After having so much fun creating my Squash Blossoms shot, I decided to create a series to submit for photography contests. There aren’t many professional food photography contests, but with the increase of interest in events like the James Beard Awards and the IACP Awards, it was only a matter of time before PDN would announce its first food photography contest: PDN Taste.

Not knowing what to expect since there weren’t any previous winners to research, I had the idea to create a collection that played with food texture that was balanced with linen texture. The concept would probably be closer to fine art or still life rather than the editorial style that judges tend to favor but I loved the idea and wanted to present work that didn’t pander.

The Linen Collection was fun but also difficult to shoot since it was one of my first attempts at bracketed lighting. I shot the series in two parts: three images set on wood (using the squash blossoms as the prime image) and three images set on a beautiful slate gray background I found while prop shopping (more to come in another post).