Roasted Cherries

This project began as a personal exploration of how to present a recipe for a cookbook or recipe blog, with an emphasis on showing both the preparation process and the beauty of seasonal produce. I wanted to try something different with cherries, moving away from the usual sweet dishes and creating a savoury version instead. The recipe uses a base of garlicky yoghurt topped with cherries roasted with thyme, finished with a sprinkle of dried cornflowers for a floral layer and a pop of contrasting colour.

The aim was to create images that could be used for a variety of contexts, from recipe publishing to promoting fresh produce. The audience could be home cooks looking for inspiration or readers of a cookbook who enjoy recipes with a fresh and seasonal feel. To appeal to them, I styled the shots in a way that felt both approachable and refined, using props that enhanced the colour palette without overwhelming the food.

I built the visual concept around a triadic colour palette. The purple and red of the cherries were paired with the vibrant blue of the dried cornflowers and the cool green of the thyme and cherry stalks. This combination brought depth and balance to the images, while the textures of the fruit, herbs and yoghurt added another layer of interest.

I chose to work with natural light in my home studio to give the series a soft early summer atmosphere. The process shots included close-up moments of the cherries being halved and the stones removed, a detail that feels relatable to anyone who has worked with small stoned fruit. I made sure to include a range of perspectives, from macro shots of the freshly washed cherries and the final plated dish to flatlay shots that showed the recipe coming together step by step. The size and shape of the cherries suited a top-down perspective best, allowing their colours and textures to shine.

One challenge was the change in colour after roasting. Fresh cherries have a vivid purple-red hue, but once roasted they shift to a warmer, more muted shade. To keep the images visually engaging, I introduced the blue of the cornflowers and the green of the thyme as accents, along with a light drizzle of olive oil to give the surface a gentle sheen.

The finished series celebrates a slightly unexpected way of enjoying cherries. It captures the tactile process of preparing them and the richness of their colour, balanced with complementary ingredients. The inspiration began with the striking blue of dried cornflowers spotted in a shop, and that bold colour carried through the entire shoot, tying the visual story together.