Cloved Oranges and Holiday Spices

The aroma of holiday baking is in the air...as it was one September when I was photographing a feature that would appear during the holidays. A wonderful editor named Val created the cloved oranges, seen in my photo below, in her home kitchen. We thought it might look nice to photograph them in front of her fireplace.


Alas, the fireplace was a gas fireplace, and the flames were too low to show up well in the photo. But that's not a problem -- just an opportunity for creativity. I put an orange gel over a speedlight, and directed it toward the fireplace -- instant roaring fire. Selective focus added to the effect.

Val had been doing some baking that day, and the ingredients were on the counter. We arranged them on her cutting board, with the help of a talented stylist named Tim.



The cinnamon sticks inspired Val to create an ornament. I photographed it on a white cutting board, so it would be easier for Tim to remove it from the background when he placed it on a page.



When I left Val's house that day, it sure felt like a late November day. But the warm September air reminded me we had a few months to go.