The Dairy, Clapham, revisited

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The second shoot for this Clapham visit, The Dairy by Chef Robin Gill

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Hey everyone. Following on from photographing Robin Gill’s The Delicatessens, I’ve now stepped next door to The Dairy. This is Sarah and Robin Gills first restaurant. So nice to feel the enthusiastic atmosphere and palatable buzz, which struck me last time I photographed The Dairy, is very much a part of the buildings fabric.

For the most part I was just shooting the new dishes which have been added to their ever seasonal menu. I never get tired of this place. Anytime I’m in London, I try to fit in, at least, a visit for coffee. Say hi, ask how it’s all going. I don’t know how it is for all photographers, but I certainly feel like I’m part of their team. Always welcomed with positive, smiling staff. You can tell, although they all work their socks off and long hours, they love being apart of this magical chapter of the industry.

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As before The Dairy was open during my shoot. I stayed near the front of the restaurant to make the most of the daylight. Although I bring my own sunshine there’s not always much space in a busy restaurant to set up lights. After all, you certainly don’t want to impact on the guests experience any more than necessary. This was prior to my Canon 6d purchase, which has wifi tethering, so I was shooting tethered from my Canon 1ds mkiii. More cables don’t go well with passing restaurant staff and customers. Finding nice light in a location that I could set up in was my first priority.

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I was shooting very much as I did for the first shoot, making the most of the lovely textures through the restaurant and the dishes themselves. I believe it’s all about showing off the food. Styling and propping the food for books and blogs like our Wilde Orchard, can work well. However, in restaurants the chefs do all the necessary styling , don’t monkey about and distract from the amazing food I say.

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The sun was shining on the patio out front of The Dairy. Customers were enjoying the summers warmth, watching Clapham life walk on by and filling their tummies with expertly prepared delights. Always looking for a photo, I noticed an opportunity to snap some pictures of diners out front, to give the feel of the day.

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Another request was an updated shot of the bar. Although from the outside, it looks mostly the same as before. The bar had seen an upgrade behind the scenes and always makes for a nice photo.

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Finishing up with getting shots of dessert, which is my favourite course I think. With the sun shining on Clapham, frozen desserts need pretty fast work. There’s a cure for that. They chill the bowls before serving which is a big help and great for the dining experience. There’s noting worse than a beautiful plate of food, rapidly melting right in front of you. After all you don’t want to rush it. This way you get to slow down and savour every little spoonful.

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This brought us to the end of lunchtime. I was treated to the tastiest ham and pickle sandwich from The Delicatessen, which we’d just shot, before leaving The Dairy and heading around to The Manor for more updated menu photos.

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Join me shortly for many more tasty treats, Manor style.

Thanks for coming along, I enjoy your company.

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