In days of yore, the only thing people did to food was to cook it and eat it. Playing with food was strictly prohibited. Now however, careers have been built on food, without actually eating it, and sometimes without having to cook it as well.
The most popular career involving food seems to be Food Photography. Who wouldn't want to stare at a photograph of a delicious looking dish?
Photographing food is not as easy as it seems. The food has to look absolutely perfect, the lighting has to be just right, and the angle of the lens has to be just so. Studies have revealed that photographs of food induce hunger and create an appetite. Only if the photos are very good, that is. One little smudge, or one speck of dirt could make the whole thing go belly- up. McDonalds' recent video of a photo shoot shows just how much effort goes into making food look as good as it does in photos.
Plenty of food photography blogs offer tips and techniques for getting that perfect shot. The in- thing with food photography right now, according to Paul Winch-Furness, is to take aerial shots of food. But this trend might not last very long. However, Food Photography has recently come under fire for being a potential reason for obesity in America.
The next most popular food career is Food Styling. This involves cooking, and making food look great, so that the photographer can get a good shot of it. The stylists not only have to make the food look very good, they also have to meet the specifications of their clients. Sometimes, food stylists make the food look so good, that it looks unreal. But, most food stylists personally select, shop and cook the food to perfection.
Food sculptures are the next big thing in the world of food. Remember when you used to carve vegetables in school as a kid? Well, some people take it to the next level and create pieces of art. The most recent series of food sculptures to make waves on the net is that of Dan Cretu. He uses fruits and veggies to replicate everyday things. Carl Kleiner, on the other hand, makes pretty little figurines.
So, the next time your mother asks you not to play with your food, do not listen to her.
