Burnt toast being held up with the word damn cut into it.
A certain teenager in our house oozed creativity but was a reluctant participant in the kitchen. On some occasions the creative spirit rescued food disasters...a few years on a she was the top illustrator when she graduated from Massey University in Wellington. What is the lesson? Let children play with their food.
Multiple awards in the Cuisine cheese awards establish Hohepa as one of New Zealand's preeminent boutique cheese making operations. The staff at Hohepa could not have been more generous with their time while I photographed the cheese making operation in Hawkes Bay. I particularly like the vintage Danbo and the fenugreek flavoured cheese.
Bio dynamic cow
Bio dynamic cattle
Bio dynamic jersey cow
Mother cow licking new born calf
Calf at Hohepa
Milking at Hohepa
Bio dynamic cattle being milked
Milker at Hohepa Cheese
Milk at Hohepa Cheese
Packaging the cheese
Cutting cheese
Cumin flavoured cheese
Cutting mature cheese
Inacio Guimares the Cheese maker at Hohepa
Hohepa cheese
Flag flying at Dwali Festival in Wgtn, New Zealand.
For a slice of India in Wellington you could go to a restaurant but a more authentic experience is the local Diwali Festival held each year in Wellington and Auckland. Although nicknamed the 'festival of lights', for me the undoubted highlight is the food and the frenzy that goes with it.
Food at Dwali Festival in Wellington.
Food at Dwali Festival in Wellington.
Food being served at Dwali Festival in Wellington.
Food being served at Dwali Festival in Wellington.
Dancers at Dwali Festival in Wellington.
Women admiring saris at Dwali Festival, Wellington
Food photography of Minted Summer Pasta and Potatoes by Ruth Pretty.
"Can you eat the food you photograph?" or "what are all the tricks to make the food look so good?" are the two questions I am most often asked about as a food photographer. Surprise registers when I say pretty much the only thing used is a little olive oil .
The only time I can remember a trick is when we put raw new potatoes in a salad, as with cooked potatoes the skins slide off . I would say lighting, fresh ingredients and props are the keys to a strong food photograph however some food photographers try other approaches - check this video out
Organic piglets in barn at Ti Kouka, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
I ran into these little piggies at Ti Kouka, an organic farm in Hawkes Bay. I have been told that less than 1% of pork production in New Zealand is organic. Although this number is unconfirmed I figure these piglets are pretty rare.
Pigs at Ti Kouka organic farm
Organic cow
Portrait of owner of Ti Kouka with his dog
View from Ti Kouka
Organic cows
Organic sheep and lamb
Organic sheep with lambs
Organic sheep and lambs
Organic calfs
Home preserves in student flat, Dunedin, New Zealand
Burning couches, the undy 500 and egg throwing are well known student activities in Dunedin. With this in mind it was surprising to see the home preserves in pride of place when visiting a student flat.
Two buns with George Crosses on them at Rugby World Cup
The buns were photographed in Bristol on a visit and got me thinking of what might appear on New Zealand baking in 2015 - the year of the World Rugby Cup. Perhaps a NZ flag or the corporate colours of the ABs or even a silver fern