First, thanks so much for sending both the lily and the lone tree shot to PP for a brief time. Very appreciative of your support.
For this shot, there's a backstory: A few weeks ago, before a photo meetup started, I ended up talking to Kelly, the young woman who owns Scafuri Bakery with her aunt -- it's been in the family over a hundred years, closing for 5 years and reopening in 2013 after major reconstruction. Kelly has been working to create a presence online as well as in and beyond the neighborhood. I volunteered to photograph products if it would be of help and she took me up on my offer! This morning was our first session, to get to know what she needs and to do some practice shots. Next week we do the first 'real' shoot of bakery products, then we'll do some of the store, and finally some of the bakers. When I said I wouldn't charge her, just thought it would be a good learning experience for me, she insisted she'd pay me in baked goods. Jim pointed out that sending an addict (me, to sugar) to partner with a bakery may not be the smartest move on my part! These were two of our props that I took home (I got all the props from today -- 8 cookies and a donut!) where I practiced at home using my little pop-up studio and some natural and other lights. This part of the practice session ended when I ate these 2 props. Yummy!!
If interested, here's a link to the bakery's website -- http://scafuribakery.com/ -- Kelly's been using pictures from her phone, and I think they're already pretty good. Hoping she'll like mine enough to use instead! And that I'll develop some willpower and not eat the props she sends home with me!
Alternate shot for the NYC city theme: http://365project.org/taffy/the-also-ran-ph/2015-11-04
Oh, my, that sounds like a really dangerous enterprise you are embarking on!! I gave up baking a few years back when I realized I did not have the willpower to not eat most of what I made!....and, I even claim that I don't have a sweet tooth!! These look delicious!!
What a yummy assignment! As someone who used to own a cookie bakery, I can tell you that it's never possible to have willpower in the face of fresh baked pastries. Just get all your shots before you eat the props!
@redy4et I remember now that you had mentioned owning a cookie bakery. I can't bake anymore as I eat the results myself. Jim is off sugar and showing a ton of willpower these days. No shots needed...unless there's an anti-calorie one I could find. I'm going to have to decline payment, I'm afraid!
Love it. Enjoyed reading all about the Scarfuri bakery, and I'm certain that Kelly will want to use your shots - and how wonderful to be paid in kind! :-)
Oh yes this sounds like the perfect challenge for you Taffy! Your photos will be fabulous but I think it's best if she doesn't pay you in kind! Lol! All those cookies - who could resist eating the props! I think I might have to visit the Scarfuri bakery - it sounds like the perfect place to stop off for coffee and cake - for a rest I mean!
They look and taste so different than the cookies made in the factory. The crumbly texture, the yellow from the eggs and the butter and the melting sweet chocolate. I can taste it when I see your picture
Stop it Johanna. I think the title might be "Danger Money"!!
I'm thinking of starting a new tour company from the uk taking in lectures from 'Taffy Technical Photographic Tips' and 'Scafuri Bakery'. It'd be an instant success.
Such wonderful three dimensionality here! Fun! This is like when I did the photo shoot in Poland for the sushi shop! I learned so much from the professional photographer, and eating all that food after photographing it was the best. But I get Jim's point . .. sugar addicts, like us, don't need encouragement. Yet we also know how we want those photos to look enticing.
Interesting project but I think she should be payng you a proper fee, otherwise it devalues what photographers do. The pro-photogg career is a tough one these days because no-one wants to pay for an image they can take on their 'phone... or steal from the Internet!
They look delicious. I agree with Richard about being paid to do the work. Even if one is learning and getting experience at the same time, it is still your time and your artistic eye.
Ooooh, you temptress; I love these! Mouthwatering composition and pov!
Do you have a particular name for this type of cookie? They're known as Viennese Whirls or Fingers (depending on how the dough is piped) on my side of the pond.
@vignouse HI Richard -- thanks for your insights. Normally I would agree and I would recommend always charging something (I learned from my consulting in education that I had to charge, even if it was nominal and I told them to donate my fee to the school library). However, in this case, the context was my talking with Kelly (the young co-owner) about how important their institution was to the Little Italy community, how happy I was that they were able to reopen and that she was using current technologies to build the business in new ways, and that as a member of the community who recently retired, I was looking for ways to give back that fit my own personal interests as well -- something different than my work in education. So I set up the situation as 'waiving my fee' to support the community and that was when she said she'd at least need to pay me in baked goods! What I think is critical is not the need to charge, but the need to convey that this is a major donation of time and expertise, and that we as photographers do occasionally donate our skills to a good cause. Within the 365 community, though, I'm comfortable explaining that my reason for being willing to donate my time is that I'm going to learn from this and it pushes my skills -- something I think we all look to do. I appreciate your position on this and think it is good advice.
Hi Taffy - thank you for your considered reply and now that I have the full story behind this shoot I can better appreciate your reasons for offering your services. I should have known that a person with your integrity would have done a ton of figuring before making this offer. Nevertheless I'm glad that we were able to air what I think is an important subject even though it doesn't affect me personally as I'm never likely to do any commercial work... although it's said that one should never say never. There's a lot of calories in those cookies though...
Your arrangement looks like a long term win win situation. Although there is trend for shallow depth of field in many cookery book photographs, yours is an image the I feel will benefit from your photo staking skills.
@vignouse Haha!! Exactly what Jim meant when he told me that my being paid in cookies is so dangerous -- my grandkids, niece, and nephews have called me the 'cookie monster' (a trait shared by my two brothers, whose children have learned to hide cookies if they want to get their fair share). I never thought I'd do commercial work either -- but it's so much fun to feel I'm taking photos for an authentic need! Much better than doing the photos to document our fire!!
Seeing the details in these treats makes me hungry for something sweet. I bet that's just what Kelly's hoping for with the pics on the website. Congrats to you on this super opportunity.
I'm thinking of starting a new tour company from the uk taking in lectures from 'Taffy Technical Photographic Tips' and 'Scafuri Bakery'. It'd be an instant success.
Do you have a particular name for this type of cookie? They're known as Viennese Whirls or Fingers (depending on how the dough is piped) on my side of the pond.