inpicts102006

Looks Good Enough To...

Food is a necessary pleasure in many ways. It is a vital an intimate part of life, necessary for the
sustenance of existence, but food goes far beyond this purely utilitarian presence. It touches all of our
senses, not simply through taste, but through smell, touch, and of course, vision.

Food has captivated the mind and creative spirit of artists since antiquity, it has fulfilled numerous
metaphorical guises in the history of art and the history of humanity. This month, six photographers
share their images and give food for thought about working with this savory subject.

Wild Grapes - Always a favorite photo, this image took many attempts to capture. Shutter speed
wasn't slow enough, subject wasn’t centered properly or the exposure was incorrect. But I finally got
this fall image of wild grapes on a colorful maple leaf. People at art shows have always been
attracted to it for its bright colors and its blurred effect. I’ve always been attracted to food as a subject
matter. The bright colors, textures and forms are cheerful even in the middle of a gray Wisconsin
wintry day. You should see my kitchen: full of fruit and vegetable ceramics (kitchen kitsch, I call it). But
I like the bright, friendly colors. They add warmth and humor to otherwise white walls.

Soybean Field – A new digital image, this photo uses composition, texture and colors to convey the
warmth of an autumn morning. Soybeans are not photographed often, and I found myself going to
this subject several times just for that reason. I didn’t want a clinical-analysis type of photo. As I was
driving by this Cambridge field, the sun was backlighting the trees and the soybeans along the edge
of the field. I blurred the image and adjusted the color on the computer to add to the feeling of warmth
I felt from this composition. I’ve always thought part of photography was being open to seeing what’s
around you and letting the images find you. Then thanking the photo gods for sending another one
your way.

- Susan Lukas

One of my fascinations in photography is to
take a very close look at vegetation. The line
and shadow revealed in early morning
sunlight is simply astounding. Vegetation is
present in our everyday life and consequently
can seem somewhat mundane as we mow it
down or chop it up for dinner. But I enjoy
taking the time to admire the structure and
geometry of the whole fruit inside and out.
They are truly works of art in their own right. I
like to glorify them and allow people to see
them as I do.

- Peter Mandli

The Fox Point Farmers' Market has
been very good to me, both
nutritionally, and photographically.
The Market is open from mid-June,
to mid October, at Stormonth
School, on Longacre Rd in Fox
Point. I have been a part of the
market as a vendor, for the past
three years, showing my images of
flowers, fruits and vegetables. This
has allowed me the great
opportunity to be up close and
personal with produce - which is
exactly what I want! One could say
that I have a healthy obsession with
tomatoes, peppers, kohlrabi, etc. . .

Vegetables of the heirloom variety
are curvaceous and wonderfully
"imperfect" by modern standards.
Not only do they taste as good as
they look, they often look, even
better, than they taste. My goal is to
preserve the image of these fruits
and vegetables; capture their forms
and capture their colors. I also love
to combine things that are growing
at the same time, such as Golden
Rod, and beautiful heirloom
tomatoes.

I view each image as a vignette. An
intimate peek at the bounty of
nature.

- Linda Merkel

Although these two images were taken at different locations, I had the same feeling when I looked
through the ground glass to view them for the first time.

I felt as though I could have been looking through the window of an old corner grocery store. My images
are oftentimes reminiscent of objects or scenes of times past and these seem to fit into that category. I
love the play of light on the shadows and highlights of the pepper image while the curves and textures in
the coffee image intrigue me and pull my eye directly to where the beans are nestled into the burlap.

I feel both images are very inviting...the vegetables look fresh and crisp while the coffee beans appear
ready for roasting.

- Jana McLaughlin

SCAN-O-MATIC

Are you tired of photographing your salad?
That wearisome task can now be made
tolerable. With our new technology there are
all sorts ways that you can capture your
lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and more. Slice
‘em, dice ‘em, and peel ‘em. You can
prepare your vegetables any way you want.
Then, put them into the Scan-O-Matic. You
don’t need to buy an expensive camera. You
don’t need a well equipped darkroom. You
don’t even need photography any more. No
Ma'am (or Sir). All you need can sit neatly on
your desk, right next to your most important
appliance, your computer. No more exposure
to chemicals. No more sitting alone in the
dark. Now you can check your email while
you are making art. All that you have to do is
to select your vegetables and start creating.
You’ll say, “It’s just like photography.”

“But don’t I have to buy film and developer?”
No. Not with the Scan-O Matic. You can make
pictures without any of the muss or fuss. And,
it cleans up with the wipe of a damp cloth.

In minutes you will be making amazingly
photographic-like images. “I learned to use
mine over the weekend.” There are no
special classes to take. You’ll be up and
scanning in no time. The easy-to-read
instructions and handsome computer
connecting cord are all included. If you order
today, you can get the complete Scan-O-Matic
for under $100 (I actually bought a rebuilt for
$69).

- Phil Krejcarek

Mandy R. Matsche
Jazzbox Design Photography

My friends say I’m a “foodie”. That title is
reinforced as I travel - capturing images of
people, places, things, and of course food. In a
Bangkok market, I was immediately attracted to
this protein display, finding it interesting to view
because of its symmetry and balance. While
symmetry and balance are not new to me, the
unrecognizable and exotic food was. This image
allows me to savor the sights, sounds and
smells of that market again and again and
again...