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Food photography ideas:

1) The first article that could be illustrated by a food shot is about a pilot program launched by Dole Food Company, Inc. The company announced that it is partnering with national organizations to launch a pilot program that will introduce innovative new vending machines to schools featuring healthy food products. The new vending machines will supply Dole brand healthy foods such as fresh fruits and “Fruit Bowls”, in conjunction with cafeteria-prepared salads, sandwich wraps and milk, giving school children greater access to healthy and nutritious foods.

I think the photograph could draw from the dichotomy between “fresh and healthy food” and “vending machines”. Probably this is the main “nut” of the story.

The complete story can be found at:
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070130006260&newsLang=en


2) Another interesting article is about how the high-priced corn is threatening the cost of food. Analysts are mixed over how higher corn prices will affect meat processors like Tyson Foods. Its corn-based chicken feed was purchased and feed to poultry that were slaughtered and sold in the last quarter long before corn prices took off. But most agree that if corn prices remain higher due to ethanol plants consuming so much of the corn crop, that it will be consumers who eventually pay for that through higher-prices food on grocery store shelves.

The nuts: “corn”, “chicken” and “ethanol”

Complete story can be found at:
http://www.axcessnews.com/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=12850


3) The third story is related to the previous one (and a concretization of it). The article is not available yet because is still being written by two “Adelante!” reporters for the February issue of the bilingual magazine. The story is about how the increase in the amount of corn that USA is importing from Mexico (because of the ethanol fuel) is resulting in a rise of the price of Mexican tortillas. A good challenge for someone wanting to do an illustration rather than a food shot!

The nuts: “corn”, “ethanol” and “tortillas”


*** Interesting food pictures I’ve found can be seen at:
http://www.foodportfolio.com/frames/base_frame.html

It’s the web page of Michael Ray, a photographer specialized in food photography. To me the best thing about these pictures is the way the different different dishes are lit in order to convey the right mood for each of them. The color of the background and the props (very few since most of the shots are really tight) are also masterfully set.

A similar web page is Tim Hill’s: http://www.timhill.co.uk/portfolio/

I realize that the above pictures are “hardcore” food shots, not editorial... But, hey, they look so DELICIOUS!!!