scrumptious chard pesto and some food photo tips

Hello food loving friends!  I am so excited to tell you about our delicious discovery Saturday night- chard can be substituted for basil in pesto! Who knew? Probably YOU, but I hadn't a clue. I've successfully tried other greens before, but nothing has come as close to basil as swiss chard. The funny thing is that I'm not even a big fan of chard. I love all greens, but it's one of the lowest on my list. Not so anymore. So if you're missing the fresh vivid green pesto of summer, just substitute some chard (with the stalks cut) off for basil in your favorite pesto recipe. I added a squeeze of lemon juice and a little extra olive oil.

 ***

My weekend was all about baking and souping (new and old recipes alike). There were so many opportunities to snap shots of pretty food that it got me thinking about my relationship with my camera and our kitchen. Uninspiring food pictures just make me sad, especially when the recipe is a good one. I've definitely taken my share of poorly photographed meals, but have improved over the years. If you have a blog and like to cook, most likely you've included some food posts. I thought I'd share some of the simple things I do to make the most out of what's on our plates. Let's use Sunday's breakfast as a teaching tool, because I took a rather blah pic, before I got in gear for more enticing one.  As a huge popover fan, I had been wanting to try Amy's Dutch Baby every since Amanda blogged about it last week. The time change had me all turned upside down and a super fast recipe was in order for growling tummies. Because I hadn't planned on taking pictures, that puffy Dutch Baby collapsed before I even grabbed my camera.*Sigh*

There were lighting obstacles, as well, so I let everyone serve themselves a slice and then served YOU a slice and ran outside with it. I reached for a tablecloth on my way out the door.

Isn't that  final photo a little tastier? With caramelized apples and a dusting of sugar it was devoured instantly. In fact, I might double the recipe next time. So here's a little list of things I do to ensure delicious images:

9 tips for better food photos:

1. keep your camera in the kitchen
2. use natural indirect light- set up a tray at a window or bring it outside, but not in direct sunlight (I take almost all of my pics outside when the weather permits)
3. keep backdrops at the ready- a tablecloth, dishtowel, or favorite piece of fabric ( I love my old cutting board's rustic appeal and it's in many of my shots)
4. shoot above it, but not directly over it
5. use simple plates and bowls that don't take away from the food
6. style a pretty serving and then offer it as seconds to someone in your family
7. keep your camera hand steady or use a tripod
8. tweak with any simple photo editing tool if the light isn't just right
9. upload your photos to your blog in a nice large size... now that it's a delicious picture show it off!

(Instagram is a fun new way to casually share food photos- but I still use most of the same tips above with my phone)
Note: I am not a food blogger, even though I pretend to be some times! I am not a trained photographer and use a fairly basic camera. I just like nice pictures of good food. Between the time change and this post, I may need an early lunch today!