Clare Barboza, photographer and artist

it's a golden kind of day

2012-02-14T14:55:00.002-08:00

Thanks to Anthony at Left Coast Dog Services for letting me tag along with the golden brigade today. :)

my 3-day farm to table workshop

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

(PLEASE NOTE: Due to a mix-up at the rental facility, the date has been changed since I posted this earlier today. The new dates below are correct.)

I received emails, comments, and encouraging words on Facebook after posting my idea about a multiple-day farm to table workshop, so I am going to do it!

And, believe me, this workshop is going to be a blast.

The class will start on the evening of Thursday, September 20 and end the morning of Sunday, September 23rd. The whole event will take place on beautiful Whidbey Island.

This is a workshop focused on how to tell a story through photographs. Students will document 2 farms on the island, visit a farmer's market, learn all about food photography, and will spend their days taking a whole LOT of photographs. There will be group critiques, as well as plenty of time for individual instruction, (if desired.)

Since this is a 3-night workshop, I have rented a beautiful house near Coupeville, that sits on a gorgeous piece of property high above the Saratoga Passage. I have personal experience with this particular piece of land, since my husband and I were married on it back in 2003. It's a very special place.

The workshop fee is $1250 and includes everything. Specifically.....

•3 nights accommodations in the Willow Pond Lake House, (PLEASE NOTE THAT ROOMS ARE SHARED.) You can view the house here.

•all meals (including wine)

•transportation on the island (you will still have to get yourself to Whidbey but carpooling may be an option.)

•all workshop instruction

I hope we'll see you there! :)

TO REGISTER, click HERE.

a cookbook shoot, the finale

2012-02-01T13:51:00.001-08:00

(This is a continuation from this post and this post.)

Well, today is the last day of the shoot with Kim O'Donnel and, I must say, I am a bit sad. This shoot has been so fun and smooth from the very start, and it has felt so good to be working on a new project in my studio.

We only have 5 dishes to shoot today; a crepe dish from the Mother's Day menu, a noodle dish from the Lunar New Year menu, a gorgeous eggplant timpano which is part of an Autumn menu, some sopes from the Cinco de Mayo menu, and a pasta and white bean dish from one of the Spring menus.

Below are the props I gathered for each of those shots.

crepes/mother's day

noodles/lunar new year

pasta with beans/spring

sopes/cinco de mayo

eggplant/autumn

So what happens once all the recipes have been shot? Well, I will spend time working on the images in Photoshop, making sure they are touched up if they need to be, checking that the images are saved in the correct color space, and resizing everything according to the publisher's specs. Photos are then saved as tiffs and then usually FTP'd (or mailed) to the client.

At that point, the publisher will choose which images will go where, and start laying out the design of the book. While we are handing over close to 50 final shots, the publisher may choose to only use a portion of those. The most important thing is that we are giving them options.

For example, Kim and I made a point to include a number of "process" and ingredient shots. These are important images because they can be used in multiple ways-- as possible section openers, within chapters to further explain a recipe, or as front or back matter within the book, (images that may go behind the table of contents, foreword, etc.)

I promised I would show you one of the final shots, and so here it is! I chose the onion shot because I spent a fair amount of time talking about the process of shooting it in the last cookbook post.

While I did shoot it with the cover in mind, it may or may not end up being the cover image. That decision is entirely up to the publisher and their sales team. However, this shot gets my vote! :)

Thanks for following along with this process.

I hope you will check out the book when it comes out in the Fall!

i have an idea

2012-01-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, you are really wanting me to get back to the cookbook shoot...and I will! I promise. The next post will be all about that.

But I had an idea last night and I wanted to throw it out there.

I get inquiries all the time about my farm to table classes. I have to be honest-- while those classes are some of my very favorite ones to teach, they are the hardest to schedule.

First, we are dealing with the Northwest, which means the best time to schedule any kind of farm visitation is in the summer or early fall. The problem is that the farmers are working 7 days a week at that time of year, and it's nearly impossible to find a time for students to visit their property, particularly if they are a small operation.

Second, most farms are outside of the city. This, of course, makes total sense and makes for a lovely road trip. But it means arranging transportation for 7-10 people and spending a large part of the day in the car. It also limits which farms we can go to because many of them are too far away.

Lastly, the natural-light-food-photography component of the class can't happen unless there is a space to teach it. Meaning, not only do I need to find a farm (or two or three) where I can bring students, I also need a space filled with natural light where we can prepare food, hook up computers, and practice food photography. Most farms don't have the space for this type of thing.

That all being said, these are surmountable obstacles. The conclusion I have come to, however, is that the class should be a few days and not just one. That way, one day can be spent visiting and documenting farms and another can be focused on food photography. Distance becomes less of an issue if the class is a few days long and not just 8 hours.

That all being said, I am thinking about planning a 2 day, 3-night workshop in early fall. At this point, I am fairly set on Whidbey Island because there are several great farms out there, and I know of a perfect place I can rent that can accommodate a number of people overnight, has a great kitchen and ample natural light, and is in a lovely location. A couple farms have already expressed interest and my husband has volunteered to do all the meal preparation for the entire time, (he's a keeper.)

So, what are your thoughts? Would this be interesting to you?

I would love to hear feedback before I move forward.

2 more workshops you should know about

2012-01-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

I am taking a short break from the cookbook shoot posts, (the finale will come later this week) to tell you about 2 more workshops on my Cross Country Roadtrip Extravaganza.

I have already mentioned the workshop that is happening in Southern California on April 21st. Now it's time to tell you about two of the weekends following that one.

First, on April 28th, I will be teaching a class 45 minutes outside of Denver, Colorado at the farm owned by Fruition Restaurant.

This restaurant was recommended to me by my cousin who lives in Denver, and was hailed as one of their all-time favorite spots in the city. After talking to the chef and learning more about the philosophy at Fruition, we both decided that their farm would be the best spot to hold the class. Not only do students get to learn about natural light food photography, but they will also get the opportunity to capture a sense of place and tell a story about a working farm with their photos.

The class is $300 and includes lunch.

Then, on May 12th, I will be in Poland, Ohio, (which is located 1 hour from Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Akron/Canton, and 6 hours from Chicago and NYC) at the lovely studio of Kate Echle.

This class will cover all the basics of natural light food photography and will focus on an entirely VEGAN menu! Kate has graciously offered to include breakfast, coffee and tea, and I will provide lunch, so students will not only get to spend their day playing with food and pretty props, but they will also be very well fed!! :)

Class is $300.

To register for either workshop, please email me at clare at clarebarboza.com

a cookbook shoot, part 2

2012-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is a continuation of yesterday's post.

For multiple reasons, the pace of this shoot is much faster than usual. It's pretty typical to get through 4-6 recipes in a day for a cookbook but, on this project, we've been doing 6-10 per day. Kim and Brooke have been able to do a majority of food prep the night before, which helps tremendously. By the time they arrive at the studio, most of the work has been done.

Also, we have a lot of creative freedom with this book, which is a photographer's dream come true. I have had the pleasure of being able to do pretty much whatever I want for each shot and, luckily, everyone has been happy, (knock on wood.) Most times during a cookbook shoot, each recipe needs to be styled and shot a few different ways and then the photos need to go through an approval process which often involves multiple people. Obviously, that can eat up a lot of time, and we've been extremely lucky to have a much simpler work flow. That being said, the publisher always has the final say on everything.

Today we are shooting 9 recipes. One of them, the Roasted Red Onions with Pumpkin Bread Stuffing, is a dish that I think might make a nice cover. So, I plan on shooting with that in mind.

I chose this recipe because it's pretty, it's a main dish, it's savory, (we don't want people thinking this is a dessert book) and it's kind of a "fancy" dish, (this is a book about meatless celebrations, after all!)

When choosing props, I wanted something slightly rustic because there is a rusticity to the dish. However, I didn't want something too rustic, because it might detract from the "special occasion" theme.

For example, I pulled the props below as possibilities, yet ruled out the casserole pan, the scratchy baking pan and the linen towels as too rustic.

Also, while I loved the color of the blue dishes, I didn't really want to put the onions on a plate.

I also pulled the silver as an option. But, after thinking about it, the platter was too large and the shape was wrong.

So, I chose this! I think this silver piece is a great combo of rustic and elegant. Plus, it's exactly the shape I originally envisioned.

