Goats’ Cheese Salad by Bashar Alaeddin

Commissioned to highlight a signature dish at a boutique cafe in Amman, the photographer sought to capture the essence of freshness and health. By utilizing a shallow depth of field, the image creates a soft, inviting bokeh that draws the viewer into the vibrant textures of the salad. The natural daylight setup emphasizes the clean, wholesome quality of the ingredients, transforming a simple culinary creation into an evocative visual narrative. This photograph succeeds through its meticulous composition and ability to communicate the inviting atmosphere of the cafe, making it a standout example of professional food photography.

Goats’ Cheese Salad by Bashar Alaeddin
Canon EOS 5D Mark III 24-105mm | Exposure 1/100sec @ f/4 | ISO 100 | Focal Length 60mm
Copyright Β© Bashar Alaeddin
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Bashar Alaeddin

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Kuwait City and having spent most of his life between Jordan and Lebanon, Bashar Alaeddin is a seasoned photographer with over nine years of experience. As the founder of a photography and video studio in Amman, he balances a diverse commercial career in food, interior, and portrait photography with a deep passion for capturing the landscapes and night skies of the Middle East. His work is defined by a unique blend of technical precision and artistic curiosity, often bridging the gap between professional commercial execution and the quiet beauty of Arabian culture.

Profile View Full Profile
12.7/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
225/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
11,554 views | 7 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date December 13, 2017
63.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 11.0
Clarity 11.0
Composition 17.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Amman, Jordan

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Bashar Alaeddin Photography
Food Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (12.4/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,053/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
11,554/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.1/5 points
1/100 Review
Submissions
2.3/5 points
225/500 Submission
Jury Score: 63.0/80
Resonance Score: 12.4/20
Total Award Score: 75.4/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at this salad and we don’t just see ingredients; we see the hands that gathered them. Bashar Alaeddin hasn't just shot a meal; he’s captured the quiet, sun-drenched hospitality of an Amman afternoon. The bokeh feels like a soft conversation, inviting us to pull up a chair. I’ve spent my life listening to stories, and honestly, this plate tells me more about the cafe’s heart than any menu ever could. It’s truly lovely.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The pale, chalky curd of the goat cheese, rendered in the muted, dusty whites of a Morandi still life, anchors a composition that breathes with the verdant, sun-drenched vitality of a Mediterranean noon. It’s the sharp, acidic chartreuse of the arugula that truly seduces me, vibrating against the warm, earthy terracotta of the plate. I’ve rarely seen such a luminous, honest light; it’s a quiet, sensory feast that makes one’s own appetite ache with sudden, vivid longing.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
A shallow depth of field isolates these greens, yet it feels like a sanitized performance of Amman. Why must we blur the background into an anonymous, creamy void? It’s a polished, globalized aesthetic that erases the very cafe culture it claims to celebrate. I find myself craving a crumb of context, a hint of the city’s grit. Does this salad exist in Jordan, or just in a vacuum? It’s technically precise, but emotionally hollow.
Rafael Ortega Shutter Technique, Motion & the Cinematic Single Frame Expert Review
The light hits the greens with a cinematic crispness that makes me hungry. It’s a tight, focused shot, holding the texture of the cheese like a lead actor in a close-up. The shallow depth of field creates a soft, blurred background, keeping the narrative strictly on the plate. It’s a perfect frame; the editor wouldn’t dare cut away. I’ve seen enough food shots, but this one feels like a quiet, delicious moment of stillness.
Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
Food photography often drifts into the sterile, yet Alaeddin’s work echoes the tactile honesty of early still-life studies. The shallow depth of field, achieved here at f/4, avoids the clinical sharpness of modern digital excess, recalling the soft, painterly focus of Julia Margaret Cameron. It’s refreshing to see a commercial commission breathe with such organic light. I’ve spent decades staring at plates, but this crisp, vibrant composition actually made me hungry. It’s a rare, delightful achievement.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The frame’s geometry relies on the central mass of the goat cheese, yet the peripheral clutter undermines the spatial tension. It’s a precarious balance. The shallow depth of field isolates the texture, but the composition doesn't quite resolve the negative space at the edges. I’ve grown weary of such soft, predictable bokeh. It’s technically proficient, but the lack of structural discipline leaves the eye wandering. It doesn't hold. The frame is simply too loose.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Rashid Noor

The Geometry of Sustenance

Why do we feel a sudden, quiet reverence when we sit before a meal that has been gathered from the earth? There is a strange intimacy in the act of eating, a bridge between the wild, untamed world and the fragile architecture of our own bodies.

Read the reflection →
By Daniel Ferreira

The Table as Territory

Every meal served in a public space is a negotiation of territory. When we sit in a cafe, we are not merely consuming calories; we are participating in a performance of class and belonging.

Read the reflection →

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