Top Row: Richard Pelletier, Pim; Bottom Row: Megan Gordon and Shing Wong

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of taking part in a food photography panel organized by the Commonwealth Club entitled Eat, Shoots and Leaves. There were three of us on the panel: Shing Wong, a professional local photographer specializing in everything from food to weddings and Pim Techamuanvivit of the popular blog, Chez Pim. The ever-gracious Richard Pelletier was the moderator, and helped make the panel much more of a casual conversation than a stuffy, scripted talk.

That evening, we covered aspects of food photography that many folks are curious about: how to start, what equipment is necessary, how to find your own style, and how to market yourself. Here's a little insight into what we had to say:

Jumping Into the World of Food Photography
You've got to begin somewhere and it seems with many people that I've spoken with, it's a bit more accidental than anything. For me, I began my blog A Sweet Spoonful because I love writing and wanted an immediate platform to reach people and talk about food. The photography came second, but has evolved into a very important part of the blog. Pim mentioned how she began blogging so long ago that she didn't really have any models--she just jumped right in. And her photography's changed through the years. These days, she doesn't lug her heavy DSLR camera around while traveling or eating out around town; she prefers a light little Lumix instead as it facilitates capturing a moment and telling a story quickly. She's less intrigued by composing and styling the perfect shot. Shing's story is not uncommon: he has more of a corporate day-job, but is passionate about photography, so he's found a way to make both work and ends up shooting and editing a great deal in the evenings and on the weekends.

Finding Your Personal Style
Richard asked all of us if we have a personal style and what that would be. I spoke about how finding your personal style is so much about finding what is not your style. For me this was huge. I attended a food photography class with a teacher who was very interested in glues, foams, and other tricks to make food look like a perfectly manicured museum object. This isn't real food. Luckily during that particular weekend, I met the lovely Lara Ferroni who has become one of my biggest inspirations. She shoots photos mainly using natural light where food is center stage. Real food. That she's usually made herself. So for beginners who are searching for their own unique style, my advice would be to begin finding who inspires you (and who really does not). And practice. A lot. On your own or with friends. Your style will evolve with time and practice.

A few of my own photos

Preparing for a Shoot
We all chatted about how we prepare to shoot food. Being the type-A personality that I am, I lay everything out (linens, utensils, any props) ahead of time and have a clear sense of what I'm going to try and achieve (or the story I'm going to try and tell) before I've even cooked/baked the dish. I also do a few test shots for lighting to determine which room/area in the house is going to be the best bet given the time of day. Not everyone's like this. Pim is a bit more spontaneous with her photos--probably helped by her travels and need to be quick with her set-up. Shing shoots food at home and has done restaurant photo shoots where you're not so lucky to have a sense of how everything will be before you arrive. Flexibility is crucial here. You'll probably find that your approach aligns nicely with your personality. That being said, be open to surprises and allow yourself to play and break out of your box every now and then. Some of my favorite shots are a direct result of me cutting into cakes and climbing on top of tables.

What About the Ethics of Shooting Food?
Richard raised an excellent point in speaking about the ethics of shooting food, especially in restaurants: do you need to ask? What about if people are in your shots--do you need a release? All of us answered similarly in that we don't get model releases and don't ask permission. Pim had a great point that the second you ask permission to take someone's photo, it becomes much less authentic as they're usually posing for you in some way. In a photography workshop this past year, the fabulous Penny de los Santos taught us to really feel out situations and be aware of people's body language. But otherwise, to just start shooting until it becomes clear that it's time to stop. As far as restaurants, we all discussed not using a flash. This impedes on others' dining experience and, frankly, creates bad photos anyway. And we discussed speed: I find that if I'm focusing on shooting my meal, I'm not really enjoying my meal or who I'm sitting next to. So if I feel inclined to take a photo, I do it quickly and settle into my evening.

How to Market Yourself and Your Photos
As an amateur photographer, marketing yourself is important. Even for Shing, marketing is critical as photography isn't his day-job and it's important for him to remain current on what's going on in the photography world and for his work to be seen. Pim and I both discussed the importance of integrating yourself into your community: if you're a food blogger, get to know other bloggers. Start a discussion with them on their blogs and on twitter. Be authentic and genuine. Be patient--people aren't going to notice your blog and your photos right away. But they will. There are also the photo sharing sites like Foodgawker and Tastespotting that help drive traffic to your blog via a particular photo. And good old-fashioned networking never hurts, either.

