The makings of Thanksgiving dinner

[Mike Buckley]

This photo is in my continuing series that presents food in a context that we don't normally experience or at least don't notice.

Prior to three years ago when I went on safari in South Africa, I had never heard of a guinea fowl. Now I enjoy eating them on special occasions. This is one of the two birds I will cook for Thanksgiving dinner served with a demi-glace sauce.

The second photo, which was captured on that safari, is provided for those who aren't familiar with the species.

EDIT: A third photo of the Thanksgiving dinner served at the table has been added to the thread.

Setup
The background is black foam core. The tabletop is a floor tile. A medium continuous-light lamp is above and behind the scene in the right rear area. A flag held above the bird between two light stands eliminated the flare. A white reflector on the left front side lifted the shadow tones in that area of the bird. A flash light shining from the right side lit the bird's cavity. A polarizer was used to control glare.

[george013]

This photo is in my continuing series that presents food in a context that we don't normally experience or at least don't notice.

Prior to three years ago when I went on safari in South Africa, I had never heard of a guinea fowl. Now I enjoy eating them on special occasions. This is one of the two birds I will cook for Thanksgiving dinner served with a demi-glace sauce.

I provided the second photo for those who aren't familiar with the species. It was captured while on that safari.

Setup
The background is black foam core. The tabletop is a floor tile. A medium continuous-light lamp is above and behind the scene in the right rear area. A flag held between two light stands above the bird eliminated the flare. A white reflector on the left front side lifted the shadow tones in that area of the bird. A flash light shining from the right side lit the bird's cavity.

Do we get a picture when it's done too?

As you might know in Holland we don't know Thanksgiving. But one of the stories about that day is that it's originated from Holland, especially Leiden. The first pilgrim fathers left England for Leiden and stayed there for several years. A part of them stayed there for ever and a part left for the new world.
Leiden was sieged by the spanish in 1574 for a long time and relieved by the "geuzen". They brought hering for the of hunger starving people of Leiden. And that is still celebrated with herring, bread and hutspot, a carrot and onion stew. So it's believed that the first pilgrim fathers toke over that habit.
Just one of the stories and excuses to serve and shoot special food

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Leiden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_Fathers

George

[Shadowman]

You seem to have adopted the catch phrase of Jared Polin "I Shoot RAW", I've never been a fan of the look of raw meat; except for steak that is. Definitely a jarring effect, the angles and tones are interesting though. Nice shot.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for passing along that story, George.

Interestingly, Leyden (also spelled Leiden in many sources) is also famous for the invention of the Leyden jar, probably the first man-made object designed to store an electrical charge. When Benjamin Franklin first heard about Leyden jars, he immediately bought some and used them in his many experiments with electricity. He coined the term, battery, when he connected a group of Leyden jars in a series.

Considering that eating a turkey is the classic American way to celebrate Thanksgiving, a story about Benjamin Franklin, turkeys and the Leyden jars is appropriate. Franklin, always one to be a joker, held a party where his plan was to use electricity to electrocute a turkey, to cook it, to toast to the success of electricity experiments using glasses warmed by electricity and to celebrate the whole affair with explosions also set off by electricity. Franklin apparently made a careless error at the event using Leyden jars, and shocked himself so seriously that his mind and body went numb for a moment. People at the event told him that the electrical shock created a loud bang and a bright flash of light. Though Franklin was able to remain standing and he fully recovered, the effects of being shocked by the electricity didn't completely wear off until the next day.

Do we get a picture when it's done too?

At best, a quick snap shot.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, John!

I've never been a fan of the look of raw meat...Definitely a jarring effect

I also made another photo that is even more jarring because no vegetables are included in the scene, which reveals the details of the bird's cavity in an even more jarring way. My wife, who hates to touch raw meat (which partly explains why I'm the cook in the household), feels that other photo is too jarring.

[Shadowman]

Thanks, John!



I also made another photo that is even more jarring because no vegetables are included in the scene, which reveals the details of the bird's cavity in an even more jarring way. My wife, who hates to touch raw meat (which partly explains why I'm the cook in the household), feels that other photo is too jarring.

Mike,

Another jarring effect to me regarding foods are seeing the eyes especially with fish; either cooked or raw. However, I will photograph a dead fish or bird. Go figure.

[madcrow]

I know someone that going to have a good Thanksgiving. Live guinea fowl makes a nicer image. Enjoy dinner.

