In the latest March 2010 issue, I shot the Main Course article in the Dining section which covers the restaurant, SOL Cocina, in Newport Beach.  Chef Deborah Schneider not only puts out amazing food but is so very kind to work with as well.   The location sits right on the Balboa Bay with windows flanking the entire side of the restaurant that opens out into the marina.  The food and the view combined with a very friendly staff and cool decor makes this a very nice place to drop in for a meal with friends.  If you’ve never been, you should definitely check this place out – I just love their cozy firepit and insets in the wall that houses all those candles!

One of the best part of doing what I do is seeing how my images are used in the final layout.  After the shoot ends and images are submitted to clients, there’s usually a big of lag time until I see the fruits of my labor but it’s always worth it!  There’s just something about seeing your work in print, on a website, on packaging that just makes you feel like a proud parent.  Haha.

I was really ecstatic to have an opportunity to work with the folks at Lawry’s for their new restaurant SideDoor – an authentic English Gastropub located in Corona Del Mar, California.  SideDoor combines the incredible quality of food you’d come to expect with the Lawry’s name in addition to the wide array of libations all housed in a very quaint English-style pub atmosphere.  It’s casual, cozy and quaint and feels like a place you can really put your feet up at while getting tasty (and affordable) food.  Ok, I’m starting to sound like I’m writing a review now…

Instead of posting the images from my shoot here, it’s best to view the images in the final element – the SideDoor website!  I think the mood of the images combined with the colors of the website, really makes the images shine.  The shoot covered not only food photography but also lifestyle photography for the restaurant that included models, make up artist, staging etc.  Contrary to popular belief, I do actually shoot things that move and breathe.  :p  It’s a completely different challenge but at the same time, a treat to actually be able to interact with your subject.  The hard part of shooting people is trying not to laugh when everyone else around you gets a case of the giggles.  Can we say, camera shake?!

One of my absolute favorite images from the shoot was of the charcuterie chef working.  I am in love with her natural beauty combined with the interior decorations/props of the charcuterie station.  It  just gives off such an amazing “Old World” feeling.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!  I hope those of you who are in the Southern California area, especially if you reside in Orange County, will have an opportunity to visit this place.  It’s located inside the Four Crowns restaurant but as the name states, you enter this completely different world through the….SideDoor.  Just look for the red key hanging outside.

P.S. A few images on the site are images by the client.

P.P.S. Please bear with me as I’m still tweaking things around on this site.  Thank ya!

Food Styling & Make Up Artist: Peilin Chen Breller