Loving Local Food is a food lover’s (that’s me!) adventure with cooking, eating, wining, and dining. It is my continued quest to discover new culinary techniques, sample dishes from local chefs, and share my foodie experiences through photos and text. The food snaps pique people’s interest and often spark a conversation, so I want the best shots I can get. Trouble is, I am far from a professional photographer and all I own is a fit-in-my-pocket point-and-shoot camera. A couple of weeks ago, renowned food photographer Lou Manna paid a visit to Seattle and I took the opportunity to sign up for his half-day workshop at Rover’s.

The cost included a three-course lunch prepared by the Chef in the Hat; how could I not go?

I was one of only a few people brave enough to show up with a point-and-shoot, but I was reassured it could create stunning photos with the right light and proper settings. Prior to instruction, these are the shots I got:

After adjusting my ISO (I had no idea what ISO stood for, still not sure, something about sensitivity), I was able to brighten up the photo a bit.

The above photo was taken with natural light and camera adjustments. In this next snapshot, you’ll see a glimmer of light in middle of the plate. With careful placement of mirrors off to the edge,  the natural light bounces back on the food adding dimension.

When we moved away from the natural light of the window, the orange/yellow light showed up in the photograph. These are the light conditions I usually face in my house. My food shots usually end up with this orange tint.

After shooting in the dining room, we had the honor of sneaking back to the kitchen where Chef Thierry and his team were preparing the first course of our lunch, a red and yellow heirloom tomato soup.

When the class portion of the day was over, we all headed to the dining room for lunch. Each course was paired with wine. The heirloom tomato soup with a Chateau St. Michelle Viognier, the duck with a Bordeaux blend, and dessert with Muscato di Asti.

I photographed the dessert plate from two different angles, one with the natural light in the background and one with it in the foreground. It’s interesting to see how each angle brings something different to the photo.

I am far from a professional food photographer, but I have picked up a few tips to help me share my foodie creations.