Karen Wise Photo Blog

Image of the Month - Santa Barbara Farmers' Market

Happy fall everyone!

I just returned from an awesome 3-week trip to sunny California where I photographed a gorgeous wedding in Malibu, a mid-century modern home in Palm Springs, and a farm-to-table shoot in Santa Barbara. The latter was an inspiring 3-day collaboration with Santa Barbara Chic, Could I have that, and Duo Events.

Here is one of my favorite photos from the trip. I love the rich rainbow colors of vegetables contrasting against the deep black of Kelly’s dress.  We had just returned from shopping at Santa Barbara’s farmers' market with a ton of fresh local produce. Duo was ready to cook, and we were ready to style, shoot, and eat!

Many thanks to Richard Photo Lab in LA, they did a beautiful job with the film.

There are many more photos where this came from, so stay tuned…

Image of the Month - Mango Lassi

Shot with Kodak Portra film. Developed and scanned by Chelsea Photographic in New York City.

Snowy New York Wedding at Per Se

There is nothing so wonderful as being asked to photograph a wedding for an elegant couple at one of the best restaurants in New York City. In late October, during a fluke snowstorm, I had the pleasure of photographing an intimate affair Thomas Keller's Per Se.

Here are some of my favorite details from that day:

Creative Team:

Event Planner: Ang Weddings and Events
Florist: Rountree Flowers 
Venue: Per Se 
Getting Ready Hotel: Mandarin Oriental
Makeup: Lindsey Jones Makeup Artistry
Wedding Dress: Jason Wu
Shoes: Gucci
Menu, Escort cards: Ellen Weldon Design 
Table Signs: DIY

I'm also thrilled to see this wedding featured on The Bride's Cafe today. To see the post click here.

Chapati, Chutney and Chai

One of my favorite style of food is Indian. The colors, aromas and flavors of the ingredients used are so excellent. I love the chutneys, chapati and naan, mango lassis and chai to name a few.

I recently had the pleasure of photographing for a new Indian restaurant of a former wedding client of mine. The restaurant is called Greene Chutney Grill and it's located in Jersey City, NJ. These photos will be displayed in their windows and on their walls in the coming weeks.

Thank you so much to Alison Attenborough for your styling expertise.

Modern Winter Styled Photo Shoot

In January, I had the pleasure of participating in a modern winter styled wedding photo shoot here in Brooklyn. It took place at a gorgeous mansion in Clinton Hill owned by an interior designer and her husband.

The film stock I used to create the above photos was Kodak's Portra 400, which in the New York provides me with the richness and color saturation I love. I used mostly natural daylight on this shoot.

Below I list the whole creative team involved.

And here is the documentary video made by Love in Progress about our process while at work!

Modern Winter Styled Shoot

 

Event Planning + Event Design: Ang Weddings and Events
Flowers + Event Design: Rountree Flowers
Catering + Dessert Table: Naturally Delicious (Naturally Delicious is the exclusive caterer of the venue)
Paper Goods: Regas
Makeup: Lindsey Jones
Cinematographer: Love in Progress
Venue: Brooklyn Historic Mansion (email: 280Washington@gmail.com)
Dress: Angelo Lambrou via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon
Shoes: Aruna Seth
Headpiece: Sara Gabriel
Clutch: Moyna Handbags
Jewelry: Paris via Mark Ingram Atelier
Suit: Duncan Quinn
Grey Bridesmaid Dress: 57 Grand
Green Bridesmaid Dress: Anthropologie
Rentals: Broadway Party Rentals
Couple: Abbi Crutchfield + Luke Thayer (both comedians/models and both really married to each other!)

We're also very excited our photo shoot was featured on Style Me Pretty today!!

Link to Style Me Pretty

Some Favorite Images from Last Year

Some of my favorite images from 2011...

Feeling hungry...

Feeling hungry looking at Silvia Lehrer's food preparations...

Silver and Grey (and Rose)

I'm dying over these shoes. The silver and grey tones, the fabric, the toe detail, the height of the heel.

Kudos to Veronica for having them on her feet all day and all night at her wedding!

Shoes: Roger Vivier

Flowers: Fleurs 

Suite: Trump Soho Hotel

more from veronica and nick's wedding to come...

Savoring the Hamptons - with photos by Karen Wise

I'm thrilled to announce the cookbook I worked so hard on last year is being released on May 10th! Silvia Lehrer, the cookbook author and food columnist for Dan's Papers, just notifed me that the book is finally for sale. There are already advance copies being sold on Barnes and Noble as well as on Amazon, so please reserve your copy now!

