“My forte is a traditional set up and I am very particular about the props as it is important to build the entire mood”
It is not just cooking food that excites Sony Dinesh, she also spends time thinking how to present a dish in the most appealing way. After quitting her job in the IT sector, she discovered her interest in cooking and food styling. “I started spending quality time on food styling, clicking photographs and sending it to my friends so that they could give their feedback. The appreciation that I received was overwhelming and it persuaded me to take up food photography seriously. I enjoy cooking, presenting and clicking. Time just goes by when I am on it,” says Sony, adding that food photography became the medium to exhibit her creativity.
She has been doing food photography for the past 10 years. Sony, who is a trained classical dancer, had no professional knowledge about photography, and proudly says that it was the mistakes that she made over the years that helped her master the technique. “My forte is a traditional set up and I am very particular about the props as it is important to build the entire mood. However, it is also a challenging task to collect them. Even when the set up is exactly as I want it to be, sometimes I have to spend hours to get the right click and the lighting required for the same because I prefer natural light and do not over edit my photographs. I think it makes the photographs look more real and attractive. After all the hard work, I feel content when I see my clicks on magazines and hoardings. It is an overwhelming feeling.”
As a next step, Sony, who is settled in Mumbai, has ventured into making food videos, especially traditional Kerala delicacies, which she says, is close to her heart and reminds her of her childhood days.
