Shilpi Karner

These native rock oysters from the Nambucca River estuary south of Coffs Harbour are stunning!! Sydney rock oysters are world renowned for their rich and creamy taste, and those that flourish in the Nambucca River – known as an oyster ‘sweet spot’, are quite likely some of the best oysters you will ever have the pleasure to devour. The Nambucca is blessed with a very clean river system, fed from highly mineralised water that comes straight off the mountains, which is why the shells are so white and the flavour so unique.
I was nervous and excited to shoot these oysters as it was my first time! With a few tips from our Oyster sommelier I was able to style these gems in a simple way allowing their natural textures and colours to shine. By tilting the shell in different ways, I was also able to see how the light played off and when I was happy with the set up , I clicked this image with my 100mm lens.

Braised Beef Cheeks with Shallot Jus
Juicy, meltingly tender beef cheeks, slow braised in red wine and served with a sweet and sour shallot jus is a restaurant quality dish perfect for a dinner party. We wanted to show how a rustic and comforting dish can be turned into an elegant dish like this with just a few simple touches.
Different colours evoke different moods and emotions, which help viewers to connect with the story one is trying to tell. With this in mind, I set up the scene to shoot in natural daylight on a wooden backdrop, using few props and filler boards and applying the analogous colour theory. My aim was to create a scene that would give a restaurant feel but yet be warm and inviting.