Posts Tagged ‘Chester’

4th April 2008

Friday, April 4th, 2008


Oak Smoked Garlic, hand-fired pots.

This smoked garlic smells like those carefree days from childhood, where a box of matches borrowed from the kitchen draw led to secret bonfires in the woods, sheepishly returning home trying to hide the smell of smokey clothing from prying noses. I have no idea how to cook with garlic that smells like post-bonfire clothing.

3rd April 2008

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008


Sue’s new haircut, moody lighting

2nd April 2008

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008


This painted caravan just appeared in field half way between Chester and Helsby a few weeks ago. It looks really defiant against the backdrop of farm sheds and trees. These last few days images exhaust my local knowledge of graffiti art, unless anyone knows any good spots around Chester/North Wales?

1st April 2008

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008


Pedestrian bridge, Chester ring road, Upton.

An inspired graffiti artist has painted an amplifier graphic onto one of the concrete bases of this bridge. It looks great as you drive past. I took several wide-angle shots here, but I like the simple symmetry of this one.

31st March 2008

Monday, March 31st, 2008


This disused railtrack runs [under the A55] near Chester, and is regularly used by graffiti artists as a legal painting venue. It’s different every time I go back and you never know what amazing art you will find painted on the concrete walls here. I would love to meet one of the artists, but I have never seen anyone here. [Sustrans] are developing a cycle route along this track soon – I do hope the permission to paint here will still stand, so more people will get access this ever changing art.

30th March

Sunday, March 30th, 2008


Poor man’s crème brûlée.

An ever changing combination of raspberries, blackberries, vanilla pod, crème fraîche, natural yogurt, maple syrup and sugar. This was the best one yet and only took about 5 minutes to put together. I won’t be trying to hold a blowtorch in one hand with a camera in the other again though.

All of these shots following the contemporary style for in-progress, close-up food photography. The informal presentation of the food is enhanced with the very shallow depth of field, perhaps slightly too shallow in some cases here. This style seems to be a good shortcut to the desired result of making the food look good enough to eat. I think it is probably much more challenging to get satisfactory results shooting product type food shots where everything in the shot needs to be perfectly presented and in sharp focus.

29th March

Saturday, March 29th, 2008


Dough balls and herb baked tomatos, pretty much straight from the oven.

These shots both using natural light, diffused with cloud, worked fine without any additional diffusion.

26th March

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008


Eucalyptus Tree, after the rain.

18th March

Tuesday, March 18th, 2008


I need to work on someone to have their picture taken in this location, its such a moody backdrop in early morning sunlight.

12th March 2008

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008


Kurly Cale. This plant has been growing none stop for two years, and the young leaves still taste great.