Then, because I loved the thought of using blue in the shot, (the onions are a gorgeous shade of purple), I decided to use this surface. It's already been used once in the shoot and I am always careful not too use the same props too often in a cookbook. However, since there a quite a few shots in the book, I don't think using the same surface twice is excessive.

As for some of the other shots, I chose the props below to use for a photo of blood orange galette, (although I ended up switching out the patterned blue linens for something else.)

I chose these props for an Indian-themed dish of pakoras with chutney.

Here is Kim prepping the galette before putting it on set.

That's it for today! Stay tuned next week for the final post. :)

a cookbook shoot

2012-01-25T19:19:00.000-08:00

I could not be more honored or excited to be shooting Kim O'Donnel's second cookbook, The Meat Lover's Meatless Celebrations, to be published fall of this year by Da Capo.

Not only is Kim a fantastic person, but her vegetarian recipes are absolutely scrumptious and oh-so fun to photograph. Every single dish is rich with color and texture and inspires me so much I can hardly contain myself, (an opportunity to use some new props! Hooray!)

I thought I would share some of the steps and thought processes behind this shoot as it goes along. We are on day 3 right now so we are already halfway through the shot list, but you can get a sense of how things have progressed so far.

In my final post about the shoot, I will share one of the final images.

(As a side note, I just tasted the most INCREDIBLE vegan caesar salad. I am not a vegan and I have to say that, in my opinion, this salad is better than the best caesar I have ever had--and I am a salad snob. It's worth buying the book when it comes out just to have this recipe. )

my color coded shot list

Author Kim and Sous Chef Brooke working in the kitchen on day 1

Deciding which bowls to use for the first dish (carrot fennel soup.) I already knew I was using this surface.

Getting ready for shots 2 and 3

Kim setting up before I photographed her demonstrating how to assemble stromboli

Laying out some of the props for day 2

And for day 3...

Items ready for me to style for an ingredient shot

Trying to choose linens

The dish and surface I ended up choosing for Kim's amazing poached pears

Stay tuned for more.....

so cal workshop

2012-01-19T12:57:00.001-08:00

Hey you, Southern California people. You know who you are. I am gonna be down your way in April, teaching a Natural Light Food Photography workshop and I think you should come.

It's on April 21st at a private home in Ladera Ranch. We're going to talk about all sorts of fun things-- props, composition, light, exposure and basically how to make your food look pretty in pictures. Since I am driving down there from Seattle, I'll be able to bring some props from my studio for you to play with.

The fee is $300 and includes lunch.

This is going to be FUN, so I hope to see you there!!

(Interested? Email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com to register.)

learning and unlearning

2012-01-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

When I applied to Cornish at 21 years old, I came to my interview with a portfolio comprised of nude photo studies inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite painters, and 10 drawings that completely sucked. I am not exaggerating-- they were terrible. The head of the art department accepted me on the spot, saying, "you are getting in because of your photography. You do not know how to draw. But you will learn."

And I did learn. I also learned video, some mixed media and various types of print work. But my first love was always photography.

I have been creative my whole life. As a kid, I acted, sang, and danced and had big plans to be an actress. I also loved to bake, sew, and was obsessed with interior design. In high school, I lost my taste for the superficiality of the acting world and became interested in photography. When I wasn't taking photos, I was making collages or redecorating my bedroom or writing poetry or daydreaming about making artsy films. I don't remember being afraid to try my hand at any new creative endeavor.

After 5 years of art school, I came away with a lot of new skills, a BFA, some crazy life experiences under my belt, a group of amazing friends, and a newfound confidence. I also came away with a list of rules about what it means to be an artist:

A "real artist" struggles.

A "real artist" only produces work for themselves-- if you are making work for clients then you are not an artist, you are a designer.

A "real artist" only makes work that has a deep and complicated message.

A "real artist" is a master of their craft.

A "real artist" is never materialistic.

A "real artist" is constantly obsessed with their work and very little else.

A "real artist" knows the difference between good and bad art, (and doesn't make bad art.)

Because of all my rules, I spent a very long time feeling like a massive sellout when I began making a living as a photographer. I also stopped making art for fun.

As I became a better photographer, my willingness to take risks and try other mediums ended. Why? Because I was terrified to make a fool of myself. I was scared to look stupid and make crappy art and, inevitably, prove to the world that I am actually a big fraud and not an artist after all.

I say all this in the past tense, as if it's all different now. It's not. But it's changing.

For years now, I have wanted some type of creative outlet that I can come home to. Something I can do to shut off my brain. Something that gets me back to the way that developing photos in a darkroom used to feel. Photography is intensely creative (and remains my first love) but once I am done shooting, the rest of my time is spent on the computer and the computer is not a place I need to spend more time. I have been dying to do something tangible, to make something with my hands.

So, I am learning encaustic. I have always loved the textured, layered look of the medium and it's a way I can incorporate my photography if I choose to.

I have read a couple books and taken a great workshop but, mostly, I am figuring it out on my own.

And I am making a lot of crap.

Let me just tell you, it's really hard for me to see the pile up of the horrible paintings sitting on the shelf in my little home studio. Every time I sit down to paint, all my harshest inner critics start making themselves heard, letting me know how predictable, shallow, amateur, and embarrassing my work is. Telling me how I shouldn't even try.

And yet, for the first time in years, I am still pushing on. I am still painting. And I am finally, FINALLY, starting to enjoy myself and letting it be okay that I don't know what I am doing and that I am making a whole lot of mistakes.

And, dare I say, I am actually starting to kind of like some of the pieces I'm making.

There is no moral to this story, other than I thought it was important to share. I have a tendency to hide myself and what I create until I deem myself and my work worthy to be seen. And that's something I don't want to do anymore.

That's all.

(Some of my collage materials. Yes, that is a Playboy from 1967 there. I got it at a salvage yard in Sarasota and it is AWESOME.)

(My little love bug, Nina, keeping me company.)

lots o' dogs

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

My awesome dog-walker/dog-boarder, Anthony of Left Coast Dog Services, asked me to take some photos of his canine clients. While it's not my usual gig, I couldn't say yes fast enough! What could be cooler than hanging out with cute pups???

{deluxe} jam

2012-01-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen the current issue of Edible Seattle, then you haven't seen the story about Rebecca Staffel and Deluxe Foods.

This was such a fun job to shoot-- Rebecca is as delightful as her jam is delicious!!

more charleston workshops!

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

You know that workshop I mentioned in November? The one with Helene Dujardin of Tartelette and author of Plate to Pixel? Well, it sold out in 36 hours so we are offering it again!

Actually, we are offering TWO more workshops. :)

The first one is November 1st through the 5th and it's almost exactly like the one that sold out for this coming May, with maybe a couple visiting lecturers added in.

See below....

***To view more information and to register for the November 1-5 workshop go HERE.***

The second workshop is a week later on November 8th through the 12th. It takes place in the same awesome beach house in Charleston, however, there will three of us teaching it. Alongside me and Helene will be food stylist extraordinaire, Tami Hardeman, of the blog Running With Tweezers, (I love that name.)

We will cover all sorts of cool stuff and, since Tami will be along for the ride, students will gain a more in-depth understanding of food styling.

***To view more information and to register for the November 8-12 workshop go HERE.***

welcome to my studio

2012-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

I have posted photos of the studio here before, but I keep getting requests to see more so I thought I'd give you a little tour.

The space is 1600 square feet and North-facing. With the white walls and high ceiling, there is consistent, bounced light all day.

This area is where I do my shooting:

And here's the kitchen:

And the lounge-area:

C-stands:

I know you were dying to see a photo of the bathroom:

That blue table is one of my recent purchases from an antique shop on Whidbey Island:

Wall of props:

Prop details. You may notice I have a particular love for transferware.

Linen drawers:

Some of my surfaces:

hello, 2012

2012-01-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long absence. The day after my last post, I came down with a bad cold which progressed into bronchitis and now, over 6 weeks later, I am still coughing. According to the doctor, a cough can linger for a long time so it's not that unusual. It's unusual for ME, though, and it's caused me to completely retreat into a little cocoon and not do much of anything. It's no fun feeling crappy.

Despite the never-ending cough, I am very excited for this year. I feel really inspired on so many levels and so many exciting things are in the works.

I just spent 2 weeks with my family in Florida and had such an amazing, relaxing, and healing time with them. Having a mother who teaches meditation and an acupuncturist brother who teaches Qi Gong, I came back to Seattle with a renewed commitment to clear out a lot of the internal noise and external clutter and spend more time being quiet.

