How can you not smile at jello and lollipops
Meh.
That’s right. Meh.
You know, if I had a middle name (which I don’t) and if it started with “E” (which it doesn’t because I don’t), my initials would be MEH.
On Wednesday night, a few 100 jacked up, drunken criminals decided to take it upon themselves to rip apart the city I call home using the loss of a hockey game as a flimsy excuse for their moronic behaviour.
That’s right, criminals. Not hockey fans. Real hockey fans do not tear up their own city.
It made me, and millions… that’s right millions of others from Metro Vancouver incredibly angry and sad. This is not the city we love, not the city that opened up its arms to the world only a little over a year ago. We are, to be blunt, embarrassed.
The people who chose to do this do not represent the majority. I want you all to know that.
The majority are the people who headed downtown from all parts of the lower mainland the next morning with brooms and buckets and rubber gloves and started cleaning up the mess. These are the people who represent this beautiful part of the world that we are so blessed to call home:
Kudos to all of them, to the VPD, to the RCMP and other surrounding police forces who sent in officers to keep things safe, and to the other emergency response people who did all they could.
Lollipops for all of you!!
I had to use this photo today because, even though I’m not particularly happy with it, or the one below, they’re so darn cheery!
I bought these adorable wooden lollipops from Dandelion Kids on Commercial Drive in Vancouver a few weeks ago. “The Drive” as it’s affectionately know in Vancouver is as funky as it gets (and O. M. G. but it has the best food pit stops). I followed my friend Neysa in while she shopped for her little girl and let’s face it, I’m just a big overgrown kid who doesn’t need any coaxing for that kind of thing. They were just over $2 a piece and as soon as I saw them, I had to have them.
I never intentionally shop for food props other than a once a year trip to Ikea when the new catlogue comes out and even then, I have a $50 budget. All my purchases are random finds but, I always have my eyes open for something interesting. I just find it’s the best way for me to find things that are different. If I intentionally shopped for props, I would never have found these because I’d never have thought to go into a kids store as part of my trip!
My coolwhip piping skills are a sad, sad, sad state of affairs
The first photo is moderately better than the second, mainly due to the fact that my Coolwhip piping skills, in a word, stink. If I’d been better, I think the second one would have been really fun.
Food Photography Tips
Whiteground Photos
These photos are what are known as whiteground images – or at least, they would be if I’d actually achieved that goal. Whiteground images are where the background is completely white, except for the shadow of the items being photographed.
I didn’t quite make the cut because, as you can see my lighting is not even. The left side of both photos is darker than the right. My light source, believe it or not, was coming from the top in both photos and there was a reflector positioned at the bottom to bounce light back up. It actually looks like the light source was to the left, but it wasn’t.
However, here’s where I messed up (I think). I photographed these on a white tray with high rims that I think cast a very faint shadow. I’d have been better to photograph on a flat white surface like a white board. There were also some smudges on the tray that I could have photoshopped out but I was lazy.
But, this photo was more about having some fun. I had orange and green jello in the cupboard so I had planned to make green stars as well but the green didn’t set properly because I followed the wrong instructions, so I used those in my Canuck puck jigglers to work out the bugs. The orange jello worked like a dream though and was really easy to work with. The trick is definitely to let the jello sit for a day or two, so it’s really rubbery.
I didn’t want to bother making up icing and I don’t own a piping bag so I had to use a ziploc bag with the tip cut off and some half defrosted Coolwhip for the decoration and it actually was the perfect consistancy, I’m just a lousy piper. You won’t see me on Ace of Cakes making those pretty little flowers!
Image 1: f3.5, 100mm, 1/160th, ISO 400, no exposure compensation
Image 2: f3.5, 100mm, 1/200th, ISO 400, no exposure compensation
Both images were shot in manual mode and post processing consisted of upping the contrast and, to a lesser degree, the clarity sliders.
Just a quick reminder about the Food Photography Contest I’m having where you can enter to win either an 5 in 1 Interfit reflector or a gift certificate to Craft and Vision! Make sure you enter – it’s a lot of fun!
What a lovely article! Even though I’m not from Vancouver (and not even Canadian!) having lived on the island for 6 years I do feel an attachment to Vancouver as it’s honestly one of my absolute favourite cities in the world. Wednesday nights ‘activities’ were so dispicable and I hope those responsible are held accountable, however it was the actions of the true fans and residents of Vancouver who love and respect their city that brought a tear to my eye – such a wonderful thing to see – it should be those images that are broadcast around the world! And I couldn’t think of a nicer way of thanking them all than with lollipops!
Thanks again – and also for all the photography advice – Im going to be following your blog and advice very closely as I certainly need it!!
Thanks Lyndsey! It was very sad to watch but at the same time, seeing all those people pitch in to help afterwards was such so uplifting and made me so proud. That’s what we’re all about!
Glad you’re enjoying the photography tips 🙂
Ooooh, I love these pics! So bright and happy. Jello jigglers are the one thing that I turn a blind eye to Aditi eating (she doesn’t eat meat, and Jello has gelatine) but who am I to deny her that 🙂
The hockey loss and subsequent events were weird, it was my first Canadian riot, but never have I seen one where the residents clean up the next day 🙂 So well, it happens, people can be idiots, but people can also be heroes!
Hi Melissa! Stumbled across your blog and love the combination of food photography and food. These lollipops look so cute and tasty!
Gorgeous post Melissa, even if you “aren’t happy” with the pictures. I love them. Feel like printing them out and puttng it up on my board at work to cheer me up when I need it. You could make cute cards from these!
Those lollis are totally making me smile! I’ve seen something similar in my Jello cookbook I found at some discount store. I think I’ll whip up a bunch of sugar for the kids!