I have a confession: I am a horrible perfectionist when it comes to my food photos. There have been so many times where I make a dish, and it tastes fabulous, and I can’t wait to write about it. But then the photos look horrible. Or the food just isn’t very attractive. Or I don’t like the lighting. And so I scrap them all, and the recipe doesn’t get shared. Brown foods especially are difficult for me.
Take these cookies for example. They are one of the best recipes for a chocolate chip cookie that I have found. I ended up making two separate batches because they kept getting eaten before I could take a picture of them. The malted milk powder and chocolate syrup give them a unique twist. Then, it took me three tries before I got some pictures that I actually liked. It also didn’t help that someone kept trying to steal the cookies right out from under the camera.
And played with the props.
Other foods that I find difficult to photograph are casseroles, pasta, and soups. What are challenging foods for you to shoot?
adapted from Taste of Home, October/November 1995
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and light brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat until well combined. Mix in malted milk powder, chocolate syrup, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and chunks.
- Drop cookie dough onto baking sheet in 2-inch sized scoops, placed 3-inches apart. Bake until golden brown on top, about 12-14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan before removing cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
I agree about brown foods being hard. I also have trouble with things in a rectangular baking dish – like lasagna or a casserole. It always looks kina awkward. I’m learning to just shoot one side or corner. And learning the whole dish doesn’t always have to be in the shot.
This cookie recipe looks yum!
I feel you! I have the same problem many times! I actually find cookies the hardest to take a picture of. But your photos are lovely, the cookies make me wanna cheat on my diet!
Yes indeed, I have photographed one soup per week since January, and in my tiny flat with not much natural light, it’s quite a challenge. Your cookies look lovely though. I just hope when you said you scrapped them, you were only talking about the photos.
Another vote for brown foods. I also have a tough time with things that aren’t completely solid, such as casseroles and bakes. These cookies look wonderful, though!
I am all for the chocolate cookies! They look divine!
Denise,
Yes of course, I scrapped the photos. I think there would’ve been a mutiny in the house if I threw out cookies.
Kelsey,
I think you hit the nail on the head – any kind of food that doesn’t have a set shape or form just ends up looking like a blob when I try to photograph it.
These look soo soo delicious! I can’t wait to try the recipe for myself
Sarah
I bet it’s great.
These look wonderful! I have a horrible time with reflections off soup…not so pretty :/
Ww! These cookies are really the bomb.com. I’ve made so many cookie recipes where the cookies come out paper thin but this cookie was fluffy and sooo good! Thx!