Etiquette
A third of the world uses forks. A third of the
world uses chopsticks. And a third uses their
hands. All are correct. As a travel photographer
it is your responsibility to be as familiar with as
many of the local customs surrounding eating
and table manners as possible. You can avoid
bad opinions about your lack of sophistication
and improve your chances of being accepted.
Handling chopsticks properly, using the correct
fork, which hand to use, ordering the right
wines are all artificial constructs but extremely
important in certain civilizations. Moving freely
in and out of these etiquettes is an acquired
skill that will improve your photography. Food
is language. Every ingredient is a syllable.
Treating people with courtesy over their
food choices is as basic as it gets. So much
negotiation is transacted across the dinner
table; it is a major venue for communication.
Aesthetics
One of the most specialized kinds of
photography is food photography. Shooting
food is one of the fastest growing hobbies.
Groceries are the largest consumer category in
the world. Food is so important to all cultures
that it transcends art and craft. Photographs of
food and drink are part of the story. Celebrity
chefs, television shows, magazines, cookbooks,
and blogs feature some of the most beautiful
and mouthwatering images. “Foodies” are
ubiquitous.
“Wine is bottled poetry.”
-Leo Tolstoy
PicsArt Monthly |13