Bruschetta with arugulapesto – DHSPC #6
My version…
Let’s just do another easy one, I thought to myself when going through one of Donna Hay’s cookbooks. It should be a simple recipe but enough of a challenge in getting it right. Well… if only I had thought about that a little better.. 
I failed, I failed miserably in recreating the original that you will see below. It seemed fairly straightforward but the trick in this particular image is not so much the recipe as that is real simple, but the angle of the photo.. You’ll see what I mean soon! In the meantime we are already on the 6th version of the Donna Hay Styling and Photography Challenge and I loved all the entries from last month! I would say spread the word..
Photo; Con Poulos
Above you can find the challenge recipe photograph by Con Poulos. it’s from the cookbook Seasons and let’s face it; it doesn’t scare you just by looking at it, does it? But wait until you analyze this a little further. First of all there is the issue of the size of the props. If you compare the size of the bottle with the size of the bruschetta then it can’t be very big and they appear fairly close together. The tricky part for me however is that the bread in the foreground is big. There is a lot of focus on that plate of food so it is prominently featured in the frame. However I tried to place it and however I changed my lenses I could not – for the life of me – get it right. I’ve tried a wide angle and going in really close but that didn’t give me any blurred background. I tried placing the plate in front and the bottle in the back and using a telelens (which makes objects appear closer together) but then I only got a small piece of the bottle in the frame. I tried so many things I forgot to pay attention to the actual position of the bruschetta but ok…
Plate is too small in the frame here
My plate is probably bigger too or maybe the bread in the original is bigger. It’s shot on a round table and I didn’t have a round table obviously but still I just failed completely in getting it right. I know you are all eagerly awaiting the next challenge so postponing it until I got it right was not an option so you’ll have to do with my failed attempt. Can’t wait to see what you come up with! And please, please let me know how you did it.
Wrong again
I tried it with a smaller plate above (only had a little christmas plate at hand..lol) but again not good! The light in the original is coming from above right and is mildly strong. I had a beautiful clear day and so much light that it was a bit too much but I gave up and just did my own version, which you see as the first picture. Rather different but still with the same elements mostly.
I will try again but also curious what you come up with! Good luck on the challenge! You’re gonna need it (or maybe it is really simple and it is just me..lol)
Feel free to change the recipe to suit your needs and/or allergies/preferences. If you’re vegetarian you can use maybe some slices of eggplant or courgette and if you’re glutenfree, change the bread etc. All options are allowed! The rules are below the recipe.
Bruschetta with mozarella, prosciutto and rocketpesto
Yield: 4
Ingredients:
- 8 slices bread
- 1 clove garlic (halved)
- extra virgin olive oil (for sprinkling)
- 3-4 pieces bocconcini (in small slices or you can use regular mozarella)
- 8 slices prosciutto
- black pepper (coarsely ground)
Arugulapesto
- 1 handful basil
- 2 handfuls arugula (rocket)
- 1 handful basil
- 40g pine nuts (roasted)
- 20g grated parmesan
- 1/4 garlic clove
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
| For making the arugula (rocket) pesto put arugula, basil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic into a foodprocessor and puree roughly. While the motor is running add the olive oil and mix until it is a thick, rough substance. Don't make it too fine. Chunks are ok to have. | |
| Heat a gridlepan and bake both sides of the bread golden brown and crispy. Rub this with half a clove of garlic and sprinkle with some olive oil. | |
| Put some of the slices of mozarella on the toast and liberally cover with the pesto. Top this with a slice of prosciutto and finish with some salt and pepper. | |
- Once a month (on the 3rd of the month) I will give you a recipe plus the accompanying photo out of the Donna Hay magazine. I will try to make it seasonal but can’t promise anything.
- You have that same month to produce your post. You can post it any day you like just as long as you finish it before the end of that month at the latest.
- You have to produce that recipe, alterations to the recipe are allowed to make sure any dietary restrictions are met. But only minor changes!
- You have to cook and STYLE the recipe trying to replicate the photo as best as you can. If you think you can do a better job then the original photo, by all means feel free to make your own changes to the styling.
- Shoot the dish and then write a blog post about it. It would be great to add notes on how you took the photo and how you styled the dish, so that other people can learn too.
