Egg Nog Snickerdoodles | Commercial Food Photographer

Two perfect reasons to make these cookies:
1. You love Egg Nog.
2. You hate Egg Nog but someone left it at your house.

Either way, you'll like these cookies! If you don't, take them to work and make your coworkers eat them. They're really light and the flavors are subtle, a nice contrast to the majority of holiday treats.

Love this photo? Buy a copy from Photo Kitchen. 

The paper trees in the background have been my favorite part of this holiday season. I've really enjoyed making them, thanks to fellow photographer and blogger Davina Fear, who happily shared the idea. Those of you who are parents, Davina has some of the cutest crafts and activities I have EVER seen.

Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies
www.whatkatiesbaking.com

1 ½ c flour
½ stick butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup egg nog (I used soy Silk Egg Nog, and it worked perfectly.)
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 cup sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon for rolling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar. (I used the paddle attachment like it says, but I used a regular beater for my next cookie recipe (also to combine butter and sugar) and it worked just fine.
4. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. Add egg and eggnog, and beat to combine.
6. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. Don't overmix.
7. You can chill the dough for an hour or more to make the dough easier to scoop, or go ahead and scoop them a little messier.
8. In a small bowl, combine 1/8 cup sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon.
9. Use a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar.
10. Place about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
11. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after five minutes. The cookies will feel a little doughy when you touch them, but trust me, they're finished.
12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack as soon as they are cool enough to not fall apart. Yields 18-20 cookies.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie | Professional Food Photographer

My first experience with sweet treats made spicy was actually in Mexico, in 2002. We were at a resort that served Mexican Coffee after dinner, and it had cinnamon and something some type of pepper in it. It was wonderful. It took a few years before I saw anything similar back home, and that was of course Jeni's Queen City Cayenne ice cream. I always try the most unusual flavor on any menu, and when I saw chocolate and cayenne together, I had to have it. Sometimes I love unusual things just because of their uniqueness factor, but later the novelty will wear off. Many years later, Queen City Cayenne is still my favorite of Jeni's signature flavors.

When I saw Martha's take on a spicy sweet treat, I jumped on it. The only downside to these cookies was the need for a warning label, so kids wouldn't assume they were just chocolate cookies. Oh well, it makes for cuter packaging with the little warning label attached.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie
from Martha Stewart

    * 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    * 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    * 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    * 1 3/4 cups sugar
    * 2 large eggs
    * 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon chile powder (I used ground cayenne)

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
   2. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Makes 32. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Commercial Food Photography Studio

Recipe of the Month:
Blueberry Boy Bait

This recipe came to me by request, from a certain someone who loves blueberries. He found the recipe on SmittenKitchen, and I figured, why not? Trader Joe's had blueberries that looked too good to pass up, and I was on a baking spree anyway, so I figured I'd throw this one in the mix. It was very simple to make, and will be perfect for breakfast (like a mix between a muffin and coffee cake), and a snack, and dinner....Don't worry, it's healthy; there's fruit in it!

Here are a few photos of the batter. I always scrape the bowl clean, no batter will go to waste at my house!


And here are a few hurried shots of the final product. Every food photo shoot is a process. I start with what I like most, but then move onto different angles, and points of focus. Then I begin to add in elements and deconstruct the subject. You can't go backwards with food, so I always start with the least destructive option.
1. The first image was shot from the back of the piece of cake I cut. I say the back, because it was the side that was falling apart, but I liked how it looked anyway.
2. The second shot is of the clean side, the front. While it looks okay, I think it's too straight, and doesn't look as bite-worthy as the other side.
3. The third one is shot from higher up so the focus goes further in the background and you get to see the fork cutting into the cake. I like this one best, because it shows the product well, but is also interactive. I feel like I'm about to eat it.
4. The fourth one I shot to get closer up into the cake with the fork, but the piece in the front doesn't look all that appealing, so I'd stick with #3.


Which one do you like best?

Edible Columbus | Photographer

Here are a few shots from the Spring Issue of Edible Columbus, and a few extras that didn't make it in the magazine! Check out their website.

Photography Matters, No Matter Your Business

Why hire a professional photographer? This is a question I here a lot, especially since the rise of digital photography. I recently found two articles (not written by photographers!) that explain how the use of quality photography is integral to your business.

This first excerpt is about hiring a professional photographer for a political campaign, though it could apply to any business's advertising and marketing endeavors.

Photography can be the key to a successful direct mail campaign. When it comes to direct mail, you get approximately five seconds of a voter's time between the mailbox and the trash can so you need to make those five seconds as eye catching and powerful as possible. In a misguided attempt to save resources, many campaigns skimp on one of the most crucial aspects of direct mail--photography. It's akin to building your dream house on a dirt foundation. All of the work you put into your mail program--the research, writing and strategy--won't be as effective if the piece is dragged down by low resolution, amateurish, overtly political photos taken by a well-meaning volunteer.

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in political mail. A compelling and unusual photo can leap out of the rest of the clutter in the mailbox and get you those precious seconds of voter attention. A few tips on getting the right image to make your point:

Hire a professional photographer, not your neighbor who has a new digital camera (unless he or she is a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer in which case I hope they have better equipment). Spend the money on a real shoot with a real photographer....

Chadderdon, Liz. "Don't Skimp on the Visual - It Seals the Deal." Politics (Campaigns and Elections). May 2010.

This second excerpt is about using photos that best illustrate your brand.

The right picture truly is worth a thousand words. It can tell your story, showcase your products, and intrigue, interest or excite your audience. But the wrong picture--well, there's a whole other phrase that describes that: Not worth the paper it's printed on. Problem is, how do you tell the difference?

A good photo or illustration communicates more quickly and leaves a longer lasting impression than words alone. It's the old left brain/right brain thing. There is an emotional and a rational aspect to every communication, and you want to enhance both. The right picture can make people read the words. The right words can make people internalize the message. The visuals you use will create a perception of your (company) in the minds of the people who see them. Make sure it's the perception you want.

There's no way to tell you exactly how much you should pay for professional photography, since so much is dependent on the specifics of your job: How many pictures? Of what? Where? When? Even where you are located geographically makes a huge difference in photo costs. The best advice is to check around. Look at photographers' portfolios, find a few whose work you like, and get several quotes. Often photographers negotiate based on use.

Before you send any image off to a publication, ask yourself if that image would stop you, engage you, interest you. Then answer yourself truthfully.

The bottom line is, the better your photos, the better you'll look. It's worth the time and trouble to get it right.

Muhleman, Janet. "Picture Your Brand." Franchising World, February 2005.