The Sweet life I lead.

WARNING: Long blog below....... But you will be rewarded with food photography, Just like looking at it in real life but its way less calories! Dont worry though, they didn't go to waste, because myself and my good friend Pete ate them......ALL



Life doesn't always happen the way you think it will. When I moved to Port Hedland I looked at it as a means to an end and something to just get over with/ahead so that I could go on with the rest of my life. I had things I wanted to do and places I wanted to go, but the longer I have been here the more I have realised that this is the place that has given me the opportunity to do all those things. Not the big city I figured I'd end up with that now I know myself better actually isn't where I should or necessarily want to be. 

It doesn't need to be, and the more people I speak too, the more relationships I build through my business has lead me to the conclusion that its pretty impossible for me to have the strict client relationships I thought I was meant to have as a professional, A. Its just not who I am and B. I cant. C. End of story.

So when the message came through from Liliana Battle about how she wanted to meet up about a cookbook, I may or may not have gasped as I took a breath. The only thing I can compare it to is when you buy a new car, you get that "meant to be" feeling/butterflies. I instantly wanted this job, badly. More than I had wanted anything in ages. I instantly replied to find out more while I simutaltaniously googled her, I knew her name, it was bugging me. Turns out I watched a season  of Masterchef before I moved to Australia and I remember her making the profiterole tower in one episode which looks especially stressful.

Then I realised she had 2 other books already published and they did amazingly as well as well as a spices range. Nerves kicked in, self doubt was flowing but the great thing was that I was still determined. She had photographed those in the city but was thinking of trying a new approach. Meanwhile I had been struggling to find my groove with things and had been looking for a business mentor or someone to light a fire under me.

I decided I needed to dazzle her for our coffee meeting at Dome (where we still meet for coffee today) I put together a presentation, made up a portfolio booklet (which didn't print properly) and nothing worked out how it was meant to, but from all that I think she knew I was keen, either that or it was me blatantly saying to her "I want this job, really really badly" look, if you don't ask you don't get right? Now I look back I really do wish I had chilled out a little, desperate much?

Another coffee and two trial shoots later she messaged to let me know she wanted to go ahead. 

Right, great, ok. I then realised that I now had to do the job, and I didn't just want to do the job, I needed it to be as close to perfect as I could get it. Liliana and I just seemed to be on the same page, the feel of the book was so important, the overall message of what she communicates through her cooking and the work she puts in.....man that lady can write. And read, and re-read. It was also so special because it was dedicated to her mum Teresa so you know, no pressure. Teresa really is one of the most delightful people. Think of an Italian Nonna, then make her nice, better, more welcoming and you have Teresa. She's also one hell of a reflector holding assistant!

Now normally when a book is created the chef writes it, tests it, tests it a few more times, and then all that work gets crammed into 4-5 days at a studio in a city with a food stylist, with the chef trying to get the food to the photographer to get as much done as possible. I think on average you can expect 1 photo to every three recipes.
To capture the family connection in this book was one of the main priorities, the process had to be as soulful as the food and every recipe had a story attached, I wanted the editors to have a hard time picking images because they had so many to choose from. In the end we have at least one image per recipe to make up over 300 pages of this book. I was pretty happy about that.

So we took over Lilianas sons room since he was at uni (Thanks again Jake) and we had family plates, spoons, tins come up from Bunbury living on her pool table with beautiful Italian cloth's.  With grandparents staying and Jesse (Lilianas youngest) as our other other assistant we worked 8hrs for 8 days shooting, prepping, styling. Liliana baked at night to get ready for the next, 2 days planning and selecting images then 3 days of intense editing on my part. Working together as a team both wanting the same outcome.

Liliana welcomed me into her home and trusted me to present what she does to show love. The thing is, her giving me the opportunity to do this has done more than just allow me to say I am a published photographer. Cos I am, my names in the book like three times!! She let me peek into a world that I always wanted to be a part of. The skills that I had learnt while studying came back to me and reminded me again that those years I spent learning will always be worth it. Maybe even the student loan. 

Liliana, Jason, Jake, Jesse and Jaxon (family dog who got to do some taste testing as well)
Thank you for having me in your home, and then accepting that even though the book is finished that I'm not going anywhere. I'm basically Italian now, I always loved coffee and red wine and pasta, plus I'm not that good at cooking so I need to keep learning for the next book. Soooo your stuck with me.

Dane, thank you for always being so calm and collected when I decided to do these things, I know I can be intense. I admit I take over the whole house and you still manage to have a talent for simplifying things when in my head they are racing off in 100 different directions. To say that you keep me grounded is an understatement. Kaylee, you letting me set up at your table for 3 days zapping your internet will always be appreciated more than you know, plus you always manage to give me push I need in the just the right way.
Mel, if I ever need an excited reaction, a high pitched squeal, a hug or tear you are my lady. You always have so much faith in me and you never fail to let me know how you feel. When you opened the book and had a tear, that meant so much to me. Hopefully it was a good tear and not because you didn't get any of the food.

All in all I don't feel like this experience could have gone any better, I don't like bragging, I don't like arrogance and I'm trying to learn that being proud and being cocky are two different things. Maybe thats why this took me so long to write. But I am proud, so so proud. I remembered what it feels like to work with someone and to do it with some of Liliana calibre putting her trust in me at every step, being able to tell people we did it in Port Hedland and seeing their surprise is the icing on the cake. Yep, a baking pun had to make it in here some way or another.

This might seem soppy for a cookbook blog, maybe its too much, but thats what food is, we eat to celebrate, we eat when we are emotional (well I do anyway), and theres a reason why Elizabeth Gilbert called her book "Eat Pray Love". Thats what this book is about and I hope you pick up a copy and read it, don't just look, it will have so much more context, she really is a brilliant writer.

Thank you Liliana, I still have so much to learn from you, so we should probably make another book.......

Ok, thats it, you can look at all the yummy food now.