I borrowed a set of studio lights this week. Can you tell?
It is now completely dark by 4pm, making photographing dinner (or anything I bake after work) near impossible. These lights were a total blessing, creating ‘daylight’ within my ‘studio’ and the ability to capture much more detail than I have been recently.
Jesse was whisked away for an overnight flight a couple of days ago (during which he had to land on the Dempster Highway!) just as he began preparing dinner, leaving me with a massive lot of defrosted ground beef and no company to consume it! Certainly too much to eat myself over the following days, I figured I’d bake a heap of meatballs and freeze them for when he returns. This was not a recipe I planned to share, but the meatballs were so easy and super delicious, and I was so impressed with the lighting in the photo that I figured you could enjoy it too.
Mediterranean Meatballs
Recipe from Better Homes & Garden Magazine
2 large jarred roast red peppers, drained and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups soft whole wheat bread crumbs (about 2 slices)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp each dried basil, dried parsley
700g extra lean ground beef
Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl combine all ingredients, with a good dash of freshly ground salt and pepper. Shape into meatballs (about 40) and bake on a foil lined (or silicone baking mat lined) baking sheet for 20 minutes until cooked through.
Enjoy on a Mediterranean pizza, inside homemade pita pockets with hummus and salad, or as I did, atop a mountain of pesto-tossed pasta with some fresh tomatoes, crumbled feta and PLENTY of freshly grated Parmesan.
Looks very appetising. I should take a leaf out of your lighting book – it’s so dark here, there’s no chance to photograph in daylight at the moment , and my photography needs all the help it can get!
These look great! I’d love to hear more about the studio lights. It’s summer here now in New Zealand, so I can cook and take photos after work, but in winter, I hardly blog because my afterwork photos are so terrible! What should a foodie look for in studio lighting? What type of lights did you use?
Gosh I don’t even know exactly what they were..! Two daylight bulbs on stands with white ‘umbrellas’ to diffuse the light. I think the trick is in the bulbs. Any stands and white diffusers seem to work, but decent daylight bulbs (5000K) are key. I had one light straight on from above, and the other at right angles to counteract the shadows. I’ve since learnt that flashes are superior so am trying both out before deciding what to invest in. Just experiment – see if you can borrow before you buy!
Pic looks great, studio lights have been in my wish list for a while now… can’t even tell you how many times I miscalculate how long something is going to take and by the time I am done there is no lighting for final product pic :s
I can totally understand that! I recommend trialling someones first for sure, to see what you like. And let me know how you get on!
Wow… add studio lights to the list!
Pasta and meatballs is one of my favorite comfort foods. I love the roasted red peppers and pesto you used here. Delicious!