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  If you’re a new photographer or photography student, you know it can be difficult to obtain lighting equipment due to financial situations.  However, you can still make beautiful photography with natural light.  As a food photographer, I utilize window lighting on a regular basis.  Here are a few tips on how to photograph with natural light, manipulate light and an easy way to create a reflector.  

  The most common colors for a reflector are white and silver.  You can also use gold, but this creates extremely warm lighting, while silver and white add no color to the reflection.  The best, and cheapest, way to create a reflector is with a poster board.  All you need to create a reflector are silver reflective duct tape and one large white poster board.  Line one side of the poster board with the silver duct tape.  Be sure that the duct tape is laid out as smoothly as possible and be sure that there is no white poking through the tape (you want a smooth reflection).  And you’re done!  One side of the poster board is silver which creates a more intense fill light, while the white side can be used as a reflector as well but has a very soft and subtle effect.  I spent about four dollars making this reflector and it only took ten minutes to put together.  Half of photography is problem solving, and you have to be prepared.  Having this reflector in my car has definitely helped me out on more than one occasion.  

  Below are two photography examples of what you can do with natural light.  One is a more organic image, in that there is foliage and you can tell that it was shout outdoors.  The other I aimed for a  more commercial-like appearance.  In this first images, I simply scouted out a location in my apartment's courtyard that had flowers in it and took some false lavender from a decoration in my bedroom.  I found a spot under a tree that provided a good amount of shade from the sun.  I took a few minutes to set up my shot on the ground and grabbed my reflector.  I used the white side because the silver side created a terrible glare on the perfume bottle,  but the white side was more soft.  In order to gain proper exposure, I utilized the Sunny 16 rule.  This is a way to meter for correct exposure during daylight without using the camera's meter. So for example, if your ISO is 200 at f/16, then your shutter speed will be 1/200 seconds. If your ISO is 100, then your shutter speed will be 1/100 seconds. Below is one example of how that shoot came out.  

  In this example, I wanted a more commercial look.  I went out to my porch and sat near the edge where the most sunlight was.  I sat the bottle on white poster board and placed the camera on a tripod above the set up and metered with my camera.  I wanted to over expose this slightly to give it a light and bright feeling.  The silver reflector to the left filled in shadows and created an even light across the image. 

Here is a lighting diagram to better illustrate how to create a set.  

  My final example demonstrates how one could do a shoot with window light.  The best way to do window light is to find a window that lets in plenty of light and set up your shot in front of the window.  Sometimes the window lighting alone is plenty of light, but if you want an extra bit of light you can add in your silver or white reflector.  The image below shows one that I did using my window at the front of my living room.  The window is at camera right while the reflector is at camera left.  Here is another lighting diagram to demonstrate this.  

  I hope that these tips and tricks help out anyone who is looking to better their photography.  The reflector is cheap and easy to create by yourself, while anyone is able to recreate any of these lighting set up.  Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this for you.  Stay tuned for next week’s blog post!  

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Cabin Fever, COVID and Coffee

                                   Cabin Fever, COVID and  Coffee 

   Due to these distressing and strange times we are all forced to face with this COVID-19 epidemic, I was not able to do a southern recipe for my blog series, “Southern Fried Culture.”  It is strongly advised for citizens to stay in their homes and avoid the general public, as much as possible.  Therefore, I was not able to go grocery shopping for ingredients.  But do not fret, I have something equally interesting and simple for you to dive into while you’re cooped up at home.  All of these ingredients can be found in most homes and it will help you pass about fifteen minutes of your time.  

   This week’s recipe is a viral recipe that has been circulating the internet these past few weeks, Dalgona Coffee (whipped coffee).  This coffee recipe comes from South Korea for internet users to connect and it quickly gained popularity among the youth in America.  As a food photographer, I was intrigued by the color and consistency of the coffee.  The coffee topping is thick and rich like the consistency of peanut butter, however, it floats on top of the milk.  The look of the coffee is very elegant and the consistency can’t help but provoke one’s curiosity as to how it tastes.

                                               INGREDIENTS:

Instant Coffee ( I used Nescafe dark roast instant coffee, but you can use any type of instant coffee that you desire)

Granulated Sugar

Milk

Water

Coffee Creamer (optional)

Whisk/mixer

Mixing Bowl

Ice (optional)

                                                                                                       THE RECIPE:

Step 1.)  Take two tablespoons of the instant coffee and place it into your mixing bowl. 

Step 2.)  Pour two tablespoons of granulated sugar into your mixing bowl with the coffee 

Step 3.)  Pour two tablespoons of warm water into your mixture 

NOTE: This recipe only makes one serving of Dalgona coffee topping.  The ratio of ingredients is 1:1:1, so all ingredients are equal parts and are easily doubled if needed.

Step 4.)  Begin whipping the ingredients together with your whisk/mixer.  The mixture should start to become a light caramel color and thicken.  The end product should be thick and similar to peanut butter like the image below.

Step 5.) Pour milk into your cup about ⅔ of the way and top it off with your Dalgona Coffee topping.  If done successfully, your topping will float.  I added a splash of french vanilla creamer into my coffee because I enjoy a sweet flavor in my coffee. 

