Recently due to their main photographer being suddenly indisposed , I helped Food magazine complete a cover shoot along with some of the internal food layouts. The food stylist was Lauren Glading.

Over a few months of 2013 , I was involved in producing photography for book in association with Penguin books about the Little india restaurant chain .

The purpose of the book was to introduce the story and history behind the restaurants to the public and to show some of the food that the restaurants produce in detail . Reading the recipes in the book will give someone reading it confidence in the quality of the food at little india restaurants. Pictures of the interiors and some of the staff at work were taken to complement the images of the food and help tell the story of the restaurants. Styling was doe by Athena Sommerfeld. Part of the brief was that we didn’t use bright traditional indian colours as that would detract from the colour in the food , making it less prominent

Pictures of the interiors and some of the staff at work were taken to complement the images of the food and help tell the story of the restaurants. These were used for chapter openings and other illustrations in the book.

Herbs and spices lined up for use

Chefs at work in the kitchen

One of the hotter meals being cooked

Retrieving breads fom the Tandoor

Naan bread in the Tandoor

Tandoori Chicken

Naan breads from the Tandoor

Operating the Tandoor oven

Speedy service

Restaurant interior – little india Glen Eden

Over late 2012 to mid 2013 , Alongside the Auckland seafood school and Penguin books, I worked on The Complete New Zealand seafood cookbook  . I promise its all delicious! An update to an earlier book , it is a MUCH bigger (288 pages , hardback) and thoroughly comprehensive review of New Zealand seafood recipes.

Styling and propping again was by Athena Sommerfeld .

Chefs involved were : John Campbell, Steve Roberts, Colin Doyle,Mark Dronjak, Marco Edwardes, Petra New and Steve Roberts.

One of the bigger challenges on this shoot was to keep the images light and airy to give a sense of the delicate flavours on offer. A range of backgrounds was created and adapted for use , some out of stuff found at the side of the road. As the shoot progressed  as recipes were finalised , decisions would be made as to which backgrounds would be used, with care to make sure the backgrounds didn’t over whelm the food.

Natural light with some modification was used to represent the  colours of the food with a more natural rendering than studio lighting.

Photographer: Sean Shadbolt

Trade kitchen   in Wellington needed some images to promote their lunch menu , Also to show something of the atmosphere in their private dining room . Shooting had to be done  while the restaurant was working and was completed with with minimal disruption.

Photographer Sean Shadbolt . Assistant Jin Zhang