Answering Great Questions From the Audience

At the end of the evening, audience members had a chance to ask a few questions. And after the talk was over, folks came up to greet us individually. This was such a wonderful experience for me because I remember being on the other side of the table not all that long ago, and it was an honor to be able to share what I've learned with others. If you're curious about other food-related events the Commonwealth is putting on, check out The Bay Gourmet's Facebook page or the Commonwealth Club's online schedule for more details.

Who are your favorite food photographers right now? Where do you find inspiration?

Here are a Few of My Favorite Food Bloggers/Photographers:

• Christopher Hirsheimer of Canal House is a photo goddess. Acquaint yourself.
  
• Erik Wolfinger shot the Tartine Bread book and the Outerlands Cafe website. His photos are stunningly spare and virtually tactile.
• Katie Quinn Davies pens the blog, What Katie Ate. Her photos stand out from many food blogs in large part due to the unique magazine-style format but also because of her uncanny ability to tell a story and set a mood/feeling with each shot.
• The blog Nordlijus is just so lovely and simple. Each of Keiko's photos quite literally stir up a response or reaction--a tall order for a simple photo. And that's a testament to Keiko's talent.

Photos of the evening taken by the talented photographer, Danielle Tsi. Check out her blog, Bon Vivant to see more of her work!

Commonwealth Club's The Street Food Movement: SF Hearts the Cart panel

At the Commonwealth Club's Thursday night event, "The Street Food Movement: SF Hearts the Cart," a visibly upset Steven Gbdula (Gobba Gobba Hey) explained that Murat Celebi-Ariner of popular cart Amuse Bouche is being deported even though he's married to a U.S. citizen. ICE's holding him and he's not getting an appeal. At the post-event food tasting at 111 Minna St., Steven and Natalie (Bike Basket Pies) sported t-shirts that read "Free Murat" and other vendors had small signs expressing frustration with the situation.

Natalie of @bikebasketpies

The reaction to Murat's looming deportation highlights one of the major themes of the panel discussion: the importance of community and supporting one another. Murat actually encouraged Steven to start, tweeted about his delicious gobs (an East Coast treat reminiscent of the whoopie pie), and supported other vendors whole-heartedly. The affable Frenchman was a big presence at the 24th St. BART station and will be missed greatly by his customers, but also by the other vendors who have come to see him not just as a fellow business or even a competitor, but as a friend.

The panel discussion was moderated by Tamara Palmer, editor of Pavement Cuisine for SF Weekly and included Anthony Myint of Mission Street Food, Brian (aka the Magic Curry Cart), Steven Gbdula of Gobba Gobba Hey and Charles Phan from The Slanted Door (and Out The Door, Heaven's Dog, Academy Cafe). Questions were largely split into three categories: inspiration for starting the cart, challenges the vendors have faced, and what the future looks like for them.

Regarding getting started, Anthony Myint responded first (Tamara calling him the godfather of the street scene as he started in a taco truck and has since "graduated" to cooking meals twice a week in an actual kitchen). Anthony mentioned he was simply looking for something to do in his free time, and eventually he grew out of the taco truck. It was more about logistics than anything. Brian, the Magic Curry Man, originally opened to make a little extra cash and do something besides his day job as a psychotherapist. He'd traveled a great deal in Asia and noticed San Francisco was really missing street food, so he modeled his cart after one he'd seen in Bangkok. He practiced cooking for friends and scored an old cart from Burning Man. Once people started tweeting about it, the business grew exponentially.

Brian of @Magiccurrycart and Steven Gbdula of @GobbaGobbaHey

Steven moved to San Francisco exactly one year ago Friday and like Brian, noticed a lack of street food in the city, but more specifically, a lack of the beloved gob. He figured, "I can make these, but it's the Bay Area so I'm going to have to raise my game a little." And that he did, with gobs selling out frequently and admirers obsessively following his tweets. On the flip side, Charles Phan discussed how he originally wanted to open a street cart, but was so overwhelmed by the permit requirements and code restrictions that he was driven to open a "brick and mortar."

Charles Phan

Most vendors seemed to have a good sense of humor about the permit requirements and legal restrictions. Steven mentioned that he started with more of a tray than a cart and just walked around the Mission selling his gobs. When he'd see a police presence, he'd duck into doorways whistling inconspicuously. Since then, he's gone "more legitimate," baking in a commercial kitchen and wrapping and sealing his products before they hit the street. Brian mentioned that generally the cops are more concerned with noise or folks lined up blocking the streets.

Neither noise nor street obstructions were a factor at the post-panel street food gathering. The vendors set up in the modern art gallery with people packed in, trying to get their favorite street morsel before the next guy in line.

