Fundamentals

I recently heard a friend say, "Instagram is the new business card." And after some thought, I completely agree. When I am out at an event and I meet someone with similar business interests my first question, with phone in hand, is "What's your Instagram handle?" I usally follow them right then and there and ensure that we have connected in a concrete way before leaving the conversation. Traditional business cards can be tossed in a purse or briefcase and never seen again, but, a quick follow on Instagram will have me showing up in that person's feed, reminding them of our meeting and our...

You probably clicked this link because you honest to god think you can't cook. You have either tried and failed or avoided trying at all out of fear of failure. As someone who has burned more bacon and eggs in her life than I'd like to admit, trust me, if I can learn to cook, SO CAN YOU! via GIPHY 1. Ask a friend! First things first. Learn some basics. Do you have a favorite recipe that someone in your immediate family or circle of friends prepares? Ask them to come to your house and show you the ropes. Most folks will be honored that you enjoy their food so much and jump at the opportunity...

Hi I'm Jessica. I launched my food photography business earlier this year and it has been a really grand adventure! A question I get asked frequently by folks trying to improve their visibility on Instagram for their business is "What should I do about my early Instagram photos? Should I delete them?". Here is my first Instagram photo. And I'm not mad at it. Let's go through some reasons why in these dos and don'ts of your old Instagram photos. Don't Delete your old Instagram photos. That's right, I said don't delete them! Do Use them as a reminder of how far you've come. Learning to take...

November is one of my favorite months of the year. I love baking holiday treats and spending time snuggling with loved ones around a warm, cozy fire. I also love November because it is the month that I #BlogLikeCrazy ! What is #BlogLikeCrazy? See Jane Write creator, Javacia Harris Bowser describes the event, "Every November I challenge the women of See Jane Write to publish a new blog post every day for 30 days. I’ll give you encouragement along the way by sharing blogging tips and post ideas using the hashtag #bloglikecrazy. And if you use the #bloglikecrazy hashtag when you share your posts...

I take pictures of food because I have an innate desire to capture tiny moments of perfection. I take pictures of food because I want to help others feel less alone. I take pictures of food to build a community that loves and encourages one another. I take pictures of food because I cannot help it. I take pictures of food because I was meant to. If you are interested in learning more about taking photos of food, I hope you will join us for our first Food Photography Workshop in Birmingham, AL on July 29th! We will have multiple speakers and an hour long hands-on photography session to help...

This week is the third post in my series about food photograpy. Today I want to invite you into my world of inspiration. I'm inspired by vivid colors that appear in nature. I'm inspired by Julia Child and her infectious tenacity. I'm inspired by my grandmothers and the love and hard work they put into so many meals over the years. I'm inspired by the rushing, cascading beauty of a waterfall. I'm inspired by the calmness and serenity of gray skies. I'm inspired by the pure joy and energy that radiates from my nephew's laugh. Photo by Melissa Furniss I'm inspired by the bouncing bubbles in my...

Every morning when I wake up I make myself a hand brewed cup of coffee. I love grinding the beans, waiting on the kettle to warm up, and slowly pouring my cup. This ritual forces me to start my day slowly and intentionally instead of rushed. Slow intentional moments are a great time to take photos. I am able to focus and take it slowly, change angles, add more light, and try several different shots. Most evenings we prepare dinner at home. Using fresh fruits and vegetables is a priority for us and gives the bonus of playful textures and colors for photos. Food prep is a good time to take...

My name is Jessica and I take pictures of food. I take pictures of food when I'm at home drinking my coffee, I take pictures of food when I'm prepping dinner, I take pictures of food when I'm out to eat, I take pictures of food when I'm at the farmer's market. I'm inspired by the colors that appear in nature. I'm inspired by Julia Child and her infectious tenacity. I'm inspired by my grandmothers and the love and hard work they put into so many meals over the years. I'm inspired by waterfalls, childhood memories, gray skies, my nephew's laugh, the bubbles in my glass of champagne, and the...

As cold and flu season starts this year one of the many things I try to include in my immune boosting arsenal is Bone Broth. Here is a simple video we made to show you how to cook it youself at home!