   I would also like to make it clear that this coffee will be quite strong, so if you don’t like a strong coffee you may want to do mostly coffee creamer with a splash of milk.  It is also common for Dalgona Coffee to be served over ice, however I did not add ice to mine.  The flavors of the coffee are definitely a bit bitter, however I do think that the milk and creamer balance it out very well after mixing it all together.  The consistency is thick and frothy, almost like a thin milkshake.  This is also a great food to photograph, because the topping will stay floating on top of the milk for quite some time.  This provides ample time to get different angles on the food and change the background if necessary. The coffee does create small and elegant caramel streams flowing into the milk, but it does not mix together fully.  

   I am the type of person that will spend a little too much money on a good cup of coffee.  So, being able to create cafe worthy concoctions while in the sanctity of my apartment peaked my interests tremendously.  I hope that this provides you with some sort of entertainment while being cooped up in your homes.  Remember to wash your hands and stay in doors as much as possible.  We are seperated from one another physically, but not spiritually.  We will all get through this together and we will overcome these obstacles that stare us in the face during these troubling times.  Next week I will be writing about the types of lighting you can use in your home and what tools around the house you can use to improve your photography.  I hope you enjoyed reading this blog, as much as I enjoyed writing it for you.  Below is a link to the CDC’s website for information on COVID-19.  

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Here is some studio work that I did earlier in the semester. The best part of doing food photography is eating the subject after the shoot! #shelbyrayohotography #shelbyrayfoodphotographer #shelbyraycommercialphotographer#owensborophotographers #owensborofoodphotographer #owensborophotography #owensborofood #commercialphotography #foodphotography #foodphotographer #foodphotographyandstyling #foodie #shrimpflorentine #seafoodpasta #pasta #studiophotography #studiofoodphotography (at Owensboro, Kentucky) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-eTxVjHd4g/?igshid=dxj5ju7tc799

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I’ve greatly missed hitting the streets of Nashville to do some street photography.  I can’t wait to get out of the apartment to capture some unique people and places. 

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Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get out of my apartment to the studio space at Nossi College, but I have been taking this time to learn how to use natural light and how to manipulate it.  All three images above were done using sunlight. 

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Southern Fried Culture: Sweet Tea

                                  Southern Fried Culture: Sweet Tea

         As stated in my previous blog, “Southern Fried Culture: Biscuits and Gravy”, sweet tea is a religion in the south and unsweetened tea is blasphemous.  As Dolly Parton stated in Steel Magnolias, it's the “house wine of the south”.    It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I learned that most Northern states didn’t keep sweet tea in their restaurants.  It was an odd experience to request sweet tea and the waitress told me that the sweetener was on the table and gave me a glass of plain tea.  As a food photographer, it is my job to photograph many types of beverages, but sweet tea has always been one of my favorite beverages to drink and photograph.  The rich amber beverage in a frosted glass creates beautiful imagery.   

     In my first year of college, I worked as a waitress in Nashville, TN.  In Nashville, it is quite rare to meet a local due to the large influx of tourists and others moving into the city.  Many would ask for iced tea, and of course I would ask, “Would you like sweet or unsweet.”  Often you could tell whether your customer was northern or southern when asked this question.  Northerners usually just politely state, “unsweet” while the southerners give you this cringed face and state, “sweet”, as if there is no other option.  It is also common sense to Southerners that tea is never chilled by ice, rather chilled in the fridge and then served over ice.  Serving hot tea over ice waters down the flavor of the tea.  

      Though tea has been around for centuries, 2732 B.C., it wasn’t until 1879 that the first recipe for sweet iced tea was recorded in a cookbook.  However, it wasn’t until prohibition hit the South, tea drinking became popularized.  In fact, tea was often served with alcohol before the country became dry.  The drink is also widely popular because it pairs nicely with the foods of the foods in Southern culture.  “The refreshing briskness of ice-cold tea with a slice of lemon cuts the rich, bold flavors of crunchy chicken-fried steak, sticky sweet barbecue, creamy shrimp and grits or spicy gumbo.”

                                           SOUTHERN SWEET TEA:

This tea recipe is one that my granny, grandmother, mother and myself have done. 

Step 1: Place six bags of Lipton Iced Tea in a pan of water and boil, 

Step 2: Place one cup of sugar into the pitcher that you plan to use for the tea. 

Step 3: Remove the tea bags from the pot and stir in the hot tea with the sugar.  The hot tea properly dissolves the sugar.  If you pour room temperature or cold tea on sugar, there will be sugar bits left in the drink. 

Step 4: Fill the rest of the pitcher with water and mix together. 

Step 5: Place in the fridge to chill. 

Step 6: After it is chilled, serve over ice and add lemon if you’d like. 

