Walnut Roasting | northern California still life photographer
As the weather has gotten colder, I haven't been traveling as much. I found myself rummaging around for a photography subject the other day, and what better subject than walnuts. You know, we do have an abundance of them. (You can read about our walnut harvest in a previous blog post Walnut Crop Harvest.) I also wanted to roast some to include in salad and for snacking. Roasting walnuts brings out the flavor, the oil, and mellows the taste of the skins. As with many of my still life photography subjects, they serve dual purposes. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. After assembling all the items for roasting with my vintage colander and other props, I began setting up the still life subject. Staging is something I'm really working on. Creating a balance within the frame and providing a pathway for the eye sounds easy enough. But I don't always find it so. In this case I wanted to tell a visual story of prepping walnuts for roasting. Without an explanation, would you have gotten that story from these images?
Walnut Roasting
And, what do I do with all these walnuts after roasting (or even raw)? I use them in everything! I put them in baked goods, sprinkle them in salad and oatmeal. I also make ‘Candied Walnuts’ from a recipe I got from my grandmother which are great for gift-giving. So many options!
Eat your walnuts!
Tips for Still Life Photography
~ Choose a subject that has meaning to you.
~ Select elements that support the subject.
~ Make a plan of the feeling, message, or story you want to convey.
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All images are available for purchase.
Please CONTACT ME at nadeen@nadeenflynn.com to purchase prints or schedule your portrait session.
Nadeen Flynn is a published northern California still life photographer. Living in the greater Sacramento area, she specializes in fine art landscape, nature, and still life photography. Nadeen’s style is authentic, fresh and personality-driven. This retains the timeless features of photography that create family heirlooms. She offers in-person workshops and mentoring. Currently living in rural northern California with her husband and a couple thousand walnut trees, she also posts her work on Instagram.
Currently booking mentoring and workshop sessions. Locations include Yuba City/Marysville, East Nicolaus, Wheatland, Lincoln, Woodland, Roseville, Rocklin, and the greater Sacramento area.
(530) 633-7575
A few years ago I decided to tackle the art of sourdough bread. I mixed up the 'starter' and fed it regularly until it was ready to be included in a recipe.