GENERAL/PERSONAL
Do you know what “putzing” means?
I get this question all the time. I appreciate it when concerned readers reach out to me about my blog name, but please be assured that I did do research into the word “putz” before stamping it all over my blog. Yes, (according to Webster’s Dictionary) in Yiddish “putz” does mean a man’s penis, but it’s also slang for a foolish/ineffectual/stupid person. Outside of Yiddish, “putz” can refer to “a decoration built around a representation of the Nativity scene,” or (in the verb tense) “to engage in inconsequential or unproductive activity” or “to behave in an idle manner, to putter”. In my case, I’m definitely using the word to describe puttering/idle activity, because that’s essentially how I cook. No penises in my kitchen, I promise 😉
PHOTOGRAPHY
What camera/equipment do you use?
I use a Nikon D3100 SLR, a 35mm f/1.8 lens or 50mm f/1.8
(depends on my mood!), and a dingy old white foam board for light reflection purposes. I also use a tabletop fluorescent light unit
that’s awesome for creating natural looking light when I shoot at night – just slip a fitted t-shirt or pillowcase over the light to act as a diffuser, use something to reflect light (e.g., foam board), and voila! And, I occasionally use (and probably should use more often) a tripod
for when lighting conditions outside aren’t great and I need to keep the camera steady.
Do you edit your photos?
All the time. Generally I have to tweak the color balance, brightness, and clarity of all my photos.
What software do you use to edit your photos?
Lightroom and Photoshop, but mostly Lightroom.
Any tips for taking better food photos?
I’m not sure I’m qualified to offer any tips, but these bloggers certainly can:
- For a great step-by-step tutorial on the basics of food photography, check out The Way the Cookie Crumbles blog.
- For an amazingly detailed but very easy to understand tutorial on everything you possibly ever want to know about food photography and photo editing, head over to the 6 Bittersweets blog.
- For great tutorials on lighting, ISO, aperture and shutter speed, check out the Sunshine and Smile blog.
COOKING/KITCHEN
I made one of your recipes and it didn’t turn out! What did I do wrong?
Unfortunately, I really can’t be sure! I’m not in your kitchen with you so I can’t guarantee anything 100% — there are a billion things that can go wrong in the kitchen, and it would be impossible for me to say what exactly caused your recipe to turn out differently than mine. Our oven temperatures could be different, we could be using different brands/qualities of ingredients, etc. To learn more about out the science behind cooking, and get a better idea of the reasons recipes do what they do, check out the Scientifically Sweet blog.
What piping tip do you use to get your cupcake swirls to look like that?
Thanks to the Novice Chef, I now pipe exclusively with the super huge tips from the Bake Me Pretty’s Best Ever Cupcake Icing Kit. They are perfect for getting those perfect, fat swirls you see in the pro bakeries.
Where can I find the nutritional info for each of your recipes?
Not on my blog, sorry! I wish I could be like one of those super awesome food bloggers that breaks everything down for you guys, but…I just don’t have time! If you want to know how many calories, etc. there are per serving in any of my recipes, you can input all the ingredients into this site, and then divide by however many portions you made.
If I have a question about one of your recipes, how do I get in touch with you?
Leave me a comment, and I’ll respond within a couple hours (sometimes minutes). Or, you can email me.
ADVERTISING, REVIEWS, AND SPONSORSHIPS
Do you accept sponsors for your posts and/or review products?
Sure. If a company wants to send me a product to test out, I’m happy to do it. Who doesn’t love free stuff? But, all opinions on this blog are 100% my own, and I will not accept offers from sponsors to write posts for me.
Will you host giveaways with our products?
Absolutely!
Can we advertise on your blog?
Maybe! Shoot me an email, and we’ll talk. But, please note that I do not allow in-text/in-line ads, or ads for gambling/adult content.
REQUESTS FOR CONTENT/COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
Can I use one of your pictures on my blog/website?
All text and photographs in this website are the copyrighted property of Just Putzing Around the Kitchen, all rights reserved. If you want to use my pictures for any purpose, please contact me first to avoid copyright violation. If permission is granted, please link back to the recipe on my blog, and/or give me photo credit. Thanks!
Can I pin/FB/tweet your posts?
Sure! Just be sure to link back to my blog post.
If I make one of your recipes, can I re-post it on my blog?
Of course! But, please try not just copy/paste my post word for word into your blog entry — rewrite the instructions and narrative and post your own pictures. And, link backs are appreciated!