I didn't take many photos in Florida, but thought I'd share a few of the ones I did. Nothing too exciting here, but they are meaningful to me, just the same.

Happy New Year, everyone.

NOTE: I keep getting comments about the painting featured below. Joe was hired to paint a backdrop for a middle school play, and he took the canvas to Florida to work on during our trip. The photo below is the finished product, (it's supposed to be the view from a window at a ski lodge.)

My awesome 7-year old niece, Thea, was very excited to be able to help paint the snow.

photo of the day- 11.22.11

2011-11-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

a workshop in charleston, south carolina

2011-11-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

You are going to be hearing a lot about the Cross Country Road trip Extravaganza that I mentioned a few posts back. I am in the process of adding locations and dates so I'll be back here often, updating my blog. Consider yourself warned.

So, along those lines, I am so, so, SO excited to announce a workshop that I am teaching next year alongside photographer extraordinaire, Helene Dujardin, of the well-known My Tartelette blog.

Since hiring Helene to food style the last two cookbooks I shot, she and I have become really good friends. Let it be known that Helene is a PHOTOGRAPHER, not a stylist. She just styles for ME, because I ask really, reeeeeaaaaallllly nicely. :)

Not only do Helene and I really like each other, we work incredibly well together. And, while we have a lot of similar approaches in our work, we also have many differences which is why we thought it would be fun to co-teach a class.

But this isn't any old workshop. Oh, no. Go ahead and read the description below and you'll see what I mean.

Oh! One more thing! We are thrilled to announce that Cucina Fresca jumped on the occasion to supply a hungry group of food photographers with the finest of their products, from homemade sauce and pasta to gluten free options ad delicious recipes!

If you are a company interested in sponsoring part of the event, please get in touch with either Clare at clare@clarebarboza.com or Helene at helene@helenedujardin.com

Join food photographers, Clare Barboza and Helene Dujardin for a 3-day/4-night photography retreat in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.

Imagine spending 4 nights in a gorgeous house located across the street from the beach in The Isle of Palms, enjoying great food and wine, learning all about food photography and styling from Clare and Helene, and taking lots and lots of photos. Over the course of the workshop, you will learn about exposure, utilizing natural light, composition, choosing props, styling, and how to tell a story through photographs.

When: Thursday, May 3 through Monday, May 7, 2012

Fee: $1250 (includes accommodations for 4 nights, all meals including dinner and drinks at an award-winning restaurant in Charleston, transportation to/from airport and on all field trips, and 3 days workshop instruction from Clare and Helene. Please note that bedrooms are SHARED.)

To Register: click HERE

Workshop Schedule (subject to change):

Thursday, May 3rd:

Meet and greet at 5pm with cocktails and nibbles.

Attendees will be treated to a homemade dinner prepared by Clare and Helene (contribution of their better halves at the grill not excluded!). Please list any food allergies or restrictions at time of registration.

Enjoy the evening walking on the beach, checking out the music scene a block down from the house or getting a good night of sleep in preparation for the coming days.

******************

Friday, May 4th:

Enjoy breakfast on the back deck before gathering with Clare and Helene for your first session of the day!

Session #1, The Nitty Gritty of Food Photography (basic camera function, exposure, light, depth of field)

Photo shoot

Lunch prepared by your hosts

Session #2, The Nitty Gritty of Composition and Food Styling (learn simple yet essential art guidelines, camera angles, etc.)

Photo shoot

Session #3, How to tell a story with images ( in preparation for field trip the next day)

Dinner at the beach house, served family style

******************

Saturday, May 5th:

A field trip to the Charleston farmers market, (bright and early!)

Photo shoot- photographing seasonal bounty and market finds, as well as cooking, styling, composing, shooting breakfast/ brunch

Brunch

Session #4, Shooting on location

Dinner at Lana Restaurant in downtown Charleston

******************

Sunday, May 6th:

Breakfast

Photo shoot- picnic on the beach (food preparation and styling, working outdoors, telling a story)

Downloading and choosing images

Critique and Review

Farewell dinner bash prepared family style

******************

Monday, May 7th:

Breakfast

Clean up and departure

UPDATE 11/12/11: This workshop has officially SOLD OUT!

an afternoon at the studio

2011-11-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

a month

2011-10-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Where do I start? A lot has happened in the last month....

Joe and I took a spontaneous mini-road trip to Whidbey Island, and visited the FABULOUS Double Bluff Beach with Nina. Unlike the city of Seattle, this awesome beach allows dogs! OFF LEASH!

I don't know about other dogs out there but, for Nina, this is her idea of heaven.

Second, there are some changes happening in my studio.

My lovely studio mate, Lara, has recently re-located to Portland, OR. Consequently, there are a lot of moving boxes going in and out of the space. Lara had originally supplied all of the cookware for the kitchen, so I have been frantically replacing everything in there, as well as adding more props, surfaces, silverware and linens.

But Lara's move is not the only change around my studio.

Have you heard about the recent viaduct construction? Um, yeah. If you have been anywhere near it, (like me) you have heard nothing BUT the noise of the thing. It's been insane.

As loud as it's been, it's been pretty cool having a front row seat to the viaduct destruction and watching the Seattle skyline transform. I have watched the view from my studio completely change over the course of a week. See the before & after below.

And here is my new view of the skyline:

Speaking of the studio, do you know that it's available for rent on a daily basis? If you are looking for a natural light photo studio for a shoot, or if you need a space (complete with kitchen) to teach a class, drop me an email. The studio is also perfect for dinner or cocktail parties up to 20 (or so) people. Plus, there is a pretty sweet view of the city at night. :)

On another note, the styling workshop that Becky and I taught on October 9th was so much fun! We are teaching another one in February-- check out the "workshops" tab on my website to find out the details.

And since I am on the topic of workshops, I might as well tell you that Joe, Nina, and I will be hitting the road in April-May of 2012 for my Cross-Country-Workshop-Extravaganza!!!!!! Woo hoo!!

The (very rough) plan at this point is to leave sometime in mid-April and spend about a month on the road, (with the dog. Did I mention that? Any travel tips with dogs would be greatly appreciated.)

The cities are still being finalized but I can tell you that there will most likely be workshops held in the SoCal area, the Denver area (finally!), a little town in Ohio, and a charming town in the Southeast. And maybe more! In fact, if you want me to come to your town, let me know.

And finally, this past month has been filled with some great shoots. I shot a fun cupcake cookbook by Megan Seling to be published by Andrews McMeel in fall of 2012, a sweet story for Edible Seattle, and a 6-page spread for the fab new magazine, Sip Northwest.

Life is good.

UPDATE #3 11/10/11: Oops! I forgot to update several days ago when my new site launched! Have you seen it? I am pretty happy. :)

UPDATE #2 11/3/11: Figured out the problem with my website and, unfortunately, I have to build a whole new site. I am frantically working at this and hope to have it up in the next couple of days.

UPDATE 11/3/11: For the past 24 hours my website has been down. I am working with my hosting company to get it back up as quickly as possible. I apologize for the inconvenience!

a workshop in france!

2011-09-29T09:57:00.002-07:00

Guess what?

In June of 2012, I will be co-teaching a workshop in France! FRANCE!

I will be partnering with Susan Hermann Loomis, an award-winning journalist and cookbook author, for a 3-day cooking and photography class.

Susan lives in a restored 15th-century convent in the small town of Louviers in Normandy, which is where the classes will take place.

As Susan says, "During this three day class you will cook with me and photograph with Clare. You will learn the fine points of both arts, and you will leave equipped to prepare gorgeous meals, take gorgeous photographs, and put them together in your own individual way. Our three days together will include hands-on cooking classes, meals accompanied by small-production wines and artisanally made cheeses, hands-on photography sessions where you will learn techniques, and tips and secrets."

We will cover natural light food photography, including exposure, utilizing available light, composition, and prop styling. We will capture a sense and place and tell a story with photographs as we visit the local market, learn how to choose ingredients, bring them into the kitchen and turn them into gorgeous dishes. We will view and critique our photographs, discussing what we've created, learned, and expect to continue in our photography.

When: June 25-28, 2012

Cost: 1800 euros

If you are interested, go to this page to register.

photo by Stacey Haines

(reminder about) new food photography class

2011-09-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

A number of workshop attendees have asked if I could offer a class with more emphasis on food styling. You asked, and I am delivering!

