Step By Step

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Marie Torio is a NY based photographer specializing in food, restaurant, interior and editorial. Her website where she can be reached at
www.photosbymarietorio.com and her Instagram photosbymarietorio 
    How many of you love coming across a site, blog or post where you are given the step-by-step process on how to properly prepare a recipe? I’m sure you would agree and think that it’s definitely easier to follow.
    Today, I’m encouraging you all to combine photography with your own cooking every step of the way! Think of that recipe that you love and would enjoy photographing and sharing. As you can see, I’m sharing photos on how to prepare a ceviche. This collaboration is near and dear to my heart because my mamita (mother) was with me in the kitchen. I set up my go-to spot by my favorite window (remember that natural light! Wink wink).  I gathered my wooden board, clear glass bowls, plate and ingredients I wanted to include like lime, salt, cilantro and serving bowl.
    First, I decided to show the boiled shrimp as a stand alone ingredient because it is the heart of the dish. This photo clearly shows what we need the shrimp to look like before proceeding. It’s cleaned, boiled, deveined and ready.
    Next up, is the bowl of shredded red onions. I photographed it once shredded to help my audience gauge what the red onion to shrimp ratio should be.
    Then I chose to capture the bowl of shrimp, shredded red onion, lime and salt to indicate what the onions were going to be hit with next. This is the pre-mixing of the ingredients shot. Afterwards, I took a photo of how the shrimp, lime, salt and cilantro mixture should look.
    Finally, I photographed a way you can eat the ceviche alongside a portion of delicious rice and garnished it with cilantro. I shot this dish overhead and straight on. I highly encourage you to move around when composing a frame.  Keep a stool close by so you can get good distance for overhead shots and remember to position your body to get the image from different perspectives.  When you do this you are essentially teaching yourself how to see and giving yourself options with composition.  
    I challenge you to do this the next time with a personal favorite dish. Remember to set up your shooting location beforehand with any props and ingredients you foresee needing for your images. Seek an extra set of hands if you can. Be creative with setting up and capturing all the steps you want to show and don’t forget to enjoy that dish once you are done. Happy shooting!