Post-event food tasting at 111 Minna

The vendors were borrowing kitchen tools and towels from one another and cracking jokes across the room. They all know one another and genuinely seem to care about their mutual success. One of Smitten Ice Cream's recent tweets reads: @@BikeBasketPies and @SmittenIceCream are teaming up today -- treat yourself to "a-la-mode" at Secret Alley (Capp btw 17th & 18th) 2 - 5 PM.. Robyn Sue, of newly formed Smitten Ice Cream explains how important collaboration is and how supportive and helpful the community has been in showing her the ropes.

Robyn Sue and "Kelvin" of @SmittenIceCream

My favorite sample was Robyn's ice cream. The salted caramel was churned out by her trusty (self-designed) machine, "Kelvin." Robyn spent a year constructing Kelvin, who debuted on the streets of San Francisco about a month ago. The bacon potato chips always make me happy, and the pumpkin pie with chocolate chips at Bike Basket Pies made me ponder switching up our family's Thanksgiving pie this year. The ginger cookies from Sweet Constructions were crispy and delightful--and of course, that crème brulee.

@BaconPotatoChip

@cremebruleecart

@sfcookies

So while the presence of carts may wane a bit in the coming rainy months, and while some vendors may eventually tweak their business model to become more "legit," one thing will remain the same: these folks are taking something they genuinely love doing and trying to make a go of it--together. But everything good must evolve, and when asked about their future plans, it was clear this would certainly be the case.

Brian mentioned that Friday is the last day at his "real job" as he's getting laid off. He said he'll definitely be focusing on the cart more and has some ideas for expansion. While making the curry to order in front of folks is undeniably part of the charm, he is thinking about how to be more legitimate (with permits and the like). He's also interested in focusing on nutrition for lower income families. Anthony wants to open a charitable business or a chain based on the Mission Street Food model. Steven has some plans regarding new products, selling gobs on the popular website Foodzie and possibly moving into a retail space. And Charles Phan smiled, stating "I still want to build a cart. I salvaged a 60 foot trailer home and it's sitting in my yard...waiting."

Find contributing Food Vendors via Twitter:
@Magiccurrycart
@GobbaGobbaHey
@SmittenIceCream
@bikebasketpies
@BaconPotatoChip
@soulcocina
@sfcookies
@cremebruleecart
@Missionstfood

I can't recall a month with more spectacular culinary programs and special events than this August. In fact, for the entire month of August the Commonwealth Club is hosting their Bay Gourmet series called "How We Eat" with what must be a record-breaking 31 events! The events actually begin tomorrow, the last day of July. It includes dinners, demonstrations, panel discussions, authors, chefs, nutritionists and more.

If you've never seen the Hungry Planet book (now out in paperback), do check out this online slideshow.


Here are a few programs that particularly caught our eye. Check out the entire schedule online.

Eating the Right Way

A panel discussion focused on optimal nutrition and minimizing the hype. Panelists will be:

Kevin Lunny, Owner, Drakes Bay Oyster Company
Jessica Prentice, Author, Full Moon Feast; Co-owner, Three Stone Hearth Community Supported Kitchen
Helene York, Director, Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation
Naomi Starkman, Communications Director, Slow Food Nation - Moderator

Where: Club Office 595 Market St., 2nd Floor San Francisco
When: August 6, 2008, 5:30 p.m. wine and cheese reception, 6 p.m. program
How: $12 Club/Slow Food Nation members, $18 non-members. Purchase tickets.

The "Other" Chinatown: Shopping with Naomi Friedman

Explore the cultural, commercial and gastronomical treats of San Francisco's Inner Richmond with Naomi Friedman, Culinary Educator. Includes lunch.

Where: Corner of Clement and 11th Ave.
When: August 9, 2008, 9:15 a.m. check-in, 9:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. program
How: Cost: $70 members, $82 non-members. Purchase tickets.

The Provenance of Beef (The Great Steak-Wine Adventure)

Enjoy an evening sure to delight the senses: an interactive steak-tasting event featuring four signature styles of beef from artisan producers of natural or organic beef, paired with four fabulous wines. Panelists:

Armand De Maigret, General Manager, Atalon, Napa Valley
Mac Magruder, Grass-Finished Beef and Pastured Pork Producer, Potter Valley
Marsha McBride, Executive Chef and Owner, Cafe Rouge
Carrie C. Oliver, Founder & CEO, The Oliver Ranch Company & Artisan Beef Institute

Where: Teatro ZinZanni, Pier 27/29, San Francisco
When: August 11, 2008, 6 p.m. check-in, 6:15-8:30 p.m. program
How: $65 members, $80 non-members. Purchase tickets