On October 9th, Becky Selengut and I will team up again to teach a class that focuses on food and prop styling, as well as natural light food photography. Students will have lots of time to play with dishes and linens, (have you seen the wall of props in my studio??) and will learn how to make their food look its very best for the camera.

Have you already taken my Natural Light Food Photography workshop? This is a perfect continuation of that class. It's also a great intro to food photography and styling for the student who already feels comfortable with their camera.

Come join us!

We'll eat some tasty food, take some photos, and talk about each other's work. It's a great way to spend a Sunday. :)

To find out all the details, go to my website and click the "workshops" tab.

To register, email me at clare @ clarebarboza dot com.

Below are some shots that Becky and I did together (her food styling, me prop styling & shooting) for The Informed Chef. The dishes featured here are from the upcoming I-pad book, Raghavan's Indian Flavors, by Raghavan Iyer. I can attest that they were all delicious. :)

my handy assistant

2011-09-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Someone decided to accompany me on my shoot today.

wine, antiques, & a honeymoon reunion

2011-09-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Joe and I have spent the past week in one of our all-time favorite places on the planet- the California wine country. It's been absolute heaven-- wine tasting, relaxing, shopping for antiques, (aka: new props!!)

This part of the US boasts the most stunning coastline, huge Redwoods, mild weather, and a food and wine culture that is among the best in the world. While we try to visit as often as possible, this trip was something special-- we stayed at the same hotel where we spent our honeymoon 8 years ago, the incredible Applewood Inn in the Russian River Valley. I cannot recommend that place highly enough. It's wonderful.

There is far too much to share from our trip, so I thought I would make a little list of the wine highlights:

•St Supery in Napa-- one of our long-standing favorites, (we're members of their club)

•Preston Vineyards in Healdsburg-- great wine but I am particularly enthralled with their DELICIOUS olive oil

•Robert Young in the Alexander Valley-- if you like huge red wines, this is the place for you. I am currently OBSESSED with their wines. OMG.

•St. Francis in Sonoma-- their old vine Zinfandels are outstanding. In fact, everything from their Wild Oak vineyard was amazing.

•Amista Vineyards in the Dry Creek Valley-- one of our new finds! Great reds that are earthy, full-bodied and not overly-jammy...just how I like them.

•Acacia Vineyards in Napa-- hands down, my favorite producer of Pinot Noir. Of course, this is all a matter of personal opinion, but I prefer the dark fruit and earthy qualities of Pinots from the Carneros region, rather than the more fruit-forward Pinots from the Russian River Valley.

•ZD Cellars in Napa-- great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

•Trentadue in the Alexander Valley--another new find for us. They produce a great everyday red, the Old Patch Red, which is a delicious score.

farm store

2011-09-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

A little gem attached to the fabulous, Preston Vineyards outside of Healdsburg, California...

one of my favorite places on earth

2011-09-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 09.05.11

2011-09-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 09.02.11

2011-09-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

wellness and food, part 3

2011-09-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the last installment of "food my brother made." :)

(It's true, I am a proud big sister.)

In all seriousness, Sean's visit couldn't have come at a better time. For the past 3 weeks, I have been doing the elimination diet, trying to figure out if I have any food allergies or intolerances.

Sean's meals have been a welcome (and delicious) change to the dishes I was preparing day after day.

What I have discovered on this diet so far is that I don't seem to have any major food intolerances (knock on wood) but that my body is particularly sensitive to acidic foods and beverages, and that I feel my very best staying on a primarily alkaline diet. I pretty much already knew that, but it's been interesting to have it re-confirmed during this process. For example, I have cheated on the diet a few times. With my brother's visit and lots of late night talks, I re-introduced wine earlier than I should have. While I felt fine at first, I felt like hell after a couple nights of drinking. Same goes for decaf coffee-- I can tolerate it without a problem if my eating has been really clean and non-acidic, but if I do it every day, my stomach starts burning.

Since I love wine and coffee, I don't plan on eliminating them from my life completely. But I can see how I need to be extra vigilant about the rest of my diet if I want to enjoy them.

I still haven't re-introduced dairy, gluten or sugar which are huge contributors to inflammation and acid in the body, so we'll see how I feel when I eat them again. I have a feeling it's going to be on a very limited basis. I am okay with that, though....there are so many great alternatives!

Oh, before I forget, Sean just started a blog where he'll be sharing some of the recipes I have been talking about. You can see that here.

Anyway, here is what we had last night....

salmon ceviche with avocado

zucchini "pasta" with kalamatas and tomatoes three ways (sundried, roasted & fresh)

coconut milk custard with cardamom

raw corn salad with toasted cashews

photo of the day- 09.01.11

2011-09-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

wellness and food, part 2

2011-09-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Just had to share two more dishes that Sean made last night.

The fresh rolls were delicious but the real winner was the marinated zucchini "noodles" with sundried and cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and a hint of truffle oil. YUM.

photo of the day- 08.31.11

2011-08-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

wellness and food

2011-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

My brother, Sean, is in town right now.

He lives on the east coast, so I treasure every second I get with him.

Sean is an acupuncturist and Qi Gong instructor and, along with his wife, does private catering to clients who are looking to integrate alternative medicine with a healthy diet in order to achieve optimal health. Both Sean and his wife, Jenny, believe that food is our greatest weapon against disease.

The dishes they prepare are primarily vegetarian and incorporate a lot of raw foods, as well as legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruits. They are sensitive to people with allergies and focus on low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory food.

But aside from all that, the food is DELICIOUS! I know this because I have personally sampled a whole lot of Sean's food over the years. He makes some of my favorite dishes on the planet and there are a number of dishes I request every time I see him, (well, except for his beet smoothie. I just can't hang with that one.)

Here are a few of the things he's made in the last few days...

Baba ghanoush with quinoa flatbread

Raw beet soup

Raw collard spring rolls with marinated vegetables

Baked yams with coconut milk

props 'n surfaces

2011-08-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

Just spent a couple days making new surfaces and going prop shopping.

I love my job.

so much to share, so little time

2011-08-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

Remember how I promised to get back to my "photo of the day" as soon as I returned from Italy?

Yeah.

Sorry about that.

In my defense, it has been a non-stop whirlwind of work since Joe and I returned. I have been teaching workshops, finishing the shooting for a cookbook about Pike Place Market, shooting the photos for a gluten-free holiday baking book, (more on that later), shooting portraits, and falling more and more behind on my post-production work.

During the month of September, I will be shooting the photos for an Indian online cookbook, shooting more portraits, going on a little vacation to the California wine country with my sweet husband, teaching a workshop, and shooting food photos for 2 new clients.

It's a little crazy around here.

I am not complaining, though. I LOVE my work.

Since I have been neglecting the blog for a little while, I have a bunch of things I am overdue to share. And, since I don't love the writing part of blogs, I am going to keep the words fairly short and sweet and get to the photos.

So...as I have mentioned, Joe and I were in Italy way back in July.

After shooting the wedding, we spent time in the mountains above Assisi at the greatest agriturismo in the whole wide world. I highly recommend it. After that, we spent time in Bologna, Florence and Rome-- all of which were amazing.

During our time in the Emilia Romagna area, however, we hired a private guide to take us on a food tour, where we visited 3 production houses and learned how parmigiano-reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar of modena, and lambrusco wine are made. It was an incredible experience, and our guide, Gabriele, was great.

Parmigiano-Reggiano factory

Lambrusco winery (note the AMAZING view from this place. It's an agriturismo, as well as a winery, so you can stay here!)

They fed us a delicious lunch, complete with 2 types of Lambrusco! Yippee!

The home where the Acetaia di Giorgio balsamic vinegar is made. It is insanely delicious, by the way.

As I mentioned above, I came back to a lot of work, some of which involved shooting a gluten-free holiday baking book.

This was an amazing experience, from start to finish. The cookbook is being published by Chronicle and is due out in Fall of 2012. I had the opportunity to work with 2 incredible women-- Jeanne Sauvage, the author, and Helene Dujardin, the talented woman I hired to style the food on the shoot.

Jeanne is the most fantastic gluten free baker I know. Her breads and sweets are delicious and you would never know they are gluten free.

And Helene is the author of one of my favorite food blogs, a pastry chef who does a lot of gluten free baking herself, and an insanely talented photographer and stylist.

The three of us laughed, chatted, collaborated, shared ideas, and kept one another upbeat every step of the way.