Here is the Synopsis:

From the Publisher

The Hamptons possess an unmistakable and indisputable charm. The bounty of the farms and the character of each town in this string of villages have created a remarkable culinary culture among the sand dunes and lighthouses.

Savoring the Hamptons is a culinary celebration of this unique region. The book is divided by season to highlight the variety of elements and characteristically rugged charm of the Hamptons. The ensemble of more than 250 recipes is accompanied by stories and photographs of local wineries, farmers, fisherman, artisans, and restaurateurs to create a Hamptons mosaic. From Starr Boggs in Westhampton Beach and Mecox Bay Dairy in Bridgehampton to Wolffer Estates in Sagaonack and Quail Hill Organic Farm in Amagansett, this is the definitive cookbook of the Hamptons. There are more than 60 stunning full-color food photographs and scenery shots throughout.

So excited!

Karen Wise Photography in Rue!

photos on these pages and my portrait by Trent Bailey 

Rue Magazine Issue 3 just launched this week, and I was especially eager to see this one!

On pages 60+61 of the current issue you'll find A Skill-Sharing Jamboree in NYC, organized and designed by You + Me* Lifestylists, featuring a few New York artists, including me!

I was asked to participate by demonstrating a still life shoot using my 6x7 medium format camera with film and Polaroid. I taught exposure, how to use a hand held light meter, using fill cards, etc..

It was a fun-filled afternoon at Top of the Garden loft in Manhattan, beautifully styled with florals by Blossom and Branch and pretty cupcakes, drinks and hors d'oeuvres by Peter Killy of KG Fare. The group of talented artists included Brooklyn Soda Works, Janelle Sing, Poppies and Posies, Hither and Tither, Mooseherd Creative, Laura Splan and Nina Isabella.

We got to dress up, have a couple of cocktails and give a little tutorial.

Perfect day!

p.s. if you are interested in one-on-one workshops or group workshops, please contact me directly: karen@karenwise.com

Image of the Month: Linguini with Slow Roasted Plum Tomatoes

For November's Image of the Month, I chose a photograph of Silvia Lehrer's linguini with slow roasted plum tomatoes. I chose it because it is the opening image for my newly re-designed food website, which I launched last week.

Please take a look at the new FoodandArt.com featuring photographs of scrumptious desserts, delicious dishes, unique ingredients, still life, chefs, and travel photos.

{Please email or comment if you would like to receive my Image of the Month monthly newsletter.} 

Thanks for your continued interest! -K

Published in Food Arts

I recently had the opportunity to go back to my hometown (Montreal, Canada) to photograph some dishes prepared by Michele Mercuri, the executive chef at XO Le Restaurant, at the Hotel Le St-James, for Food Arts.

I loved the experience, these chefs treat plating like it's sculpture!

Food and Art Website {Sneak Peek}

For those of you who are new to Karen Wise Photography, welcome and feel free to look around! You will see that I shoot Weddings, Travel and Food (and more weddings can be found at KarenWise.com).

My Food site (FoodandArt.com) which has been around since I bought the url in 1998, is going through a transformation. I'm excited to show a little glimpse of the new Flash based website to come...

Here are a few images from my Ingredients gallery, my Dessert gallery, my Dishesgaller, Still Life and Places gallery...

Join me again, in about 8 weeks, to see these dishes, still lifes, farmers and more on the new FoodandArt.com :)

Image of the Month: Peaches & Blueberries

I chose these images for my Image of the Month newsletter for July because they remind me of summer.

On my last trip out to Long Island to photograph for Silvia Lehrer's cookbook, I shot some just-picked East End peaches and blueberries. With such ease, in her Water Mill home, Silvia whipped together a dessert in seconds, using the cut fruit and a homemade syrup to make her delectable Peach and Blueberry Bake.

Beekeepers, Berries, Peaches & Pie

In May, I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing a beekeeper. Her name is Mary Woltz and her business is called Bees' Needs. Mary proved to have no fear as she handled her hives and racks with her bare hands, without a beekeeper's suit on. She talked to her bees in whispers, as she smoked them out of the hives, letting them know that she was there to say hello.

On my 8th and last trip out to Long Island, we drove to Oyster Ponds Farm, a family run farm in Orient, NY to shoot their raspberries and blackberries.

Back at Silvia Lehrer's in Water Mill, I photographed local East End peaches and blueberries. Silvia whipped them together with a syrup to make her delectable Peach and Blueberry Bake, which I photographed in her home, to illustrate this recipe in the book.

 
Silvia Lehrer's book, Savoring the Hamptons, will be on bookshelves in May 2011.