It’s been a while between food photo updates, so here’s a bit of a backlog of photos i’ve shot for Time Out Sydney recently.
This stuff makes up a large part of what i shoot for Time Out. I’d never photographed food or interiors before i started at the magazine, but it’s been almost three years now, so i’ve become more accustomed to it.
Tokonoma, a bar in Surry Hills, has a nifty gimmick when it comes to the ice in some of their drinks. They keep a large block of ice behind the bar, and if you order one of their specialty shochu drinks, they’ll hack off a ball of ice to chill the drink.
It’s not all fine diners that i photograph. There’s the odd casual suburban gem – like Chairman Mao in Kensington. It specialises in Hunanese cuisine with the dining room decked out in kitsch Mao paraphernalia.
Bloodwood seems to have taken Newtown by storm. Ever since they opened the doors there’s been loads of buzz about the place.
I appreciate when places have cute little details, like a stepasaurus at Four Ate Five, or dumpling directions at Miss Chu.
Shady Pines Saloon in Surry Hills has proven so popular that on the several occasions i’ve tried to go back since i photographed it, i’ve been met with an enormous queue of people waiting to get in.
Sydney seems to be enjoying a bar renaissance of late. There’s intimate, character filled new bars popping up all the time. It’s a welcome revolt from the scourge of large generic sports/suit bars that characterised Sydney’s drinking scene.
Exactly how much of this food to you get to eat Dan? How’s your waistline?
Dan, these are all terrific, and great publicity for the bars and restaurants.
Many of the faces in your photos are motion-blurred. Is that from a copyright/legal perspective, or just incidental?
Several reasons. Firstly, it’s because these places are usually dimly lit, so i use a tripod and a long-ish exposure to get a bright enough shot of the room. This often means the room stands still while the people move. Which is an effect i quite like. I like to show a venue with people in, but the picture is about the room, not the individual people. They could be distracting if sharp.
Also, i think it’d be somewhat impolite to photograph and clearly identify people who are mid-meal. Potentially mid chew. Potentially dining with someone who isn’t their wife. That sort of thing. So that’s another reason why they’re often blurred.
great photos as always. love the stepasaurus. i haven’t been to it before but it made me laugh. i love seeing all the new little bars coming up in Sydney now. we’re still a long way behind Melbourne but at least we’re moving in the right direction for some diversity of places to drink 🙂
Great work Dan. I think the slight long exposure suits perfectly btw.
These are really beautiful photographs Daniel, amazing clarity they’re making me feel hungry!