I could not have asked for a better experience.

Lastly, I have added a new class to the mix!

It was so much fun to team up with Becky Selengut for the Good Fish class, we have decided to do a cooking/shooting/styling class together. This class is perfect for someone who has already taken the Natural Light Food Photography workshop with me or who already has a good understanding of their camera, basic exposure and composition. Becky and I will talk about food and prop styling and students will have ample time to practice their photography and styling skills. For dates and more information, go to my website and click on the "workshops" tab, (you'll need to scroll down to see all the classes.)

pie

2011-08-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a perfect Sunday.

The sun was shining, I had a nice morning with one of my closest friends, my dog snuggled with me for an extra long time. But, mostly, it was a perfect Sunday because I learned how to make pie.

I don't mean that I read a recipe and made a pie. I mean, I learned how to MAKE PIE-- from scratch, without a recipe. And I learned how to do it from the Queen of Pie, Kate McDermott.

I cannot find the words right now to tell you how amazing Kate is, or about the awesomeness of her class, Art of the Pie. My friend, Kim, did a lovely job of summing up the experience so you should read what she wrote.

What I CAN do is show you my pie. The pie I made with my own two hands, from scratch, after learning from Kate. It was the best damn pie I have ever eaten.

Take Kate's class. You will not regret it.

photo of the day- 07.26.11

2011-07-26T11:18:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 07.21.11

2011-07-21T15:14:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 07.20.11

2011-07-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 07.19.11

2011-07-19T08:40:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 07.18.11

2011-07-18T10:46:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 07.11.11

2011-07-11T05:01:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 07.08.11

2011-07-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the inconsistency of my photos of the day lately. It's much harder to do while I am traveling, as the internet access is really inconsistent. I promise it will go back to normal after I get home mid-month.

Ciao!

so, i shot a wedding. in italy.

2011-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I am retired from photographing weddings. I did it for a long time, I met some amazing people, I had some good times. But I have not regretted my decision to move on in a different direction once. Not once. It was the right move for me.

That being said, when one of my former workshop attendees wrote me a letter telling me all the reasons why I should come out to Italy to shoot her wedding in the Chianti region of Tuscany, I made an exception. I mean, it's ITALY. In the WINE REGION. C'mon.

Sometimes a girl has to be flexible.

The wedding location was as picturesque as it gets-- old, crumbling buildings, a gorgeous villa, the most awesome little chapel I have ever seen, olive trees, surrounded by vineyards, rolling hills and ancient villages. Throw in some lovely and gracious people, lots of good food and wine, and you have a dream wedding.

Thank you, Melissa and Brett, for including us in your adventure. It was an honor.

photo of the day- 06.30.11

2011-06-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

photo(s) of the day- 06.29.11

2011-06-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.27.11

2011-06-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

I'll be traveling for the next 24 hours so I may have to miss a day of photos, but I'll be back soon!

photo of the day- 06.24.11

2011-06-24T14:54:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.23.11

2011-06-23T09:52:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.22.11

2011-06-22T14:54:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.21.11

2011-06-21T09:23:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.20.11

2011-06-20T08:41:00.001-07:00

a day in the studio

2011-06-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of a big food-catalog shoot right now and I thought I'd give you a glimpse into the action.

The catalog showcases food for the holidays so I pulled some props ahead of time that fit that look.

A shot of the set. This particular shot went through many incarnations-- this one being the first. It ended up requiring a lot of tweaking and some piecing together of multiple products to make the perfect one for the photo.

I wanted a warm look to the shots and somehow misplaced my gold reflector but my awesome assistant, Nik, rigged up this super cool make-shift warm-toned reflector! It cast a lovely golden tone on the subject, just as I had hoped it would. Yay, Nik!

My stylist, Patty, in action.

Shoots like these, which deal with packaged and frozen food, require a LOT of product. Here is a shot of SOME of it.

photo of the day- 06.17.11

2011-06-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 06.16.11

2011-06-16T07:37:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.15.11

2011-06-15T12:10:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.14.11

2011-06-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 06.13.11

2011-06-13T13:18:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.12.11

2011-06-12T17:14:00.001-07:00

photo of the day- 06.11.11

2011-06-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

photo of the day- 06.10.11

2011-06-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

trying something new

2011-06-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is a photo blog, right? I mean, I am a photographer after all. And yet I psych myself out with creating blog posts, trying to think of the perfect thing to say when, in actuality, I should just be posting more photos. So that's what I am going to do.

From now on, I am going to try and post a photo every day. I'll still do my longer posts, too, but I'm going to try to keep the rest of my posts short and sweet, and all about the picture.

So here we go.

where to go for workshop info

2011-05-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Interested in my workshops? Well, FINALLY, I have one place you can go to see my current offerings.

Go to my website and click the "workshops" tab. I will be updating the list regularly, so you can see what's coming up.

And don't forget that I also offer one-on-one workshops, as well as design-your-own workshops.

So many options....:)

sutra

2011-05-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Back about a million years ago, before marriage and mortgage payments and all the other grown up stuff, back in the days of being in my early 20s, I knew a guy named Colin. Actually, I more than knew him, he was a friend of mine.

I have the sweetest memories of Colin- having long talks about what we were going to do with our lives and how we felt that we were destined to do big things. I remember when a bunch of us lived on Vashon Island, and the elaborate and delicious dinners Colin prepared for our large groups of friends. I remember visiting him in Portland when we was attending culinary school, and chatting while we drank wine and painted his furniture bright colors. I remember when he first started taking yoga classes and how much it resonated with him.

As often happens, though, we lost touch. Occasionally, I would hear about Colin from someone who ran into him, but we didn't see each other for years.

Luckily, a few months ago, Colin re-entered my life.

Joe and I were out for dinner and there he was-- all grown up, with a beautiful wife and daughter. It turns out, not surprisingly, that Colin has, in fact, gone on to do big things. He and his wife, along with another couple, opened Sutra Yoga and Sutra restaurant, a little vegetarian haven in the middle of Wallingford.

The gorgeous yoga studio sits right next to the restaurant, which is warm and inviting. Sutra's cuisine is designed to be accessible to everyone and, although the menu serves no meat, the food is complex, sophisticated, layered, and so satisfying. Have a food allergy? No problem. Just let them know when you make a reservation and they will be happy to accommodate you. Don't let the vegan cuisine scare you-- trust me, you will not leave this place hungry. Don't believe me? Go check out the reviews they are getting. This place rocks.

The food is stunning and unbelievably delicious.

I can't express how proud I am of my friend. During the shoot, I kept looking over at him, at the confident, easy way he handled himself in the kitchen, at the way he and his wife worked as a team, each taking on different responsibilities of the restaurant, at the way he interacted with his adorable 3-year old daughter. He is in his element, doing all the things I knew he would one day do.

Go check this place out. Seriously. Go and do it. And say hi to Colin when you are there. Trust me, you will like him as much as I do.

book signings at spare room

2011-05-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Last night one of my all-time favorite food bloggers and cookbook authors, Heidi Swanson, came to our studio to do a book signing for Super Natural Every Day. My lovely studio mate, Lara, also signed her book, Doughnuts, and shared some of her decadent doughnut truffles.

It was SUCH a fun night, honoring two great women!

it's a good fish workshop!

2011-05-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

Remember me mentioning Good Fish? The awesome cookbook by Becky Selengut that I had the privilege of shooting? Well, it's been released and if you don't already have a copy then you should go get one. Now. Do it. You won't regret it.

As I have said time and time again, Becky's food is freakin' fantastic. Plus, you can feel really good about yourself when you eat it since the book is about how to make responsible choices when purchasing West Coast seafood.

In honor of the book release, Becky and I have decided to team up on a workshop where she will demo a few of the recipes from her book and I will teach natural light food photography. The two of us will also cover styling-- Becky will demo food styling and I will discuss prop styling. On top of all that, the class will include a signed copy of Good Fish!

Becky and I both have wacky schedules for the next couple months, so the earliest date we could agree on is July 24th. Spots will fill quickly so early registration is recommended.

When: July 24, 2011, 10am (workshop will last 5-6 hours, depending on class size)

Where: Spare Room

Cost: $275 (includes a signed copy of Good Fish)

To Register: Email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com

ode to heidi (part 1)

2011-04-28T15:29:00.001-07:00

It may be surprising for some people to know that, up until a few years ago, I really didn't like to cook. As a food photographer, I feel like it's my duty to be a fabulous chef and, truly, I am not. But something has definitely shifted in the past few years. It all changed after I discovered a few blogs that resonated with me and addressed the way that I like to eat-- simply and with lots of vegetables. Heidi Swanson's blog, 101 Cookbooks, has been one of my favorites since the first time I read it.

