ThearyMeak Photography

If you're a reader of my blogs then by now you know my talent is partially based on the talent of my great friend Theary's ability to make my food look amazingly appetizing in photos. Theary is one of those rare people you meet who are truly an inspiration. She is so full of energy, spirit and love it's contagious. One of the things that I think makes her so special is her attention to detail. She runs her own business, Theary Meak photography, and is a huge success. Her secret? Paying attention to her clients. She never sets a time limit for her shoots and will generally want to meet with you for coffee, food and/or conversation before the shoot so she can figure you out. Find out something about you that you love, something that makes you tick. If she can figure that out then she can capture it on film. I love to go along on photo shoots with her just to see the light she brings out in people. On one of these trips (a photo shoot for the Chantalome sisters) we happened upon a busted up, broken down shell of a Helicopter. A Huey to be exact. I was beyond excited to find this rusted up old piece of military history. Helicopters are close to my heart because I spent three years working for the 37th Helicopter Squadron as part of the United States Air Force. I find it impossible to describe the friendships and comrade you find in the military. It is the closest thing to family will you find outside of your blood relatives. Some days I feel truly guilty for leaving the military. Some days it seems very selfish of me to have given up a job of serving my country to serve food instead. But what's done is done, and everything happens for a reason. If I had never joined the military I would have never found my love of food. Traveling the world exposed to me so many different styles of food and the traditions surrounding them. But what really did it for me was meeting, living and working with people from all over the country. My first food experiments started in the dorms (I was lucky enough to have a kitchen, not all dorms did) I would make Sunday night dinners for my friends. A nice routine we all looked forward too. Good friends and good food were the perfect way to end the weekend. However, not all my friends appreciated the mid-western casseroles I usually made and so I started getting requests for foods they were more familiar with. That's when I started collecting recipes, cook books and a love of cooking for and caring for others.
I think these photos Theary took of me are the best yet, the helicopter brought back so many great memories of my 'past life'. She did an amazing job and I am so sad to see her move away. After this month you will all see a decline the quality of my photos because I will be taking them myself. Theary is moving Georgia. If you live that area, look her up. She is a great friend and photographer, it will be worth your while.