Life on the Photo Shoot!

The cookbook process continues for me and it seems for now, my life and that of my family too, is some what revolving around 'the book'!
After spending the previous six weeks with graphic designer, Nicky and recipe editor, Tracy, getting the recipes and layout as ready as possible, on Monday 19th March the 'Naked Food' photo shoot began.
The task that lay ahead, to cook, and at the same time re test and do a final edit, as well as style and photograph, each one of the 95 recipes in the book!
For me this involved the planning of cooking the recipes over nine days, what to cook each day, considering timing and ingredients, ordering all the ingredients, prepping what I could prior to the day and then transporting everything to the location of the shoot in Ingleside each morning.
It goes without saying...no one can do anything alone, whilst I am busy cooking, my team of Tracy beautifully food styling, Steve doing the photography, Nicky's design eyes and the invaluable kitchen assistance from Wendy, Rhona and Jan, plus of course Richo organising and making props, they are all helping to make my food look good!
Week One we began with two consecutive days Monday and Tuesday...




Week Two we went to three consecutive days Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...






Week Three just one day, Monday...
Lots of fun organising a shared plate shot for the organic beef & bean nachos recipe.


Now, past the halfway mark for the shoot, we enjoy a two week break from the photography over the Easter break, and then we are off again, with three days remaining for the recipes and a fourth day booked for the glamour shots, for the Chapter Openers and finally the 'Naked Food' cover shot!


Meanwhile I continue behind the scenes to liaise with many and varied people, the illustrator also called Nicky, my amazing photographer Steve, Mike from the pre press people in Victoria and Tiffany the printing company's rep in Queensland, for the printing company I am using which is based in Hong Kong. There are bills to pay, there are deadlines looming for the final files to be submitted to the printer by the middle of June....oh and there is still so much to do!
Yes it has been an amazing learning experience so far, yes my body is weary at the end of each day and my mind is a flurry of thoughts, check lists and things to remember not to forget!
However, I am determined that my dream coming true, is not going to become my overwhelming nightmare...and so I take it one day at a time, willing myself to enjoy the process and each day I am thankful that things seem to be gradually coming together. I smile as I think that in a few months time I will see the end product in my hands and my family and I will breathe a huge sigh of relief and say here it is...finally...'the book'!
Can't wait for you to see it too!