[Manfred M]

I would have expected a glass of wine in the background, providing you with sustenance while preparing the fowl.

Guinea fowl are definitely a nicer looking bird than either the commercial or the wild turkeys.

[tbob]

Certainly an artistic step (or three) above the typical Facebook image of someone's lunch. I do not mind the raw meat aspect, seems to add to the overall uniqueness/artistry of the image.

As for the quinea fowl. A bit skint on breast meat, although maybe it's a quality versus quantity thing

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for the nod, everyone!

As for the quinea fowl. A bit skint on breast meat

Is that true relative to the size of the bird as compared to cornish hens, squab, turkeys, chickens and other fowl? I have no idea, which is why I ask. The markets for turkey and chicken are so much larger than the market for guinea fowl, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that, indeed, the turkeys and chickens have been bred to develop relatively larger amounts of breast meat.

[Mike Buckley]

This photo is the closest thing I can think of to a snap shot captured on a tripod. I set up the composition in just two or three minutes based on the platter with no food on it. I was using this particular tripod for only the second time because it was just three days old, so it wasn't as if I was comfortable working with it. As soon as the platter was put on the table, I quickly made a couple of exposures to get the depth of field and exposure right. I then returned the platter to the kitchen to quickly carve the birds. I was the cook, so I had very little time to make all of the photography stuff happen.

The carrots got cold in the mean time, but my friends didn't mind because they enjoy viewing my and my wife's photography. In fact, my friend designed the placement of the food on the platter and the position of the platter on the table.

My friends came over about two hours earlier than I expected and I enjoyed being with them so much that I forgot to make the cornbread muffins and the demi-glace sauce to serve with the meat.

[george013]

This photo is the closest thing I can think of to a snap shot captured on a tripod. I set up the composition in just two or three minutes based on the platter with no food on it. I was using this particular tripod for only the second time because it was just three days old, so it wasn't as if I was comfortable working with it. As soon as the platter was put on the table, I quickly made a couple of exposures to get the depth of field and exposure right. I then returned the platter to the kitchen to quickly carve the birds. I was the cook, so I had very little time to make all of the photography stuff happen.

The carrots got cold in the mean time, but my friends didn't mind because they enjoy viewing my and my wife's photography. In fact, my friend designed the placement of the food on the platter and the position of the platter on the table.

My friends came over about two hours earlier than I expected and I enjoyed being with them so much that I forgot to make the cornbread muffins and the demi-glace sauce to serve with the meat.

Bon appetit. Looks good.
I had to find the translation for the guinea fowl. It's parelhoen. I know it mostly from restaurants and the poulterer on the market. And then they're naked as yours. Parelhoen exist out of two words: parel and hoen. Parel means pearl and hoen means chicken. Pearl for its dotted feathers. They taste well.
They live wild in nature. I did see them in France. I think in Holland they're nearly gone. They lose habitat.
They're also held as decorating chicken/birds.

George

[John 2]

I've come to this late Mike so hope last evenings dinner was all that it promised to be. Not a bird that I can recall having enjoyed, certainly not at home. The BBC food web site sums it up quite well:

Originally a game bird, but now domesticated and available all year round, guinea fowl has a flavour somewhere between chicken and pheasant. A young bird has tasty flesh; older birds are good to casserole as this helps keep the flesh moist – try casseroling in red wine with chestnuts. One bird will serve two people.

...so clearly available in the UK farmed but no longer wild.

[Mike Buckley]

One bird will serve two people.

This isn't the first time I've cooked guinea fowl, so I estimated that I would need one-and-a-half birds to feed the four of us. As it turned out, I needed only a leg from the second bird and all of us were quite full.

[george013]

This isn't the first time I've cooked guinea fowl, so I estimated that I would need one-and-a-half birds to feed the four of us. As it turned out, I needed only a leg from the second bird and all of us were quite full.

You're lucky I wasn't invited.

George

[DanK]

The markets for turkey and chicken are so much larger than the market for guinea fowl, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that, indeed, the turkeys and chickens have been bred to develop relatively larger amounts of breast meat.

Indeed. I actually raised turkeys briefly in my youth--Minnesota Royal Whites, if I recall correctly. They bore very little resemblance at all to the lean, wild birds that have made a comeback both in New England and upstate New York.

[Mike Buckley]

You're lucky I wasn't invited.

Well, if I take you literally, I'm sure I would be very lucky to have you join us.