Quite Curious

t’s official. I got bitten by the contest bug. This time I’m entering SAVEUR’s Cover Contest. SAVEUR is a gourmet, food, wine, and travel magazine that specializes in essays about various world cuisines, and they’re asking readers to submit their best food photo for their next issue. Oh did I forget to mention - the photo will be the cover photo.

I have to give props to SAVEUR. This is not the first time they’ve published user-sbumitted content. Their last issue was 100% written by the users. The food world is moving online - there are millions of food blogs and websites packed with valuable information, and thousands of home cooks that would absolutely die for the chance to be published. They couldn’t have honored their readers in a bigger way. It really shows that SAVEUR isn’t your mother’s stogy, chef-written food publication.

We’re proud of SAVEUR’s distinctive photography—but we know we’re not the only talented photographers out there. So, for the first time in our history, we’re inviting readers to sift through their work and send us their best images—photography that would look right at home on SAVEUR’s cover. What’s it worth to you? How does a six-piece set of Le Creuset cookware (worth $550) sound?

Uhhh…yeah…that sounds REALLY good. I can’t imagine how much it costs to ship out $550 worth of cast iron.

Here’s what they’re looking for:
1. Photographic quality
2. Creativity
3. Relevance to the SAVEUR brand
4. Quality of the accompanying caption

Again, I did my homework, and looked at previous SAVEUR magazines to get an idea of their style. Their cover photography style is very much like my own - casual, a strong focus on contrasting textures and colors, and an appreciation for imperfection.

The deadline is tomorrow. There are 717 entries so far. Some of them are really good! I have some tough competition in front of me. Now here’s the problem - I can only enter one photo. One. I did a quick mock-up of how my photos would look as a SAVEUR cover, can you guys help me figure out which one to submit?

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#1: Pouring Honey
From: The Art of Urban Beekeeping

I think of all the photos here, this one shows the most movement. What is it about oozing honey that’s so mesmerizing? Mike’s co-worker is a beekeeper, so we were lucky enough to get a demo of the process. I quickly snapped this shot while he was pouring honey from a plastic container that the beekeeper handed him into a jar I brought. (Isn’t the jar beautiful? It’s just a rinsed out Trader Joe’s lemon curd container.)

#2: Honey
From: The Art of Urban Beekeeping

Here’s another shot from that same day. The beekeeper kept frames full of honey in these milk crates. I love how raw and rustic looking this photo is.

#3: Apple Tart
From: Basic Apple Tart

I made this tart a while ago, when I found myself with a bag of way too many apples. Is this photo a little too Gourmet magazine-esque? I love the composition of this photo, but I’m afraid it looks a little too staged.

#4: Carrots
From: Jap Chae (Korean Glass Noodles)

I was received a bunch of beautiful carrots in my vegetable box, which I used for my korean noodles. This photo was taken in the dead of winter, but it hardly feels that way.

#5: Deep Fried Sesame Ball
From: Chinatown, New York

This was Mike’s deep fried sesame ball from New York. I think it looks pretty tasty, but I’m not sure how their editors will feel about food with a bite taken out of it. Is that gross?

#6: Soup Dumplings
From: Chinatown, New York

This was also from New York. I like how unexpected this photo feels - and the tongs in the foreground are so inviting. We waited forever for these dumplings, and god, they were good.

#7: Onions
From: Not Your Grandmother’s Dolmas

Can’t say I like the lighting in this one, but the composition came out pretty cool. I wish the knife looked shinier.

#8: Grape Leaves
From: Not Your Grandmother’s Dolmas

Is it weird to show packaged food on the cover of a food publication? This photo came out so crisp. I remember this weekend so clearly - it was a lazy Saturday afternoon in my cottage, and I spent the whole day making a mess in the kitchen.

#9: Dolma
From: Not Your Grandmother’s Dolmas

This was part of a step-by-step photo series I took to show how a dolma is rolled up (that explains the giant “4″)

#10: Apples
From: Farmer’s Market in a Box

Look at how gorgeous those apples are! That’s the whole reason I buy local vegetables - they’re fresh, and they’re always so good.

#11: Onions
From: Farmer’s Market in a Box

These yellow onions also came in the same box as my apples. I like the papery texture in this one.

#12: Watermelon
From: Roadtrip, Day 1

This was taken during Mike’s company picnic. I remember Mike’s co-worker, Eliz, furiously chopping up watermelon for the entire group. I took the photo quickly before anyone had a chance to straighten it up. I think I should get bonus points for getting a shot with someone in the background. This photo feels alive to me.

SAVEUR’s Cover Contest »