Why I Take Pics of Food

Why I Take Pics of Food

A young staff who has grown too comfortable with me that he has become more of a young friend or son to me, asked, "Bat nagpipicture kayo ng pagkain? Para kayong babae!" (Why do you take photos of your food. You are like a girl!)

Embarrassed, I didn't answer back. But it made me think.

Why do I do so indeed?

Well, ever since I experienced chronic bouts of hyperacidity, my diet got very much restricted. I couldn't eat what I used to love: anything sour, especially with tomatoes, tomato sauce, and catsup, anything hot and spicy (I miss how wasabi declogs my sinuses), anything with thick cream, oily, and syrupy sweet, and strong coffee, chocolate, and tea. That's basically 90% of food worth eating regularly. So forgive me if I take photos of those I was able to eat out of gratitude. In addition, I take photos because of sheer novelty in a faraway town where food choices are severely limited compared to what I used to have in the big city or because I appreciate the way the food was plated even though I only took a few bites of the forbidden fruit.

I also avoid certain foods out of fear of allergic reaction, real or imagined, and because of personal tastes (e.g., I don't like anything hard to chew on or a challenge to swallow for various reasons).

These various kinds of deprivations, whether a hypochondriac's self-imposition or for health reasons, make me so grateful for what I can still or able to eat.

I also take pictures of special treats given to me for various reasons, especially surprise ones.

But no, I don't take pictures of everything I eat, which excludes many day-to-day dishes that common folk eat and certain comfort food. If I take time to take pictures, at least using a cheap phone camera, it is somewhat like the saying of grace before special or out of the usual meals.

(Many of the photos are not mine, though, but from my new regular lunch provider.)