Sleeping with the Nutella by Bashar Alaeddin
In this evocative food photograph, the photographer explores the tactile and sensory appeal of a simple sandwich, treating the subject as a deliberate art piece. By experimenting with contrasting backgrounds and textures within a studio setting, the image aims to transcend mere documentation to arouse a visceral hunger in the viewer. The creative process involved getting hands-on with the ingredients, ensuring that every element—from the colors to the messy, greasy details—contributed to a composition that feels both authentic and indulgent. The final result is a testament to the photographer's ability to transform everyday culinary items into a compelling visual narrative.
Bashar Alaeddin
Born in Kuwait City and having spent most of his life between Jordan and Lebanon, Bashar Alaeddin brings over nine years of professional experience to his craft. After transitioning from a hobbyist to 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 fusion of technical precision and artistic storytelling, often highlighting the beauty of Arabian culture and the natural world.
Resonance Score Breakdown
Transparency Note: The resonance score (13.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.
Expert Photography Reviews · 4
The Sweetness of Doing Nothing
I found a half-empty jar at the back of the pantry this morning, hidden behind a box of tea I never drink. It was one of those moments where I stopped everything. I didn't reach for a spoon, and I didn't make toast.
Read the reflection →The Weight of the Unfinished
There is a specific silence that follows a meal shared in haste, the kind where the plate is left half-empty and the chair is pushed back with a sudden, jarring scrape.
Read the reflection →Reviews & Comments
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There’s a quiet intimacy in the way the light catches the smear of chocolate. It’s not the vast horizon I usually seek, but the stillness here feels familiar. He must have waited for the shadows to soften, letting the bread’s texture breathe. I find myself leaning in, almost smelling the warmth of the kitchen. It’s a humble, tactile landscape. He’s captured a fleeting, messy grace that makes me hungry for the simple, honest beauty of home.
The sandwich sits like a brutalist monolith on a rough, tectonic surface. I’m struck by how the Nutella’s viscosity mimics the heavy, poured concrete of a threshold, blurring the line between solid and void. It’s a study in massing, where the bread’s crumb provides the only texture against the slick, dark datum of the spread. It doesn’t just document food; it captures the messy, visceral weight of inhabiting a space. I’m actually starving looking at it.
Most food photography is a sterile, sharp-edged bore. Here, the smear of chocolate isn’t just a topping; it’s a deliberate, messy gesture that rejects the clinical perfection we’re usually force-fed. I’m genuinely drawn to the way the light catches the grease—it’s visceral, almost uncomfortable. Why resolve the bread’s texture when the blur of the spread tells a more honest story? It’s closer to a raw, tactile performance than a commercial shoot. I love the grit.
The sandwich sits off-center, creating a deliberate imbalance that forces the eye toward the negative space on the left. It’s a study in irregular geometry; the jagged crust edges disrupt the frame’s horizontal stability, while the dark, viscous Nutella provides a heavy visual anchor. I’m genuinely captivated by how the smear’s vector pulls the gaze diagonally across the surface. It’s a messy equation, sure, but the spatial tension between the bread’s rigid lines and the chocolate’s fluid chaos works.