SoFabU: Sears Grilling Week 5 Lighting and Staging #grillingishappiness #SoFabU

If you've been following my blog you know I'm currently enrolled in a Social Fabric University class hosted by Sears to learn how to better photograph food.  The first week I talked about what I hoped to learn in this class.  The second week I shopped for a grill at Sears.  The third week I actually bought my grill and brought it home.  The fourth week was all about taking pictures of food while it was cooking on the grill.

This week, the fifth week, my assignment was to take pictures of grilled food using natural light and props.  I was a lot more comfortable doing this week's assignment because plating food for photos is something all of you have been seeing on my blog for months now.  But I have learned more about using natural light and props to take a better photo.

The best place to take a photo in your house is near a window.  Not a window that gets direct sunlight, as that will be too harsh in your photos, but one that the sun doesn't shine directly into.  At my house that's a window in my bedroom.  The window is on the side of the house and gets great indirect sunlight all day long. Which made it so much easier to take pictures.

Another thing you want to do when taking photos is to use props to make the photos more engaging.  You'll see that I've added some things in the photos below that you'd typically find around plates of food to make the pictures seem more natural.

First, I've got a "grilled" grilled cheese.  :)  I love saying that.  Anyway, I wanted to make something simpler this week so a "grilled" grilled cheese.  If you've never done this on the grill, make sure you turn the flames way, way down or you'll get a extra well done sandwich.  These tasted so much better than what you'd make in a pan.  As this was my first photo of the week I totally flaked on using any props in the photo.  But I also like the simplicity of it.

That same night we also tried sticking some s'mores in a foil packet on the top shelf of the grill.  They were kind of a bust as the chocolate never truly melted and the marshmallows got more hard than toasted.  But I loved the colors in the marshmallows. 

Second, a grilled pork chop with some fresh melon and deviled eggs.  Doesn't this picture just make you want to sit down to dinner at the table?

Here's a delightful close up of the plate.  I think these food items photographed well together.  The colors are similar and complimentary to the dark blue checked place mat.

Third, Jucy Lucy burgers and grilled potato rounds.  These were the most amazing burgers.  They stayed tender and moist.  Has everyone seen those Ore-Ida grillers?  I've been wanting to try them but figured I could do it myself.  These grilled potato rounds were super easy and taste like grilled slices of baked potatoes.

Here's a close-up of the burgers.  I've found throughout the class that I really like close up photos the best.  Doesn't the burger look tasty?

Fourth, I've got a sliced grilled London Broil, grilled corn on the cob and pan fried mushrooms and onions.  Plus a crisp, ice cold bubbly drink.  A London Broil or a top round are fantastic to either grill or broil.  They stay extremely tender and slice well for sandwiches.

A different photo of the London broil.  I like mine quite rare.  :)

While pan fried mushrooms and onions aren't my favorite food, they do look juicy here.  My sister loves them cooked best this way.  They go great on burgers or with a steak.

All in all I loved the class this week.  I'm a lot more comfortable taking photos of food on plates.  I will say all of the food in these photos is real and was eaten after being photographed.  I actually made extra of everything all week to ensure I had enough food for my photos.

Once again thanks #SoFabU and Sears for offering this wonderful class on food photography.  Because you know #grillingishappiness.  :)

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias Social Fabric Community.  This shop has been compensated as a part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and Sears #CBias #GrillingIsHappiness.  All photos and opinions are my own.