nor do I ever want to be. I leave that to the pros. But sometimes the food photographer or someone other than a professional food stylist has to do this to save money. That is where I recommend the entire team get involved in the planning and execution, allowing for a much more successful shoot. The food photographer has to many other things to worry about. 
Here are some things you need to think about when it comes to styling food for the shot:1. What type of plate would go best with the food? White or color? For restaurants, usually you are shooting on white plates and bowls. 2. Table cloth or wood table? Again, white table cloths are the norm in restaurants but the shot might look better if you add some color or patterns? 3. Props? What's going to be in the shot along with the food? Utensils, other plates of food, flowers, drinks, bread, the restaurant out of focus etc. These items can make or break your shot. Or..perhaps you shoot really tight and don't see anything beyond the plate? 4. How to make the food look best? Under cook the meat so it doesn't look dried out perhaps. Adding some cooking oil to meats will help as well. Spraying lettuce with water makes it look much more fresh than dry lifeless lettuce. How is the food positioned? Moving a carrot half an inch or stacking the food a little higher than usual can help a shot as well. Think presentation!
 Post production
Okay. Once all the planning, preparation, lighting, composition, cooking and styling are complete, the job of a food photographer is not finished. Time for Photoshop! Every photo needs either a little or a lot of tweaking in a good photo editing program. I use Photoshop because it's the best. And I shoot in camera RAW because it's the best. What is that you ask? It's a larger file size image format that is unprocessed. Kind of like a film negative waiting to be processed. Which means you can go into Photoshop and process every little element of the photo ust how you want it. You are not stuck with what your camera processed like in the JPEG format. With no loss in quality, you can go back and tweak individual colors, highlights, shadows, color temperature, focus points etc. A good run through in Photoshop can make all the difference. Here is how I approach the post processing of my images. After the shoot is done, I like to go through the all the photos either myself or with the client, and decide which shots turned out best. Then, I go in and individually edit each of those photos slightly adjusting the color, contrast, sharpness, light temperature, brightness, composition etc. Once they are finished, I save the edited files into a separate folder and save the originals; un-altered. Then these files can be downsized for web or set up for print. Each photo can take between a minute and 15 minutes to edit. Here is another example of how this works. Just think of a photo out of the camera, as a freshly washed automobile. Looks great right? Well, image if you then waxed it, dressed the tires and polished up the chrome. Now we're talking sparkle! Here are some examples of food photography right out of the camera and then edited in Photoshop. ORIGINAL
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Orange County Food Photographer Alan De Herrera
More about shooting professional photos in Camera RAWA camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be used with a bitmap graphics editor or printed. Normally, the image is processed by a raw converter in a wide- gamut internal colorspace where precise adjustments can be made before conversion to a "positive" file format such as TIFF or JPEG for storage, printing, or further manipulation, which often encodes the image in a device-dependent colorspace. These images are often described as " RAW image files" based on the erroneous belief that they represent a single file format. In fact there are dozens if not hundreds of raw image formats in use by different models of digital equipment (like cameras or film scanners). Raw image files are sometimes called digital negatives, as they fulfill the same role as negatives in film photography: that is, the negative is not directly usable as an image, but has all of the information needed to create an image. Likewise, the process of converting a raw image file into a viewable format is sometimes called developing a raw image, by analogy with the film development process used to convert photographic film into viewable prints. The selection of the final choice of image rendering is part of the process of white balancing and color grading. Like a photographic negative, a raw digital image may have a wider dynamic range or color gamut than the eventual final image format, and it preserves most of the information of the captured image. Raw image formats' purpose is to save with minimum loss of information the data that are obtained from the sensor, and the conditions surrounding the capturing of the image (the metadata). RIO PHOTOGRAPHY
Orange County Food Photographer
Copyright 2009
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