On my weekly forays to the farmers market I often buy more than I can cook. For awhile I would look up recipes for the produce I purchased and try new dishes. This was very rewarding. Recently I have begun to enjoy the beauty of my new finds such as this bouquet of arugula. How can I cook this? Too visually delightful to disappear from my sight that soon. I have placed it in a container befitting its earthly vibes. Every morning I wake up to this bouquet delighting me on my kitchen table. I have always had flowers around the house as a reminder of nature and all it's beauty. They also remind me how lucky I am to enjoy the fresh flowers in abundance in my garden or grown by local farmers. My new inspiration has moved beyond flowers to herbs and flowering produce. Broccolini also sits in a silver pitcher in my pantry area. I am always looking for new ways to photograph produce and flowers but afer I am done I try to find a new way to appreciate what I have grown or purchased.
Photographing Portraits of Produce
Nature has always captivated my interest. I like to look deeply at the fold of a flower, the details in a leaf and the texture of farm fresh produce. I enjoy the small moments rather than the bigger observations of a scene. I began photographing produce years ago while exploring the farmers markets near me. I would bring home a variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables and place them under the lens of my camera, a Hasselblad in those days. Today I am once again enjoying my forays to the farmers market and gathering my items to bring home and photograph. I like to focus on the subject and keep the background simple, which is why you will see most of my images on a white old piece of marble. I like the texture this brings to the photograph without interferring or competing too much with the beauty of my subject. There is endless beauty and much to observe when faced with a single or small group of earthly delights. I am renewed with inspiration each time I hunt and gather for my treasures at the market.
Welcome to KTH Kitchen
I have always considered myself a dreamer. I love to sit with a warm cup of tea and imagine different paths I could take in my life. After my mother passed away I spent many afternoons in quiet contemplative moments. Without realizing why at first, I began cooking every night. Diving into my cookbooks I had collected over the years and looking back on some of the recipes my mother passed down to me I realized it was keeping me close to her. It was a connection as well as nurturing me and my family. I began going to the farmers market again and photographing the local grown produce we are blessed to have in Southern California. Such beauty in a simple carrot, turnip or herb I found through my lens. I had found my new passion and began this great adventure that truly saved me. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, I am not happy unless I am being creative. So began kthkitchen. So many roads this journey can take and I am fearless and open to what lies ahead.