In our household, my husband, Joe, is the "real" cook. He's one of those people who can look at whatever is in the fridge and pantry and create something amazing. In 13 years, I have never seen him glance at a recipe.

I, on the other hand, often start with a recipe and adapt as I go. I am constantly on the lookout for new veggie recipes. Vegetable dishes are my domain, meat and fish dishes are Joe's. I avoided meat for years and, while I do eat it now and enjoy it, I still prefer to eat primarily vegetarian meals. Consequently, we eat big salads 4 or 5 times a week. I am pleased to report that Joe has been won over to the salad camp and craves them whenever I am out of town. Success! :)

So, back to 101 Cookbooks.

Heidi is a vegetarian so her whole site is devoted to meatless meals using whole foods.

As if her blog weren't great enough, Heidi's latest cookbook, S uper Natural Every Day, is FREAKING AWESOME. Sorry, there is just no other way to put it. I can't think of any other cookbook that makes me want to cook every single thing in there. The recipes are simple, straightforward, healthy, and delicious. Exactly what I like. On top of that, the photos are stunning. Heidi is a rock star with the camera.

So far, I have made a number of the dishes in her book and plan on making a whole lot more.

Lately I have been craving roasted tomatoes. Yes, I know it's the end of April and, yes, I know that tomatoes are months away from being in season. Today, I didn't care. I bought some cherry tomatoes anyway and roasted them.

If you haven't roasted cherry tomatoes before, then I suggest you do so as soon as possible. I will be growing cherry tomatoes this summer for the sole purpose of roasting them-- they are THAT good. And they are so incredibly simple. Heidi has a recipe in her book, as well as on her blog.

After roasting the tomatoes and eating quite a few of them on their own, I decided to make another one of Heidi's recipes-- Heather's Quinoa. This one is on her blog, not in her book, so you can check it out over there. It combines quinoa with shallots, corn (I used frozen), kale (I used red chard instead), tofu, pesto, pumpkin seeds and roasted tomatoes. I added way more tomatoes than called for but, other than that, I stayed pretty true to the recipe.

Not surprisingly, it was incredibly tasty, and really, really easy.

hana at four

2011-04-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Remember Hana? You can read about her here, here and here.

She is one of my favorite little people to photograph and one of the best parts about visiting my cousin and his wife in Vermont. I mean, who can resist a 4-year old who says, "I wish I were a papa. Then I could drink wine and beer all day and sleep naked."

not quite spring in new england

2011-04-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

Leaving Vermont, after 8 wonderful days.

Thank you, Joe, Heidi, and Hana, for making me laugh harder than I have in as long as I can remember.

I love you all more than you know.

what's next?

2011-04-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been in Vermont this past week, spending time with family and relaxing. Originally, this trip was going to be work-related but, due to some unforeseen circumstances, my plans changed. I am always amazed at how much perspective I gain when I get out of my usual routine. This trip has been so restorative on many levels.

On a work-related note, I am spending a lot of time thinking about my classes. Every time I lead a workshop, I am inspired by the creativity of my students. My favorite part of the day is looking at everyone's images-- each person has such a unique vision. It's so cool to see.

I get so much out of teaching the workshops, that I have been brainstorming what other classes I would like to teach.

What do YOU think? What kinds of classes would you like to see? I would love to hear your ideas!

making a difference

2011-04-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

I am so inspired by the countless ways people are helping to raise money for the people affected by the crisis in Japan, (like this guy, for example.)

A couple weeks ago, I donated a piece of art to Artists for Japan, which ended up raising over $92,000! And then last week, Joe and I (along with our little fundraiser, Nina) walked with a small group of other dog lovers at Alki Beach, trying to raise money for the dogs of Japan.

It was a gorgeous day, (miraculously) and it was so awesome to see how many people crossed the street to show their support or hand over some cash for the cause.

It made me love my city, and the awesome community of West Seattle, even more.

This walk was organized by our fantastic dog walker and trainer, Anthony Hardt of Left Coast Dogs. Anthony is part of Nina's family-- she ADORES him, and he loves her just as much.

We feel so lucky to have met him.

If you live in West Seattle, and are looking to train, board, or schedule walks for your dog, I cannot recommend Anthony highly enough.

Below are some shots of the day.

Our little social activist, Miss Nina

The man behind it all

And his lovely wife

students in action! (and next workshop date)

2011-03-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

First off, my next Natural Light Food Photography class is April 16th. Like the previous classes, it's $250 and goes from 10am until 3pm. The food will be prepared by the lovely Becky Selengut, (aka @ChefReinvented on Twitter) and the class will cover composition, exposure, using natural light, prop styling, and more. Email me to register.

A number of people have asked me about doing an intermediate or advanced food photography class, and I am totally open to that. Once I work out the details of that workshop, I will announce it here.

Below are some photos from the Natural Light Food Photography class this past Saturday. Everyone did such a great job and Becky's food was delicious and beautiful, as always.

cookbook sneak peeks

2011-03-03T13:20:00.000-08:00

I think it's been awhile since I have talked about some of the cookbook projects I have been involved in. I feel very fortunate that there have been quite a few of them over the past year.

And, while I can't show you too many of the photos from those projects, I can give you a teeny tiny sneak peek.

One of my favorite people and chefs in the whole wide world, Becky Selengut, wrote an incredible cookbook about sustainable seafood on the West Coast. Trust me when I tell you that Becky's recipes are INCREDIBLE. I know this because I personally taste tested every single one of the 32 dishes we shot and I practically passed out from all the awesomeness.

The good news is that Becky's book comes out in May!! It's called Good Fish and you can pre-order it on Amazon.

On a TOTALLY different (but fun) note, I also just finished shooting the cookbook for the fabulous Jessie Oleson of Cakespy fame. This was a fast paced and super fun shoot, complete with unicorns and robots. Who can resist that?

Jessie's book will be out this fall.

Another recent completion is a project that is near and dear to my heart. I got to photograph 16 farms and wineries for a book about Washington Artisans, written by former pastry chef, Leora Bloom.

Most of the images in this book are documentary-style, showing the beautiful land where the food is produced, but I also got to shoot some of the recipes.

This book won't come out until next year. It's so hard to wait!!

Currently, I am shooting a Pike Place cookbook with the awesome food writer, Jess Thompson.

Being a Seattle native, this is a special one to me. I have memories of visiting the market as a little kid and I still love going there today.

The Pike Place cookbook will come out in 2012.

At this point, I should mention that I have had the privilege of working with an awesome pastry chef and food stylist, Autumn Martin, for the farm cookbook and the Cakespy book.

Autumn is the former Head Chocolatier for Theo Chocolate and the woman behind the delicious Hot Cakes.

Keep your eye on Autumn-- she is a rising star.

Last but not least, I shot a cookbook featuring Dani Cone's delicious pies. Unfortunately, I can't share any of those shots with you, but you can pre-order the book on Amazon.

It's called Cutie Pies and due out this September.

You can also go and visit Dani's adorable shop so that you can sample some her tasty treats for yourself.

Happy reading and cooking!!

my two loves, (a story)

2011-02-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

Joe and I went to the Washington coast.

It was beautiful.

Nina made a friend. His name was Cuda.

She liked to chase him.

They liked to chase sticks.

They didn't always agree about the ownership of the stick, however.

There were lots of dramatic skies at the beach.

And cool frothy stuff near the water.

Nina didn't let the fear of freezing water stop her from getting soaked.

Oh no.

Once, Joe went back to the condo to get his rubber boots.

Even though he was very far away, Nina spotted him.

We took a family photo.

And then we played on the beach some more.

On the third day, it was very windy and rainy.

Joe thought it would be a good idea to wear a plastic poncho.

Nina didn't like the poncho.

Did I mention it was windy???

Despite the wind, Nina still dug holes.

Holes are her favorite.

And then Joe threw the stick again.

He is a master stick-thrower.

Nina loves Joe.

I love them both.

The end.

amazon has a pretty nice cafe....

2011-02-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

I'm just sayin'.

