Stopping the Sugarcoating

A photo essay by Olivia Ersil

Every baker knows the satisfaction of whisking together carefully measured ingredients, then painstakingly retrieving the creation out of the oven. However, every baker also knows about the imperfections that are often hidden within the sweetness. A crispy edge on your dough or spilled flour on the counter are common yet rarely photographed aspects of the baking process. The perfection of the final product is often sugarcoated. Within this photo essay, I really wanted to capture these flawed, fleeting moments. To do this, I made sure I had my camera nearby while baking, just in case I had found a moment that I thought fit the concept. This method resulted in several candid pictures that I don’t think I would have achieved in a more staged and formal photoshoot environment. Hopefully, despite their imperfections, these pictures can emulate the warmth and comfort found within the baked goods themselves.