serendipitouspleasures

I have developed a deep relationship with Food Photography ever since I have started cooking. In the very beginning cooking was a mess and a hard task, but today it is a fun filled activity which energizes me, inspires me and satisfies me! To photograph the food I cook is absolutely a wonderful adventure.

There are a very few tips to photograph food which  I think are very important to accomplish a perfect photo result.

Some of these tips are as follows:

• Have neat presentation ( Not too much clutter )
• Choose a plain background/table top. (Too much fanciness is distracting)
• Use a solid colored plate/platter/base where the food is served
• Shoot in daylight. (Try beside the window or a place where there is sufficient daylight available)
• If you’re shooting somewhere daylight is unavailable, then try a 100 watt lamp or portable flash lights.
• Avoid flash on camera. Flash on camera tends to change the originality of the Food.
• Use a tripod.
• Turn the Macro setting on

Not all of the above have to be done in order for a perfect food shot to be achieved, but best results will be received if followed =)

I always find the new years to be full of resolutions and promises to the self for a better year, but usually end up not having made half of them by the end of the year.

But this New Year I feel pretty confident about reaching half of my resolutions.  I believe that in order to reach my goals I should set my goals in baby steps, and gradually spread my wings. I have already started on my tasks to make the resolutions come true.

Starting with healthy eating and exercising. I don’t have a high goal that I will lose 50 pounds or 80 pounds, instead my goal is to have a healthy lifestyle and keep my mind at peace. Trying too hard to reach a goal that is too high can lead to zero result. Dr. Phil says that a person who goes on a diet and excessively restricts oneself to lose weight ends up gaining more weight. So, to keep a balanced diet and exercise is what I am leaning towards.

My second goal is to finish my school by the end of this year. I am starting my Aesthetics program in January 6th, 2009. I am excited to go back to the learning field. Although I was a Graphic Design student in Seneca and this has been my career goal since High school, I had taken break from it due to many unpleasant times in my life.

At this point in my life, it requires too much commitment to go back to completing my education in Graphic Design. Thus, my goal is to get a diploma in something I am good at and can enjoy and finish in a short time. So, after a lot of thought, I have decided to get my diploma in Advanced Aesthetics in the Canadian Aesthetics Academy. I am already a registered student and classes start next week.

Last but not least, and the most important of all; my goal is to make my life simpler by committing myself more into the Islamic lifestyle. I want to make my life less complicated, less materialistic and less involved in the worldly matters.

Last week, I have gone to Montreal for a one week Jamat (going out in the path of Allah). Jamat means to go out in the path of Allah with the intention of purifying one’s heart from everything worldly and evil, and to engage in learning Deen (Islam), learning the ways of living as a Muslim. This is a sacrifice, which every Muslim must make in order to spread Islam and apply onto everyday lives. During this trip I have sacrificed the warmth and comfort of my home, all worldly materials like my computer, telephone, the shopping, chit chats, etc. Throughout this whole journey we occupied ourselves in reading Hadith( the saying of the Prophet SAW) and learning and correcting ourselves. I have come back so purified in the heart that now I wish everyone’s life was this simple. Thus, the intention to make my life simple is a one huge goal.

I hope and pray that all my resolutions turn out as it is made.