(These images were taken for my awesome client, Bon Apetit)

next workshop dates

2011-01-31T12:06:00.000-08:00

January's food photography workshops were so much fun! I swear, I keep lucking out with my students. Everyone has been so incredibly fun and sweet, it makes my job a breeze.

I have had the great privilege of working with some awesome chefs this month. Becky Selengut, whose cookbook I shot, (and is due to be released in May!!) styled for two of my classes, and the hilarious and talented, Marc Schermerhorn, cooked for one class. Needless to say, the food they made was both beautiful and delicious.

Check out some pics at the end of the post.

Below are the next confirmed workshop dates. I will keep adding to this list, so be sure to visit the blog to check for updates! (Email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com to register.)

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:

Good Fish Workshop

Becky and I both have wacky schedules for the next couple months, so the earliest date we could agree on is July 24th. Spots will fill quickly so early registration is recommended.

When: July 24, 2011, 10am (workshop will last 5-6 hours, depending on class size)

Where: Spare Room

Cost: $275 (includes a signed copy of Good Fish)

To Register: Email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com

Natural Light Food Photography

Whether you are a food blogger or just a person who enjoys snapping pictures of their meals, this class will show you how to take beautifully appetizing food photographs. We'll talk about depth of field, available light, reflectors, choosing props, photo composition, styling, and more.

Date-,August 13, 2011 (additional dates will be added)

Time- 10am - approximately 3pm

Cost- $250 per person

Location- My SoDo studio

Class size limited to 7

Natural Light Food Photography....in Denver, CO

Date- September 10, 2011 (additional dates may be added)

Time- 10am - approximately 3pm

Cost- $250 per person

Location- Denver, Colorado-- specific location to be announced later

cakespy carnage

2011-01-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

For the past 3 days, I have been shooting the recipes for the upcoming cakespy cookbook.

I am a sucker for any photoshoot that involves a unicorn.

so, i have this friend....

2011-01-17T15:55:00.001-08:00

Since the economy sucks and shows no sign of sucking any less in the near future, I feel it is my personal duty as a small business owner and artist to promote other self-employed individuals and artists. I mean, we all need to help each other out, right?

Plus, we all know that word of mouth is always the BEST advertising.

(On a similar note, this is also what I love about social media....people sharing information about amazing businesses/talented people/really cool opportunities that you may not hear about otherwise.)

So, on that note, I want to tell you about my very talented friend.

My friend has been a working artist for over a decade. He is an incredible sculptor, and he has a lot of experience in metal and stone work, welding, and fabrication.

In addition, he is unbelievably tech savvy (on Macs), is proficient with Photoshop, (I hired him to do a lot of post-production work for me over the summer), and has an AMAZING sense of design, (see a few design samples below and note the cool promo cards he made me.)

On top of all that, he has done a ton of work in art installation, construction, and landscaping.

He is one skilled fella.

I am telling you all this because he is looking for work. He recently moved to Seattle and has had absolutely no luck with the job market, (what a shocker.) So, I thought I would put the word out and see any of you out there in the blogosphere may have any ideas.

Do you need a logo? Do you need a deck built? Do you need your fireplace outfitted in steel? Are you a photographer in need of help with post production? Do you know anyone else who may be looking for help?

If so, email my friend. I am sure he'll tell you his name when you contact him. :)

thraka@mac.com

what happens to all that food from a food shoot???

2011-01-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

That's what.

just call me the traveling workshop gal

2011-01-04T11:58:00.001-08:00

This year, I am hitting the road.

Are you interested in me teaching a workshop in your city? Let's make it happen!!

I love to travel and am open to going anywhere. However, there need to be a few things in place.

First, if you are interested in a food photography workshop, I need a space to teach. A restaurant with lots of windows works perfectly-- there are plenty of dishes and "props" to use, a good amount of natural light, and (hopefully) a chef who will collaborate with me.

Second, I need to fill the class.

Since I am in Seattle, and because I do not have an unlimited advertising budget, I need your help in spreading the word. Of course, I will blog, tweet, and facebook my butt off about any class I am offering, but if you want me to come to your city, I would love it if you would also do some blogging or tweeting or facebooking on your end. :)

I am just starting to lay down some very loose plans, but it looks like a Denver workshop is definitely going to happen, most likely in summer. I have been offered a space to teach in Oakland, so that's definitely a possibility, probably around the same time frame. Also, I will be in Massachusetts and Vermont in April and am working to line up work while I am there.

As plans get firmed up, I will be blogging about my itinerary.

In the meantime, email and let me know if you have a specific idea. As far as I am concerned, 2011 is going to be all about new experiences and adventure!

keepin' it real

2010-12-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

It's New Years eve, the time of year to reflect on the past twelve months.

I have been enjoying reading other people's blogs lately-- posts about gratitude and personal accomplishments from 2010. I have been wanting to write something myself but have been struggling to come up with what to say.

I do a lot of battle with the very opinionated voices in my head-- the voices that tell me how I "should" be. That I should keep this blog positive, light, professional. That I should be upbeat.

But here's the deal-- none of that would be a truthful account of my 2010. And while there are a ton of people out there that would say it's wrong to involve one's personal life on their blog, I have to say that I disagree. Being authentic is never a mistake.

While there have been some incredible adventures and opportunities over the past year, it hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been one hell of a year.

My husband and I hit our seventh year of marriage and our twelfth year of being together.

Like every single married couple does at one time or another, we hit a hard patch in our relationship-- a long, grueling, we-don't-know-if-we-can-make-it-through-this-and-actually-stay-together patch.

A 12+ month period of questioning absolutely everything, of looking at the foundation on which we built our relationship over a decade ago, and wondering if it was best to simply cut our losses and part ways. A period of sorting through old hurts and insecurities, of arguing, crying, yelling, and trudging through our lives exhausted, emotionally spent, and broken hearted.

Over Thanksgiving in Myrtle Beach, Joe and I spent an evening catching up with my cousin and his wife. The question inevitably came up- how were we doing? Joe and I looked at each other, paused, and then told them. The truth. We weren't that great, we were struggling, we didn't know if we were going to stay together.

It was so liberating to talk, as a couple, to people we loved and trusted and be able to put aside all the formalities and small talk and just be real.

Of course, we both had individually confided in close friends over the past year, but we had never sat together in a social setting and simply laid out the truth of what was going on in our relationship. And once we had, I wondered why we hadn't been doing that the whole time. I mean, when you get married, you gather the people you love around you and ask them to support you in your relationship. So why weren't we gathering them close now? Why weren't we asking them for support?

I don't think I have ever thought about that aspect of our wedding ceremony as much as I have in the past couple months. I don't know that I ever stopped and thought about what that meant.

But now I get it. The people who you call your close friends and family, they are the ones that are there to support you as a couple, to play devil's advocate when you are complaining about your spouse, to challenge you when you want to give up, to hold your hand when you cry. They are not there to judge or take sides, (although some may do both, as we discovered, and those people are not helpful or healthy to you or your relationship.) Your real friends understand that there are always two sides to a story, and that it takes two people to make or break a marriage-- always, without exception.

I wish I could say that everything is perfect now. That it's all fixed and we are back to normal. But this is real life, not a romantic comedy. We are pretty battered, still somewhat unsure, still unclear about what the future holds.

I will say, though, that something massive has shifted between us. That there is a new closeness, a new trust, a new tenderness and softness that wasn't there before. We are laughing together again. I am seeing things in my husband that make me remember why I married him-- his compassion, his ability to make every single person feel special, his kindness, his flexibility, his integrity and work ethic, his beauty. I am falling in love with him again.

When I think of 2010, I am reminded of something an officiant said at one of the hundreds of weddings I photographed: When your marriage is strong, you can handle anything that life throws at you. When your marriage is struggling, the smallest tasks become nearly impossible.

I have thought about that officiant's words all year long because he could not have been more accurate. 2010 was full of so many amazing experiences and I have worked hard to stay in a place of gratitude about all of them. But coloring all of those experiences is the struggle between me and Joe. The pain and uncertainty of the "us", is what stands out from this year, above all else.

So, what about 2011?

Well, to talk about the impending year, I should probably mention how I have been spending the end of this one.