     My family generally uses only one cup of sugar because I still like to taste the flavor of the tea leaves.  However, the sweetness of the tea varies from household to household.  Some even make their tea with cane sugar syrup, but this is an older tradition that is usually done by older southerners.  There are certain things that remain true to Southern culture: fried chicken, Jesus and sweet tea.  I hope you enjoyed learning about the importance of sweet tea and how it gained its popularity among Southerners.  In my next blog post I will be writing about my home state of Kentucky and our famous Mutton barbecue.  Please feel free to fake the recipe above and try out some authentic southern sweet tea, and follow along with Southern Fried Culture as we explore the tangy and sweet world of the Southern United States.

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                                                      SOURCES:

1.) What’s Cooking America. “Iced Tea History-Sweet Tea History.” Web. Accessed 3/17/2020. https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/IcedTeaHistory.htm

2.)Slate. “I Wish I Lived in a Land of Lipton, What Makes Southern Tea so Special.”  Jeffrey Klineman. Web. Accessed 3/17/2020. https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/IcedTeaHistory.htm

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This was one of the most interesting photo sessions that I have had the privilege of participating in.  My passion in photography is focused toward food and beverage.  However I still enjoy stepping away from the kitchen to work with human beings.  

Photographer: Shelby Ray

Website: shelbyrayphotography.com

#shelbyrayphotography foodphotography foodphotographer motionphotography owensborophotographernossicollegeofart

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I am happy to announce that my website is finally running. Please feel free to take a look at my portfolio and contact me if you would like to hire me. Here is a link below. I am excited to hear from you! #shelbyrayphotogrpahy#foodphotographer #foodie #photographer #commercialphotographer #owensborophotographer #kentuckyfoodphotography #adobeportfolio #nossicollegeofart #foodblogger (at Owensboro, Kentucky) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9x3uACH2sA/?igshid=2dbc1tmd10rz

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CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH CILANTRO MINT SAUCE

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Southern Fried Culture

                         Southern Fried Culture:  Biscuits and Gravy 

        If you ask a true southerner what their favorite breakfast food is, you’ll surely get the response, “biscuits and gravy.”  A flaky, warm buttery biscuit topped with creamy hot sausage gravy is one of the oldest and most popular traditions in the south.  As a food photographer and southerner, I wanted to create a blog series to showcase the food culture that is deeply embedded into southern living and history.    I’ll be covering the historical origin, a personal story, a traditional recipe, as well as its historical significance in southern culture.

              The history of biscuits and gravy is widely debated. Some believe that this southern fried meal dates back as early as the revolutionary war.  Some culinary historians place its origin in the mountains of Appalachia in the early 1800s but I, including many others, believe that the credit belongs to the slaves of the south.  It should be noted that black cooks are the historical backbone of southern food culture.  During the days of slavery, African Americans were made to work hard and long hours, so biscuits and gravy was an important and filling meal for people to eat.  Barbara Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune writes,  “People (blacks) didn't have a lot of money to spend. Back in slavery days and after that, they were working in the fields, hard work. So emphasis was put on filling food. Like gravy. Gravy is heavy, it will lay in your stomach, it stays with you.”   Sausage gravy is a very easy and inexpensive item to make, which made it widely popular throughout poor families in the south. 

         Biscuits and gravy holds a special place in my heart.  As a child, breakfast was a chief affair  in my family.  My grandfather, and sometimes my mother,  would cook breakfast together, but granddad was the king of biscuits and gravy.  His mother passed the recipe down to him, and her mother before her.  You could say biscuits and gravy runs in our blood. After cooking, my grandfather sat down with his breakfast, took a sip of black coffee, excitedly tore into his gravy slathered buttermilk biscuits and proudly proclaimed, “It’s damn good but it ain’t nowhere near your granny’s cookin’.”  

                                       Granddad’s Sausage Gravy:

Step 1 - Heat up a skillet, traditionally a cast iron skillet, on high and begin cooking pork sausage patties for about 10 - 15 minutes. 

Step 2 - Pull off the sausages and put them to the side.  Begin pouring in the flour, stirring constantly, to the drippings in the skillet.  (Granddad never measured his flour, but most recipes call for 2 to 3 tablespoons)

Step 3 - Add in whole milk and begin cooking and stirring until the roux thickens and begins to bubble.  Keep adding in milk if the gravy is too thick.  

Step 4 - Crumble up the sausage and add to the gravy. 

Step 5 - Serve immediately over warm buttermilk biscuits.  

                                                                                       Buttermilk Biscuits:

Step 1 - preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Step 3 - Turn dough onto a floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)

Step 4 - Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

I hope that you enjoyed learning about the southern culture that I hold dear to my heart and the people that helped build it.  If you’ve never had biscuits and gravy, try out this recipe and get a taste of southern history.  Next week I will be covering another important, almost religious item favorited by southerners; sweet tea.  I appreciate your time in reading my blog, and please feel free to follow along with my exploration into Southern Fried Culture.  

Sources:

Chicago Tribune, website. Barbara Sullivan, Food is at the Very Soul of Us Blacks’ History Since the Days Of.  Accessed on March, 11, 2020. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-02-18-8803310553-story.html

 Food Network, website.  Alton Brown, Southern Biscuits. Accessed on March, 11, 2020. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/southern-biscuits-recipe-2041990

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