FeaturesRecipes
The Cook's Cook
MarketplaceCommunityLearn
The Cook's Cook
The Cook's Cook
BackBack
Loading...
The Cook's Cook
BackBack
Search
FeaturesRecipes
The Cook's Cook
MarketplaceCommunityLearn
Search
Back Story

Take it Outside!

Eva Baughman
ByEva Baughman—Eva Baughman has worked as a mom, a...
ByEva Baughman
Eva Baughman has worked as a mom, a...
Fresh buds emerging from a grapevine branch.

Share
Share on Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Share on X
Share on Instagram
Share via Email

Spring is a time of rebirth and growth. New fruit and vegetable crops emerge delicately from tree, vine and earth, begging to be observed and appreciated. Keep in mind a few basics to help capture your creative vision with your camera.

Wait for overcast skies or open shade – where the bright sun is diffused by leafed out trees – for even illumination minus extreme shadows or distracting highlights.

Tote a tripod to minimize camera shake. Many a hand-held “got it!” on the camera’s tiny screen doesn’t stand up sharpness-wise on a bigger screen at home. You can shoot more confidently and waste less time by using a tripod.

asparagus shoot
Photo credit: Eva Baughman

Get up close and down low. Nature is inherently interesting and unique and deserves your careful exploration. The tender green and purple color and velvety surface of the asparagus stalk, as well as the hidden surprize of new growth behind it, would be missed from a higher angle.

Try shallow depth of field. An intentionally out-of- focus background brings the foreground of new growth grapevine leaves into prominence while allowing its gnarled trunk to create some distraction free context.  

About the author

Eva Baughman has loved studying and practicing photography since buying a second hand Nikkormat SLR when she was first out of college. Photography took a secondary role while she raised a family and worked as a pastry chef and as a recipe tester. When her nest emptied, her passion to create images was reignited. Now it’s with a Pentax DSLR, a Fujifilm X-T1 and in the digital darkroom. She especially enjoys travel and nature photography, has exhibited in New Hampshire, and has had her photos published by the New York Times for food-related stories.

Courtesy photo

Eva Baughman

Eva Baughman

Eva Baughman has worked as a mom, a pastry chef and a recipe tester. She enjoys travel and nature photography.

See more...

photography
Stay Updated on New Features
Get notified about new stories, insights, and culinary adventures from our team.

Cook. Eat. Learn.

©2025 The Cook's Cook LLC

Main site

  • Columns
  • Features
  • Recipes
  • Marketplace
  • Community
  • Guides

Additional info

  • About
  • Brand Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Submission Guidelines

Social

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2025 The Cook's Cook LLC