At the end of a shady row of olive trees there is a studio with a sunny verandah and a big old door that was rescued from a long forgotten farm shed.  The abundant natural light bounces off the white walls that are slightly textured and chalky.

One wall is lined with sturdy shelving that is home to photography props, books and haphazardly arranged jars of flowers and foliage.

There is a long bench made from roughly textured timber, perfectly positioned for food styling and photography.  In one corner sits a pot-bellied stove, just right for cold days and a warm teapot.

If you are still with me you may have guessed that this studio actually only exists in my imagination.

These days I am lucky enough to have a regular food styling and photography assignment and in reality this is what my studio looks like.  Two recycled doors, positioned to catch the morning light in my vegetable garden.  The doors are sturdy enough to support all kinds of backgrounds, props and food as well as providing an interesting surface in their natural state.

Having this set up in the vegetable garden means that I can
quickly pick fresh herbs, tiny flowers and greens as I need them.

Half the fun of creating photos on a seasonal
basis is finding suitable locations.  I
do like to include the occasional landscape in my photos but for close up shots
my garden studio is working surprising well.

While a purpose built studio would be the ultimate luxury setting
up temporary locations and carting around all the necessary paraphernalia adds
to the overall experience and keeps me constantly thinking and planning.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry by Lee Tran Lam is
one of my favourite podcasts and this episode with food photographer
Nikki To provides a fascinating insight into the world of big time food
photography.  Nikki’s photos and subjects are a dream!

Do you have a favourite photography spot?

 

Abundant natural light in a gorgeous studio perhaps?

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, friends x