Prepping for a shoot

Looking through my shots from today's recipe shoot I realized that this photo is fairly emblematic of how I prep all my photos and my shooting process. Since I cook, style, and photograph all my recipes for this client, I have a particular system. Read the recipe, prep the ingredients, separate them out into stylized bowls / container / dishes etc. some which will be used for photos, some which are simply for prep. But it is all very compartmentalized, even down to the tbsp of olive oil right in the center.

What I love about this is that even the prep itself becomes still life. And that is what I love most about food photography. Creating a work of art with everyday ingredients. Even a spatula becomes a paintbrush.