special
VEGAN
Hi Bo, what is the first thing you eat
when you wake up?
This can vary almost every day as I LOVE
breakfast! On weekdays it’s usually a bagel with
peanut butter, a smoothie bowl, or some oatmeal
- but at the weekend I go all out and have
pancakes or wales with delicious toppings.
What kind of snacks do you eat
through the day?
Snacks are the best. There’s always leftovers
or failed recipes to use up at home, so I’ll be
nibbling on those throughout the day. This
week I’m snacking on blood orange tarts, as
I have two in the fridge to use up. On the rare
occasion that I don’t have leftovers lying
around, my favourite snack has to be medjool
dates stufed with nut butter and walnuts or
pecans – so good!
Food has always
come first in my
life – my first words
were ‘gone’ followed
by ‘more’!
We caught up with Harriet Potterfield AKA
vegan food blogger and social media guru,
Bo’s Kitchen, and found out her secrets to the
perfect day full of plant-based foods!
When did your passion for food, and
food photography, begin?
Food has always come irst in my life – my irst
words were ‘gone’ followed by ‘more’! I started
my Instagram account purely to share my love
of vegan food, and had no idea that I would one
day be able to build a business out of it.
I originally started by taking pictures with my
iPhone about four years ago, with a white table
for a backdrop. I didn’t get a proper camera
and start taking things seriously until I’d been
doing it for a couple of years.Do you have any go-to weeknight
meals, and if so, what are they?
I’ll often make a stir-fry or roasted veggies.
Quick meals are my favourites in the week.
A veggie stir-fry with soba noodles is ready
in minutes, and uses up any bits of leftover
vegetables in the fridge. I love to add cashews
for extra texture and protein, with soy sauce or
peanut butter for lavour. Otherwise, I’ll roast
veggies for 30 minutes (think – tomatoes,
peppers, courgettes and onions) and use these
to stir through plain pasta with olive oil, or I’ll
stuf them into a pitta bread with hummus for
a nourishing meal.BO'S TOP TIPS FOR
BUDDING FOOD
PHOTOGRAPHERSLIGHT
Lighting is everything, and can
make or break a photo! Study the
light around your house; where is
the best window, and what time of
day provides the prettiest lighting?
North- or south-facing windows
are usually best (although not
essential, as I don’t have any), and
I tend to avoid the middle of the
day for shooting, as the sun is
too high in the sky. The light can
change colour throughout the day,
too; in the morning it tends to be
bluer, but is warmer later in the day.
Be prepared to move around to
capture the best light for your dish.COLOUR
Think about your ingredients –
what colours are they bringing
to the dish, and do they work
together? I love to play around
with colour in my work, so will
always plan backdrops and props to
complement the dish I’m shooting.
Colour is a powerful way to create
a standout photo – don’t be afraid
to experiment and get creative!TEXTURE
Using a combination of textures in
your pictures will add interest and
really take your food to the next
level. With pancakes for example,
they can look quite dry and flat
until you add a drizzle of maple
syrup or a generous dollop of
glossy nut butter. Beautiful!