For the last 12 days, I have been scouring every inch of our home and filling bag after bag with things to donate. I have brought enough stuff to Goodwill to fill a small apartment-- furniture, clothes, darkroom supplies, exercise equipment, and more. I have cleaned out every cabinet and have made a massive donation to the food bank. I've emptied and scrubbed every junk drawer and over-filled closet, every corner of our home where the things we don't want to look at get shoved into and hidden. I have made a point to look-- actually LOOK-- at all the stuff I have been hauling around with me with the past 10 or 15 years, through multiple moves and addresses, and ask myself why they are still in my life. I have forgiven myself and passed on all of the gifts people have given me but that I didn't really need. I have sorted through all the things I own and I have given away everything except for what I truly love and use on a regular basis.

And the other day it hit me hard how timely and appropriate all this "purging" has been. How divinely connected it is to the simultaneous shift in my marriage.

Because, ultimately, the questions I have been asking myself are, "Why am I hanging on to all of these things that no longer serve me or the life I am living now?" "Why do I continue to cling to all of this 'stuff', even though it gathers dust and takes up space that could be used for something else?"

So, as for 2011, I am not making any lists or pronouncements about how it's going to be the best year yet. Instead, I am surrendering. I am letting go of what no longer serves me. I am trusting. I am showing up and seeing what happens. I am trying as much as my impatient Aries self will allow to stay present and live in the moment. I am believing that, no matter what comes my way, I will be okay. More than okay, in fact. I will be great.

Happy New Year.

the biggest and best farm to table workshop EVER

2010-12-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

Folks, this is a big one.

Lately, there have been a number of people inquiring about my next Farm to Table workshop. I have big plans in 2011 and part of those plans involve taking this workshop to other cities. More on that later.

In Washington, however, I have just nailed down the details for a dream farm workshop and I am here to tell you all about it.

Quillisascut is a fully sustainable goat farm in Northeastern Washington. Not only have they been making and selling aged raw milk cheese since 1987, but they have also been educating the public about growing their own food and living off the land for over a decade. A number of chefs that I love and respect, (like Becky Selengut and Danielle Custer, to name a couple) have attended Quillisascut's Farm Culinary 101 workshop, where culinary professionals live and work on the farm for a week and become more acquainted with the true meaning of "farm to table." Personally, I have been dying to take their Sense of Place workshop for the past few years, and just haven't had the opportunity.

So, as you may imagine, I am pretty darn excited to announce that on June 9-12, 2011, I will be holding a 3-day Farm to Table photography workshop at Quillisascut.

This is a hands-on workshop. Over the course of 3 days, students will milk goats, work in the garden, make cheese, and harvest and prepare a meal made from food produced on the farm. We will talk about how to tell a story through photographs, and students will photographically document a typical "day in the life" of a working farm as well as learn about natural light food photography. There will also be plenty of discussion about f stops and shutter speeds, composition, light, and all that other technical mumbo jumbo. We will critique each other's work and talk about what makes a strong photograph. Because we will all be staying in the same house for 3 nights, there will be lots of time for one-on-one chats.

It should be a blast. Think of it as one big slumber party...where you wake up early to milk a goat. :)

Tuition is $895 and includes accommodations at the farm (rooms are shared), all meals, and all course instruction. Transportation to Quillisascut is not included and is about a 5 hour drive from Seattle OR a 2 hour drive from the Spokane airport if you are flying in from out of town. Carpools can be arranged, if necessary.

Tuition must be pre-paid and reserves your spot in class. If you want to register, email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com.

NOTE: THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS MAY 29th.

Just for a little inspiration, I thought I'd share some of the farm photos I have taken over the past year.

Thank you, Skagit River Ranch, Skagit Sun Berries, Kurtwood Farms, Pipitone Farms, Tahuya River Apiaries, Olsen Farms, Billy's Gardens, Alvarez Farms, Port Madison Farm, Thundering Hooves, Pelindaba Lavendar, Alm Hill Gardens, and Booth Canyon Orchard. I have enjoyed every single second of working with all of you.

food photography workshop

2010-12-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

FYI....

On January 15th, I will be teaching a food photography workshop!

10am - approximately 3pm

$250 per person

Class size limited to 7

Interested in registering? Email me at clare at clarebarboza dot com.

UPDATE: The January 15th class is full.

I have added 2 more dates- JANUARY 26th and JANUARY 29th that still have room.

Email for availability!

pretty belly

2010-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

hula hoops and hairdos

2010-11-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

I am in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina right now for our annual Thanksgiving gathering. For one week a year, my very large extended family gets together at the coast for a lot of eating, drinking, deep-talking, game playing, beach walking and other general debauchery.

This week means a lot of different things to me but one of the very best parts is that I get to see my brother and his wife and daughter.

My little niece, Thea, is my favorite girl in all the world, (and I tell her that as much as possible.)

Thea and I have a special bond. I was at her birth and watched as she emerged into the world, loud and fiery, determined to make her voice heard. She is a force of nature-- opinionated, passionate, funny, smart, insightful, creative, and larger than life. She is a kindred spirit and I adore her.

At 5 years old, (actually, 5 years and 11 months, thankyouverymuch), Thea has become quite a hula hooper. We spent a good chunk of the day together yesterday- hooping, (well, Thea was hooping, I was trying to hoop and failing), running around the beach, playing hide and seek, and making faces at one another. And then Thea decided to do my hair, which I think was quite lovely. I taught her how to hold my camera and take a photo so you could all see her handiwork.

farm to table class, revisited

2010-11-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

Having just taught another Basic Photography workshop yesterday, I was reminded that I still had not blogged about the awesome Farm to Table workshop I led back in September. How the time flies!

This workshop was a total blast. Thanks to the kind folks at Seabreeze Farm and Kurtwood Farms, nine of us were allowed to wander the grounds of two great properties and photograph lots of animals, some vegetable gardens, a butcher shop, and some deliciously stinky cheese.

George, Kristin, and Kurt- I cannot thank you enough for opening up your homes and businesses to us. You are wonderful.

I will definitely be holding more farm to table classes in the future, (in the Seattle area AND BEYOND) so please email me if you are interested in attending one and I will put you on the list. On a similar note, my next Food Photography workshop will be on Saturday, January 8th and space is limited. Drop me a line and I'll let you know how to register.

french cruller goodness

2010-11-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

Have you heard? My fabulous studio mate, Lara Ferroni, wrote a book all about doughnuts.

Aside from the beautiful photography, the book is filled with creative and mouth-watering recipes for every type of doughnut imaginable. I am particularly excited to try making the German Chocolate and the Ricotta flavors. And the Chai. Oh, and the Crème Brûlée.

To be honest, I have never been much of a doughnut fan. I blame my friend, The Greek, for my recent obsession. The Greek LOVES doughnuts. Seriously. I don't think there is anyone on this planet who loves doughnuts as much as he does.

On a recent roadtrip, The Greek introduced me to the French Cruller and that was the moment my own love affair began.

Unlike cake doughnuts, French Crullers are made with Pâte à Choux, the same dough used for cream puffs and eclairs. So, instead of being heavy, these doughnuts are light and airy, almost custardy. They are HEAVENLY.

Unfortunately, I have recently discovered that they are also not very easy to find. Most doughnut shops in Seattle do not make them and the few that do, do so only on a specific day of the week, (and sometimes not even on those days, West-Seattle-Bakery-That-Shall-Go-Un-Named.)

In the fruitless search for a good French Cruller, I reached out to Lara and asked if she would give The Greek and I a private lesson. (I should note that the recipe is also in Lara's book, but I have a fear of deep-frying and needed the additional support.)

Lara kindly obliged my request and so The Greek and I headed over to her house for a hands-on doughnut adventure.

Here are some photos from our experience. Trust me when I tell you that Lara's recipe for Crullers is AH-MAZ-ING.

kids 'n families

2010-11-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

In addition to teaching various classes, (check out the "workshops" section on my website for current offerings) and wrapping up 2 long term cookbook shoots (posts about those coming soon), I have also been knee-deep in family holiday shoots.

This is my first year having the studio as a backup plan for rained-out portrait shoots, and the space has worked out beautifully!

Below are a few samples from some recent shoots.

november date for basic photo class

2010-11-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up that I changed the date for the next Basic Photo class that was originally scheduled for November 6th. The new date is November 13th.

If you have a DSLR and are not sure how to use it outside of auto mode, then this class is for you. We'll go over aperture, shutter speed, ISO, using reflectors, shooting still-lifes and people, and more. You'll have lots of time to practice and ask questions and, above all, you'll have fun!

Time: 10am until approximately 3pm (or so)

Where: My studio in SoDo

Cost: $250

Please email me to register! (clare at clarebarboza dot com)