STW Challenge for November: Back to Black

Flip through old food mags from the 1980s, and you’ll find a common food and prop styling trend. Food was fussily styled like art work, with novel visual forms taking precedence over making the food look particular appetizing. Food was piled as tall as possible, with little regard to how a diner might actually dig in. Starkness, versus lusciousness was “in.” Color was bright and bold, and full of contrast. And, at the center of all of this was the ever present shiny black plate.

Well folks, I don’t know if you’ve noticed it like I have, but the black plate is making a come-back. This time though, it’s not fussy and it’s not shiny. And I, for one, am a fan. The images I’m seeing are rustic and earthy and amazingly inviting. They fit my mood as our season turns cold and dark perfectly. Here are some examples that I just love:

So, for this month’s challenge, I want to see what you can do with black tableware. You can use plates, bowls, trays, mugs, whatever you would like. It’s fine if there is some ornamentation, but in the spirit of the challenge, the dishes should be mostly black. Here are a few of the black pieces that have found their way into my prop collection over the past year:

The usual rules and are up on the Flickr group… the things like be constructive, take the photos during the month if possible, 3 photos per person and the last day will be around November 30th give or take a few days.

PS: Sorry for missing the ENTIRE month of October folks! Hopefully you’ll find this month’s challenge entertaining though.