- Link back to this months blog post about the challenge and link back to the Donna Hay Challenge page here
- Leave a message on the post that is up here for that month, saying that you completed the challenge and link to the post on your site so others can find it too.
- If you want to use the original photo in your blog post as well as the recipe be sure to link back to the Donna Hay website plus the photographers website. They will both always be mentioned in the monthly challenge posts.
Each month a winner will be picked who will be featured in the Hall of Fame page. If you like you can add a badge to your site saying that you are taking part in this competition. The badge is featured below and should link back to this page.
Above all this challenge is about having fun styling and photographing a dish by taking Donna Hay as our great example. You can join all months or whenever you feel like joining in. Using an example of the great photographers that Donna works with, I always find that it is a good learning experience to see how did they light the scene, where does the light come from and how did they manage to make it look so beautiful. Try and analyze all of that and then come up with your own version.
While taking food photos is all about finding your own style and certainly not copying anyone else, it does help to analyze how your hero’s do their job. It’s about learning to light and style a scene properly. In no way am I trying to suggest you copy another person style. Find your own unique style! This challenge is just a tool to help you along the way..
Appetizer
Asian
Bread
Breakfast
Desserts & other sweets
Healthy
As always Simone… Gorgeous photos. I always love looking at all the entries too.
You guys work so hard on the recreation of the shots and everyone has such a unique
style. I always learn from it. So, snow boots on yet? Enjoy the cooler climes for a while!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 3rd, 2012 at 10:18
Lol… yes snowboots on and we’re about to head out the door! Walking ofcourse.. Love snow!
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I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures which will be created!
Cheers,
Rosa
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 3rd, 2012 at 10:18
Thanks Rosa. Me too!
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Oooh lovely challenge! I think I have a couple ideas… my favorite image of yours is actually the last one with the blue napkin and pesto in the background – I just love all the color
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 3rd, 2012 at 10:19
Glad you like it Jenn! I’m sure you’ll do a great job as usual!
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Honestly, even though you may not have intended it that way, I like your shots a lot more than the original ones
Looks beautiful. And delicious too.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:26
Thanks so much Karin! I kind of like them too but it is slighly annoying that I couldn’t get the angle right on the original!
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Simply STUNNING photos. And of course, love a bruschetta. Well done post
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:26
Thanks so much Dave!
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OK. I’m participating this month. Your pictures are so pretty!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:27
Yes! It would be great if you can join in Ben!
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You captured the image to the T.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:28
Thanks Joy!
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I liked your first shot though liked the last one best. Am going to have to change a lot as I am vegetarian and also do not get arugula here. And then of course, recreating this……. )
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Grishma — February 4th, 2012 at 05:01
same with me Aparna! This is going to be my first challenge and I am going to modify recipe as per my needs. But very much looking forward to participate.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:29
Hey girls. Yes there a few more vegetarians out there and you can change it however you see fit! Can’t wait to see your entries (and recipes too!)
Can anyone join this challenge? I would love to try and join this month..
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:30
Yes you can! It’s open for anyone to join. No restrictions in that area!
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I should just jump in and do this. I think you did a good job. Maybe the bread is smaller than it appears too. I do love the recipe also.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:31
I definitely think that my bread was smaller then the original indeed. There’s a lot of little things that were different on mine, so in the end that made for a very different shot. Hope you can join in this month Angela!
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Simone I like your own version of the photograph, infact just love it. It imparts the light feeling of the recipe. However you are very close to the original esp. in the styling and props.The plate w/ the dark border makes quite difference in the mood in the original photo, as does the wooden handle and that hint of chair in the background. To have all of these coordinated is going to be TOUGH! I think all the luck in the world is needed here. Lets see if I can participate this time. Now we know how difficult those simple and plain looking photographs we so admire are
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 5th, 2012 at 15:32
I think that is one of the fun things about this challenge. As it turns out, the simplest things are sometimes the hardest to accomplish. And you’re right about that chair and the props. I have a chair with a wooden background but that was not in my kitchen but in the studio and then so many other little ‘errors’ that made it close to impossible to get the job done the way I wanted too! Hope you can make it this month too!
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puhlease!!! I like your photo a ton better! so there
also, I have a round table and can’t wait to get a rectangular one.
and also, I’m hungry now.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 7th, 2012 at 10:54
Lol… thanks Olga!
