Photoshopping Food?

I know that photographer’s photoshop so-called “flaws” off of models. And I know that food styling is a big industry. I  even took a class in it. There was even a food styling challenge on Food Network once as part of their challenge series. So I get it.

But photoshopping food to make it perfect? I just don’t know about that. I think that can cause a lot of frustrated home cooks, amateur chefs and budding foodies who wonder why their dish didn’t turn out like it looked in the picture. Heck, I’m a chef and my food/plates don’t turn out that way either. Of course, I don’t have a food stylist helping me to make my plates look perfect.

Food is imperfect. Food is fun. And it’s messy, it can be greasy. But I don’t know if there is a perfect plate.

And mind you, I’m not talking about a balanced plate (that’s a whole different topic).

And fixing a smudged fingerprint, chipped plate, spilled sauce, dust in the camera, focus – that’s a different story. And I know we “eat with our eyes first”. We taken in the sight, then the smell, then we taste. That’s why watching all those blind taste tests and blindfolded food challenges on Top Chef and other food competition reality shows is so much fun.

Here’s the article in case you’re wondering what sparked this post – Photoshopping Food

Even Martha Stewart struggles with her food photos and has #struggleplates or she could just be bad at taking pictures of food. But as one of my chef instructor’s used to say – It’s just food. You don’t have to go quite this far with the #dinnercam.

Here’s a pro guide to taking better food photos on Instagram .

Just for fun check out these links:

#ThatPlate –  tumblr page “Because folks refuse to stay out of the kitchen.”

The Struggle Plate – Instagram “Bad food + confidence = the struggle plate

Foodgasm – tumblr page “Mouth-watering, Tummy grumbling, Eye-popping, Drool inducing, Finger-licking, Diet destroying, Scrumptious, Gastronomy.”

Food Porn It – tumblr

Hungry Happens – tumblr