Tumblr continues to amaze me with the number of great looking food blogs and it's super nice to have a dedicated section for food blogs. I've been following Khue Ly's blog for a while now. It's really not that hard to get lost in her blog. It's like an endless waterfall of deliciousness floating (or scrolling) in front of your eyes.
Q. Can you tell me what you’re trying to capture when you take your food photos? When I'm taking picture of food, I want to re-create the vibe of the scenario around me, and also how appealing and attractive the dish is. Not every food is presented well, but I believe each has their own unique charm that makes people just want snatch and eat it right away. I want to bring that out by my photos.
Q. What is it about food that makes you want to photograph it? Food photography is not the same as portrait which you can capture the emotions/actions of people and able to make other to feel sympathize. Yet, at least, those photos help to bring back my little moments. It can be a story of an ordinary dinner back home embraced by family's love or is able to remind me of an old café that I always visited whenever I was a teenager.
Q. What is photography to you? It is a rough sketch of my life and also an outlet for my emotions. I unexpectedly came to photography when I was 15 years old, not having any specific hobbies but eating street food. While browsing randomly I stumbled to a great food photographer's page on Flickr that really captivated my attention. His photos are so vividly beautiful that make me also want to take such photos myself. And the more photos that I took, the greater my love for photography, especially food. Nowadays, whenever I struggle or have an uneasy mood, searching up for a new food spot, taking the food photos, and even processing them afterwards made me completely forget about that downturn. Last but not least, as I am living away from my family, every photo recalls me of my family, friends, people that I have met during my life, or a special event. It heals my homesickness, I'd like to call it a ticket to the past" as inspired from my favourite book.
Q. What inspires you? The story behind the dish, a secretive traditional recipe passed through generations or the chef's attempt to create a new taste blending dimensions of two different cultures. As a lover of travelling, whenever I go to a place, I want to try out their local food, which I believe could tell me not only the cuisine but also the people and other characteristics of the place I am going to. For example, before moving to Toronto to study, I never believed that Canadians have any special culinary culture at all, as compared to Vietnam, my home country. But somehow as I live here longer, my perception was changed, Toronto and the variety of special fusion dishes surely exhibits its unique multi-cultural side.
Q. Any food photography heroes? If not any photography heroes? First, Rick Poon - my most influential photographer that brings me to this field. His photos are amazing. I also visit Kate Quinn Davies, Bonnie Tsang, Hugh Forte and his wife's cook blog to satisfy my food-photo's obsession.
Q. Best meal so far in 2013? A small birthday dinner with my close friends, a cozy meal is all I want for this long winter.
All photos courtesy of Khue Ly.
