Immediately I began planning my portfolio shots and called in sick to work the next day so I could make it happen. In 2013, I was signed by an agent and a publisher was interested, but needed to see my food photography skills. Later that year, I found myself working at Scholastic, where I was able to learn a lot about the publishing process and where to begin. I am really lucky to have some close friends who are stars at photography and offered me so much help and advice, like buying studio lights, a flash diffuser, and white boards. Even if it was just one quick snapshot, I made sure I used my camera daily. I started a Tumblr blog and began practicing food photography every single day. I remember my dad telling me that I had better find a way to make some money with it (jokingly, but not really). For my convocation present, my parents rewarded me with a Canon DSLR T6. One thing I had wanted to do since high school was learn photography. Not everyone was from the same place as me, or liked the same flavors or spice levels as my family. But learning about other people’s food preferences only helped to expand my way of thinking about food. Brewing big pots of sauce and platters of pasta was how I connected with other people, despite being a bit nervous to cook for unfamiliar faces. When I moved into residence for university, cooking was how I made friends. That emotion is what still drives me to this day I like to make people feel welcome and taken care of. It felt good to make others feel good through food. Seeing how much everyone enjoyed this special meal made me feel so wonderful inside. I had to do the same! Not yet permitted to use the stove at that age, I assembled a heart-themed brunch for my family and left paper hearts trailing down the stairs, leading to the kitchen. The first time I “entertained” was after reading a picture book about a bunny who threw a Valentine’s Day party for her friends. Removing a shallow bowl of hot raspberries from the microwave while standing on a dining chair was a lesson in kitchen safety, and probably gave my sleeping parents a heart attack. That’s actually how I got one of my first cooking burns. And when mom fell asleep during our Friday movie nights, I’d wander into the kitchen and sneakily experiment with chocolate confections. If my mom was at the grocery store, I was diligently by her side picking out ingredients. If my dad was cleaning sardines, I was at his side cleaning them too. Food is my greatest passion I found myself inspired at every turn.
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