Latest works: pointing the camera towards different subjects...not one step at a time, but many!

One of the loves of my life! Photo by Valentina Vitols
Copyright © 2005-2009

Dave Sheely Designs. Photo by Valentina Vitols
Copyright © 2005-2009

This has been one busy, wonderful Summer. I have been working and photographing my "favorite things" here and there. Seattle, children, wondrous food, and fantastic small businesses' pieces of art. It has been "a bit here, a bit there."

Macaron from Honoré Artisan Bakery in Ballard. Photo by Valentina Vitols
Copyright © 2005-2009

Did I say food?

Recently, I gave my husband Ryan my "old" Nikon. By old, I mean a two-and-a-half-year old, great DSLR that was replaced by a full-frame DSLR for my practice. He has always liked photography, but now, of course, he's hooked. It is divine. We have been going around clicking. He now plays a lot with his Zooomr account and has a Tumblr blog, Cuh-Click.

My good-looking husband and his new toy. Photo by Valentina Vitols
Copyright © 2005-2009

Like me, he has been taking a lot of food photographs. Maybe that is the reason he used it to explain what photography has become to him. He told me, "you want photographs to be like a delicious plate of food, an interesting one, too. You don't want to eat the same thing everyday. Photographs should be always new, exciting and mouthwatering. They should be food for your eyes."

Palatable, uh? What a great way to put it!

I found this to be true for me. I indulge in the visuals. Observation is my tray of hors d'oeuvres. Rule of thirds (as simple as it sounds), is the way I prepare my food. Getting close to fill the frame is me leaning over my plate and breathing the aromas in, deeply. Photos are bites. Every angle, every attempt to look at a subject from a different perspective is like slowly chewing and savoring pieces of an entree.

Unusually orange but delicious OJ & Carrot Juice at Oddfellows Cafe
Photo by Valentina Vitols. Copyright © 2005-2009

Editing gives that nervousness and anticipation one feels between a meal and dessert. And the sweet rewards comes in the form of final images...nothing feels like a scoop of condensed milk ice cream (thank you, Joule) or Sugar Dusties with a large French Press (thanks, Art of the Table). That same feeling I have when looking at my handsome, beautiful, wonderful subjects.

@ZoeZendog. Photo by Valentina Vitols
Copyright © 2005-2009

I am thankful for the opportunity to point my camera at such interesting people and happenings. Many of these opportunities are tied to Twitter. Being @valenvitols has brought me such joy, and new friendships that I cherish like my old ones.

Gorgeous Lorna Yee performing a Chef Demo at the Queen Anne Farmers Market.

Photo by Valentina Vitols. Copyright © 2005-2009

Top Chef Robin Leventhal performing a Chef Demo at Queen Anne Farmers Market.
Photo by Valentina Vitols. Copyright © 2005-2009

It doesn't matter if I just have to "walk up the hill" (pant, pant, it's Queen Anne) to visit my neighborhood's Farmers Market, or I take my "yes, a bit large" camera at a restaurant and keep my poor friends from eating (that's @bitterbiscuit, always!). I also flew to Florida, to see my family and meet some friends from high-school (Caraqueñas "exilees", just like yours truly). One of these gatherings ended up with an impromptu photo session of my friend María's daughter, at Vizcaya Palace in Miami.

Valeria at Vizcaya Palace, Miami, FL.
Photo by Valentina Vitols. Copyright © 2005-2009

Vizcaya Palace, Miami, FL.
Photo by Valentina Vitols. Copyright © 2005-2009

I will stop here. Have a wonderful weekend, Seattle (and everywhere else!)

¡Gracias!

Photos from the Queen Anne Farmers Market

Northwest Gazpacho. Copyright © 2005-2009 Valentina Vitols. All rights reserved.

@chefreinvented, Seattle Chef Becky Selengut. Copyright © 2005-2009 Valentina Vitols. All rights reserved.

My darling husband and I visited the Queen Anne Farmers Market (in our neighborhood) last Thursday. Ryan is now the proud owner of a Nikon DSLR (his first one!) and has been snapping pictures around, happy as a kid! I'm helping him with some photo essentials, and the results have been wonderful. The best part, though, is to be able to share my passion with my love. Nothing compares!

I made some photos myself. Chef Becky Selengut was doing the weekly cooking demo and delighted us with Northwest Gazpacho. The photos on this post were later used in the Queen Anne Farmers Market Blog. Thanks to them for including my images in their lovely post (read the post by clicking here). If you want to see the rest of the photos, please click here to go to my Queen Anne Photos' Flickr page.

Stay tuned for information about a Food Photography Workshop I'll be teaching on September, 3rd at this fabulous neighborhood's Market.

Queen Anne Farmers Market: Thursdays 3-7 pm, June 18th to October 1st West Crockett & Queen Anne Ave.
Join them on Twitter: @qafarmersmarket

Enjoy!

Food Photo Workshop at the Queen Anne Farmers Market

Copyright © 2005-2009 Valentina Vitols. All rights reserved.

Update: We had to cancel the kids workshop. We apologize for this, kiddos! This means that adults will get an extra 30 minutes of instruction. We have only two spots left. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Do you love food? Do you love tweeting about what you eat? Do you blog and have an interest in food? Are you intrigued by those purple carrots Mom just brought home for dinner (at the Farmers Market)? Are you interested in making art?

If you said "yes!" at least once, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn some basic tips about photography and how to take pictures of food. Take advantage of the spectacular specimens sold by the colorful flower vendors, the beautiful produce items, and other products at the Market, to make your best photos in the last days of summer.

I am very excited to announce that I'll be teaching a couple of Food Photo Workshops at the Queen Anne Farmers Market (located in my beloved neighborhood). I'll be there on Thursday, September 3rd, on the "Beautiful Food Day".

The first workshop is for kids, ages 6 to 12, (5pm-6pm) and the second one is for adults (6pm-7pm). Whether you have only a toy camera, a point and shoot, or a "prosumer" camera, this workshop is designed for all photography enthusiasts.

Join us for this fun activity while shopping at our fabulous neighborhood Farmers Market! Queen Anne Farmers Market: Thursdays 3-7 pm, June 18th to October 1st West Crockett & Queen Anne Ave.

Please register here: