Pike Place Market Event

β€œClouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
— Rabindranath Tagore

Seattle Sunset behind Pike Place Market

Delving Deep into Seattle via photography is becoming a passion and if there's food involved all the more reason to become a part of the event.  Last Friday's shooting πŸ“· as the "media" volunteer for the Behind the Table event at Pike Place Market Foundation was a real eye opener πŸ‘€ into the Behind the scenes activities that take place when the market goes to sleep πŸ’€ for the evening.

Behind the Table event by Pike Place Market Foundation

Rachel and Billy Pigs from the Market

In reality the Market doesn't shut down but is just getting started when the atrium kitchen hidden underneath the Honest Biscuits starts cooking for an event hosting inside.

This time Behind the Table was the event of the night, with fundraising going to benefit the seniors and artists living above the market.  

Behind the Table Event by Pike Place Market Foundation

Art auctions both silent and live, and local art, musicians and Food and Drinks were just some of the festivities into the twilight hours.

Pike Place Market Foundation Event-Silent Auction

 That didn't include the Photo booth with your Yeti selfie or the, pass the hats on the table while trying to win a prize or two.  

Although reluctant as I am not usually a fan of people dressed up in wooly suits  and unknown eyes  I was tempted decided to give in.  I have to admit I did the Yeti photo, hope to see it! πŸ‘ 

Side story...I had a bit of a trauma as a child 😁 involving Gepetto  and me shoving my elbow into his stomach.  I guess you could say I was one of those kids who took "don't talk to strangers" to a whole new level. πŸ˜‚ 

Hoping Gepetto kept up his gig...😜

I digress from my photo op night.  I had difficulty deciding if I liked the blackened  spicy salmon or baklava more but either way savory or sweet it was a night out of excitement and yummy food.

Having never been to any kind of live auction it was the best people watching moments ever and even more so from my behind  the camera experience.  Did you say $100? No way that bid is not gonna end their.  

The expressions on peoples faces when they  bid made me wonder, is that what happens when people gamble all night long and give their money away?  πŸ˜­ Can't say I get it 😏 but interesting to watch none-the -less.  Kind of thinking it would be cool to be a fly 🐝 or bee (only emoji I could find) on the wall at Christie's or Sotheby's  now.

Best part of the evening however for me hand's down was the Sunset.  Gorgeous. Breath taking and any other words that you can think of to describe a free painting in the sky.

  Tucked away in the upstairs room while heads were huddled over staking their claim number to silent auction paperwork I watched out the window as the sun set and the ferry docked in the Puget Sound. Golds, yellows, and blues passed the window and my camera clicked away as I watched each moment until it ended.  

We are heading into the end of our daylight hours this week and the start of our winter hours and it is beautiful moments like these where the rain has dripped all day and then the clouds lift away to reveal an arc of gold that keep me uplifted for the rainy months of darkness ahead.

 Thank you Seattle for giving me this moment and thank you to all of you for sharing it with me.

What is your favorite Seattle moments?  How did you react?  Hope to hear from you below in the comments or on Instagram and remember to send this to your friends so we can hear their stories as well. 

Pike Place Market Foundation Event: Behind the Table

Do you have an event in Seattle that needs a photographer?  Let me know- send an email!

 Long live Seattle Blogging and Photo Events and Long Live our Favorite Market: Pike Place Market!

Β 

Food Photography and Styling 7 Tips for Each

β€œFind something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”
— Julia Child

Lentil Dhahl prepared by Becky Selengut

Food Photography Tips

  1. What's the mood you want? Moody?πŸ˜’ Happy?πŸ˜ƒ Quiet?😢 
  2. Give it some space as in leave Negative Space
  3.  Move around and wear grey. That bright Orange Cashmere Sweater you love is meant for a Crisp FallπŸ‚ day but may show up in your pictures as casting the color you didn't want.
  4. Use Backlighting to allow the subject to not Fall flat. Aka: bounce/white board/reflector
  5. Not an expert read books πŸ“– πŸ“š by someone who is and find photos you love and meditate on what you love about them.
  6. Small Food πŸ” Photographs Better
  7. Practice, Practice, Practice...10,000 hours or 10,000 Photos

Chilled Cucumber Soup prepared by Becky Selengut

Food Styling Tips

  1. Have your tools ready: q-tips, toothpicks, foil, tweezers, brush for oil, funnels etc.
  2. Avoid smiley😊 faces in food
  3. Put a little Salt in Beer, stir and watch it foam.🍻
  4. Use a funnel for things like smoothies to keep the glass clean.
  5. Learn the color wheel and go treasure hunting at goodwills.
  6. Think in layers. Need texture try parchment paper. Don't throw away that old baking sheet full of black scars.
  7. Bring food closer to the rim of a plate or bowl unlike plating for dinner guests.

That's all I got for now but maybe just maybe these tips will get the juices flowing and the camera snapping. Happy 10,000 photos!πŸ“·

Have you got some tips to share?  Please do in the comments below!

Food Blogger Conference Excursions

β€œIf my cuisine were to be defined by just one taste, it would be that of subtle, aromatic, extra-virgin olive oil.”
— Alain Ducasse

Capay Farm Tour in Capay Valley owned by the Taber Family for 100 years was our first outing for the IFBC.  Varieties from Chiquitita, Cornatina and Arbequina became names thrown around us as we learned about the cultivating, picking, and processing to make fantastic olive oil.

 Food Bloggers being what they are however lunch was the first stop for our group at the Olive and Capay Vineyard.  Never not serve food to a food blogger. πŸ˜‰ A beautiful setting with Cool Drinks, and Refreshing Melons was the start to the warm afternoonβ˜€οΈ.

 A great introduction to meeting other bloggers as well as learning more about the area and the farm to fork 🍴development in the area. 

Food Bloggers at Capay Valley Farm Luncheon

Then it was off to the farm and the olive groves and almond orchards as well as the sweltering valley heat.  Sweat poured off of me and the air conditioned bus could not keep up with the group of camera happy bloggers but regardless the photo moments πŸ“· made me forget the heat as I snapped my camera and learned about olive trees and how things like frequent watering in little shots make for a healthy producing olive tree.

Oops that's why my tree died πŸ˜–.  

Information gathering a little too late.😏

Last Stop the tasting room and Olive Processing in a landscaped paradise with a wooden air conditioned building made for quite the excursion.  Capay Valley Ranches rolled out the red carpet for the IFBC and it will not be forgotten.  

Olive Groves

Have you done a food excursion, food tour, or something farm to fork?  Don't forget to share in the comments below!  Love to hear about where to go next!