LITRATONG PINOY

Everyone can cook, but not all cooks are chefs. The difference though lies in experience and passion.

Growing up, I was often shooed away from the kitchen by our kusinera because she didn't want anyone invading her territory. Only after marriage, did I learn the basics of boiling, frying and baking. Many years later, I had myown bakery then branched out to a catering business which was inherited by my daughter, who is the real chef in the family.

My passion for the culinary was intensified into creating a family cookbook that I could pass down as my legacy (kuno). However, hiring a photographer to record my every epicurean motives of such an ambitious project would entail time and expenses, and a lot of hard work.

So my question is: Why am I a photographer? Or would like to become one? Simple—First, I'm a cheapeepay/barat-- can't afford a photographer who might charge me an arm and a leg for my project. Second, time is uncontrollable. I can't have any photographer come at the last hour because I want him to get good shots of my creations. And third but most important, I wanted to become a photographer because as someone who loves to cook, I not only can write about it, but record it as well ---THROUGH MY OWN EYES!!!!!”

So when I want something done, what do I do?: I enrolled of course!!! Trying to hit two birds with one stone. Cook and shoot!

Here are the first three things I learned in taking good photos and I'd like to share them

1)A good photograph has a clear subject ...(that's my food)
2)A good photograph focuses attention on the subject –(that's still my food)
3)A good photograph simplifies. (how simple is food, well as explained it only includes those elements that draw the eye to the subject.)

Okay, so I have been a couple of months into the program (which by the way works out just fine for me since it is geared towards achieving at my own pace) But I still have difficulty in balancing apertures, f-stops and shutter speeds. But honestly though, I am appreciating the knowledge of learning the why's and when's of the clicking . And the first basic tip ever if you're going to have a love affair with photography is : Know your camera, then it will teach you what you want from it.

The skill of a good chef lies on how he presents his dish, because in reality, you eat first with your eyes. And a photographer with a good eye, can record that moment. I want to have both.


Here are three photos that explain three kinds of lighting techniques...and my subjects: MY FOOD, of course!


ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING : using flood lights to illuminate one side while the other is shaded


NATURAL LIGHTING (basically what you get from the sun) . this was taken during late afternoon when we were going to have
our 'sninner' (its the bisaya term for snack na dinner)...with us it's called merienda cena..




AVAILABLE LIGHTING - taken when I got my 'biko' out from it's parchment paper and the stove light was the one that showed it's sexy granules...Like just awakening from it's steamy slumber.

So, my question again: Where does a good picture come from? The photographer, the equiptment or the subject? Aba eh, paki sagot nga, ineng?!

litratong pinoy - husay