Food Photography and Styling for Nestlé
Before embarking on my trip to the US in just a few days, I wanted to share with you all here, some of my newest photographic work. Last year, I was approached to style and create food photographs inspired by different Czech meals for Maggi, the brand of seasonings of Nestlé, for their new products' packaging that has recently been released in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In Czech cuisine, many kind of sauces are popular and must accompany a main dish, usually comprised of meats. Thus, these tomato, dill or creamy sauces, but also pasta, soups and much more, became the subject matter of my Nestlé project. I was so pleased to work on this assignment and to get to know more about some of the most popular Czech meals. Now you can find these new products in stores in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I must say that is always a surprise to discover my photographs in stores, whenever I spot these products.
These dishes are the most popular here in the Czech Republic, where the gravy sauce is a must. Similarly to the famous Czech goulash dish, these sauces accompany different meats, and are served with knedliky, a sort of bread dumpling. I have prepared these delicious bread dumplings myself a few times at home, even though you can find them at any store in the Czech Republic.
The pasta recipes are also adapted to the region here, and have been my favorite part of shooting these meals. Capturing the home spirit in these meals was my goal in mind, where these food portraits look accessible and appetizing to ease any hunger. Now, when stumbling upon these products in stores, you'll know who was the photographer behind the select packaging.
Project Credits
Food Photography: Gabriela Iancu
Food and Prop Styling: Gabriela Iancu
Art Director: Petr Fajkos
Creative Director: Marek Sabo
Agency: Grep Design
Goodbye 2016 and New Year's Resolutions
There is something so comforting, but equally frightening about the beginning of a new year. Maybe is that amount of unknown and change that it entails, which makes all new beginnings so long-expected. I want 2017 to be for me everything that 2016 couldn't be: more daring, expansive and permissive with my dreams!
2016 has been a good year, because I got to work on an interesting food project for Nestle (to follow soon), I had a new solo exhibition in Romania, I have created cinemagraphs inspired by Miu Miu, Cecile Boccara and Miss Babacilu's products, but also Eiffel Tour, and Romania. I got to see what's looking like behind the scenes at Opera Bastille in Paris, worked on my Florilegium's new volume, I won the Award of Excellence from Communication Arts, I got married and had the rare opportunity to have my bridesmaid coming to my wedding all the way from the US to Romania, and worked on an extensive project proposal for SCAD that led to my next adventure to the US this January.
I am so thankful for all of this to have happened, but I feel that 2016 could have been more adventurous, surrounded by more open-minded people that know how to be professional in this modern age. I think that is such a rarity today (and it shouldn't be) to find individuals that don't toss out life's principles on humaneness, friendship and professionalism. Unfortunately, there are so many people that just choose to forget to be respectful, and choose instead to be cynical and ignorant. Thus, I feel to have been limited in my endeavors by some of these said individuals, that I would have hoped for to remember to be more humane.
However, I consider all disappointments to be strong triggers for something better that awaits to be reflected on. Else, what a new year would mean, if not a reflection on what has been?! All experiences are equally important and shape us with every year in a certain way. Hence, I want 2017 to allow me to express fully my potential, in an environment of like-minded people that know and appreciate life's principles, and care to make every life's moment better. I am looking with so much excitement to what my new artistic experience in the US will bring to me, and I feel so thankful for those so many people at SCAD that chose to believe in my potential again. May your 2017 be sparkling with all things good!
PS: Don't walk by this amazing Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake below, which I prepared for our New Year's Eve here in the Czech Republic. It's all the rage, and needs to be tried asap!
Ingredients:
For the Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons King Arthur Flour Black Cocoa, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong, brewed black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
For the Ganache
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
For the Garnish
1/3 cup homemade salted caramel sauce
salted caramel sugar pieces
tossed organic walnuts
Directions:
For the Cake
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa(s), baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes; the batter will be thin.
4. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
For the Frosting
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.
2. Spoon in cooled, melted chocolate (chocolate should feel cool to the touch, but still be melted. I usually cool mine for about 5 minutes) and mix on low speed to incorporate the melted chocolate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add in powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined.
4. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 minutes. Add in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reached the desired consistency.
5. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate and frost the top of the cake with a little less than half of the frosting. Add the next layer and frost the top of the cake with the remaining frosting.
6.If desired, top with salted caramel chocolate pieces.
For the Ganache
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream until very hot, but not boiling.
2. Place chocolate pieces in a heat safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in the vanilla and honey. Allow to cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Do not let the glaze sit for too long or it will harden up before you spoon it over the frosting.
3. Drizzle ganache and salted caramel sauce over the cake before serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake for up 3 days.
Merry Christmas and The SCAD Alumni Atelier Award
The Christmas celebration is just upon us with its beautiful forever green tree, glittery and delicate ornaments, gifts, baked goods, carols and stories. This time feels so much filled with love, nostalgia for a year that is about to end, and desire to remember, celebrate and cherish the best in us.
It it at this time that I share with you a recent professional achievement that awaits to begin for me in 2017. As I have always contemplated the idea of artistic imagination and innovation, I spent 2016 working on an intricate project proposal for SCAD, a project that I was long dreaming about to bring to life. Thus, I am extremely honored to announce that I have been selected as the Winter 2017 recipient of the SCAD Alumni Atelier Ambassadorship, an artist residency conceived and endowed by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace.
The SCAD Alumni Atelier is a commissioned artist in residence ambassadorship, and as an Atelier Ambassador I will create an innovative site-specific photographic project in Savannah, GA. My project explores photography’s static character using technology to reveal a multisensory experience that will challenge and amplify the way we see, hear, and remember images. The project uniquely combines still-life photography with motion and sound design, revealing new ways of experiencing time and space.
I will soon share more about this upcoming project, and the creative process behind it, but for now, I cannot tell you in words, how thankful I am for this opportunity that will give me the time, means, and mentorship I need to focus and create a new body of work in the unique artistic and educational environment of SCAD. Merry Christmas, love and cherish this wonderful time of celebrating the family, friends and loved ones coming together!