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Oh thank you Simone, this one will give me another couple of grey hairs… but I love the recipe – and to my mind your versions are nicer than the original anyway.
I still need to post my take on the last challenge. Sorry I missed the deadline but I still want to post it tho.
xoxo
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 7th, 2012 at 10:55
Thanks sweetie! You can still let me know the link to your challenge recipe and I get add it into the list..
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6e DHSCP en ik ga WEER een poging doen.
Ik hoop dat het dit keer wel lukt.
Bedankt voor je lieve woorden.
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 7th, 2012 at 10:56
Ja de tijd gaat razend hard en zeker als er dan allerlei dingen gebeuren buiten je eigen controle om… Hoop dat het lukt voor deze maand!
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I just made a pasta dish with rocket leaves pesto in it, but bought a jar of it & now I have your tasty home-made version of it,…It is even better!
The bruschetta looks lovely! Yum!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 7th, 2012 at 10:57
O yes homemade for pesto is always soooo much better. I honestly don’t know what they put in those terrible jars but I’d prefer homemade anyday!
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Love this whole concept. I’m confused though were is the original Donna Photo? One of my readers turned me on to this blog as I wrote a post yesterday about how much I love Donna Hay. http://www.tomatosnob.blogspot.com/2012/02/donna-hay-love.html
Will definitely be participating soon!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 11th, 2012 at 23:44
He Jaime! the original photo is shown in the post. It has the title underneath with the name of the original photographer.. Not sure if I should have maybe made that a little clearer but I think you can clearly see that it is scanned photo. Hope you will be able to join!
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I had the same problem – positioning all the things within the frame with the last challenge. I still have the pics and I liked the vegan version of the soup very much, so I might post the recipe in a day or two. Was having lot of internet problems and could not post it within the time frame.
I hope to do this one and also post it. Con Poulos is another fave photographer. I hope I won’t struggle much this time.:)
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I give up … I did the recipe and tried to take a picture in 5 minutes at NIGHT … so therefore impossible … delicious but very unsuccessful. I kept thinking I had the macro lens when I didn’t and the manual setting when they were not … so in essence disaster … I travel for work (20 days) so I will skip this challenge. I did post my disasters in my blog … check it out … OK maybe it is better that you don’t
I actually can do better than that … I can’t wait to have time to shoot with natural light in front of a window! This was a lot harder than I thought … and it would have been even if I had had the time to actually shoot the way I wanted to. Looking forward to participating next time!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 19th, 2012 at 13:50
Yeah shooting at night is never easy..lol… You can still enter it for the challenge. I think ultimately other people might learn from your post too!
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Hi Simone,
I have thrown my hat into the ring…
Thank you for the challenge! Its great to be taking part…
I hope you like it!
Bernine
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 19th, 2012 at 13:49
Great results Bernine! Love it..
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Found this via Jenn Cuisine.
Lovely fresh meal!
I like your bottle with the gold. What is it? An empty liquor bottle? What brand if it is?
Thanks for sharing this meal!
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Simone (junglefrog) — February 22nd, 2012 at 19:44
Ys it is indeed an empty liquor bottle. I think it was a cognac and it might have been a Hennesy bottle but I don’t drink that stuff so not entirely sure..
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Charlie — February 23rd, 2012 at 18:19
Thank you Simone.
I’m not a drinker but I sure do like some of the bottles!
Charllie
We just ate this for dinner and it’s so yum! I have to say it was way too tough for me to even come close to the original photo. Well, I will still blog about it as I had fun trying to shoot.
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Simone- Thanks for another great challenge, and challenging it was! The funny part about this one was that since I had such low expectations I was actually quite happy when I put my final photo side by side with the original. I’m really starting to have fun with this and am happy to see so many others have joined this month. I try not to look at the other participants until I have completed mine. So excited to go check them out now. Can’t wait to see what next month brings.
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Simone, I thought today was the deadline for this challenge? I just posted this challenge on my blog and got here to find the linky list closed.
So do I get left out this time?
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Simone, I’m so glad I decided to take the plunge and give it a go – what a valuable learning experience! Thank you so much for including me, and I can not wait to see next month’s challenge!
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