A New Hobby
I am always looking for something to keep me occupied which doesn’t include going out or watching TV. Although I do have a lot going on with work (teaching and running a program), shows (directing, fights, and intimacy), writing (books, articles, and reviews), and reading all the books, I find myself looking for a more creative outlet that I can enjoy and use as a break between all the ‘work’ stuff I do. Now I have several hobbies that I enjoy, such as painting, drawing, playing the guitar, learning languages, and building Star Wars Lego sets, however, I am always looking for something new. A new skill set that I will enjoy learning and maybe even share with the world. Hence this new hobby comes in.
I have always enjoyed cooking. I was literally raised in a bakery (pun intended). One of my first real jobs was in a high-end restaurant, where my love for cooking grew even greater. However, my parents, who spent most of their life in the food industry, wanted more for me, so, I ended up working in I.T. for a while. It was during High School, that I started playing with art, and started off in photography. My father had an amazing 35mm camera rig and allowed me to use it. It is because of that camera that I ended up getting into Stage Combat (that’s a long story for another day). However, technology moves forward, and the rise of digital cameras, and the use of camera phones became more and more common, the old 35mm went on to collect dust, and eventually was sold off after he passed away (Now don’t start thinking this is some sad post, it’s not, I am just laying out the path that I have been on.). Years later I was able to buy a nice digital camera, didn’t use it much, but I had it, and I started getting accessories for it here and there when they were on sale. I’ve used the camera to capture shows and other events, but for the most part, it sits on a shelf, where it gets dusted off every now and then, but not often.
I will admit, I am one of those people who takes photos of their food. Whether it be at a restaurant or at home, I love snapping that pic. It is something I have enjoyed, though not put much thought into it. With the growth of Pinterest and Instagram, I have been able to explore recipes and see all the other lovely photos of food others have made or tried, which has inspired me. However, it was while I was watching Tournament of Champions, a Food Network show on HBO MAX, that something struck me. They introduced a chief, Jet Tila, and showed pictures of his food. WOW, not only did the food look amazing, but it was how the food was photographed that took my breath away. These were some high-quality photos. Not some phone-snaped pics for Instagram of some thrown-together dish.
That is when it ‘clicked’ (yes, another pun) for me. ‘What if I were to get into food photography?’ I thought. It combines two of my favorite things: food (cooking, presenting, then eating) and photography, I mean it’s right in the name. Plus, it is a skill I don’t have yet and can build. I have almost all the equipment, well at least the expensive stuff. So why not? To add to this, I have always wanted to start a food blog, but I have never wanted to dedicate the time it would take to maintain and run a successful food blog. So, let’s slap it all together and start a little blog on my website, where I can show off my photos, talk about my journey, and share the recipes with people who may be interested in it. If people like it, great! If not, oh well, it will help me keep track of my progress and give me a place to put all the photos.
So, follow along as I learn this new skill, share my photos and recipes, and talk about the successes and mistakes I make along the way.
-Wolfe
Bald Man Fighting 