Yogurt Salad with Cucumber by Hanan AboRegela

Hanan AboRegela captures the essence of a refreshing yogurt salad through a carefully composed tabletop scene. By utilizing natural daylight, the photographer highlights the vibrant textures of garlic, cucumber, yogurt, salt, and coriander. The arrangement is intentionally designed to evoke a sense of immediacy, as if the dish is being prepared in the very moment the shutter clicks. This photograph is award-worthy for its clean, evocative storytelling and the skillful use of lighting to elevate simple culinary ingredients into a compelling visual narrative that celebrates the art of food preparation.

Yogurt Salad with Cucumber by Hanan AboRegela(c) Light & Composition University
Canon EOS 80D | Exposure 1/25sec @ f/5.6 | ISO 1000 | Focal Length 128mm
Copyright Β© Hanan AboRegela
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Hanan AboRegela

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Hanan AboRegela is a dedicated photographer currently based in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. After studying Germanistic at Ain Shams University, she transitioned her focus toward the culinary arts, striving to establish herself as a professional food photographer. Her work is defined by a rigorous commitment to learning, as she consistently analyzes the techniques of industry leaders to refine her own aesthetic and technical approach to capturing food.

Profile View Full Profile
10.1/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
98/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
9,869 views | 7 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 10, 2019
62.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 11.0
Clarity 11.0
Composition 16.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Food Photography
Hanan AboRegela Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
3.7/5 points
735/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
9,869/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.4/5 points
7/100 Review
Submissions
1.0/5 points
98/500 Submission
Jury Score: 62.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.1/20
Total Award Score: 72.1/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 7

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
There’s a quiet stillness here, as if the kitchen has held its breath. She waited for that soft, directional light to graze the cucumber, turning simple ingredients into a landscape of texture. I’ve spent hours watching shadows crawl across dunes, and I recognize this patience. It’s not just food; it’s a moment of grace. I find myself wanting to reach out, to taste the coolness of that yogurt. It’s a beautiful, humble act of attention.
Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
The tactile quality of the cucumber here recalls the stark, objective still lifes of Aenne Biermann, yet it’s softened by a contemporary, domestic intimacy. AboRegela avoids the sterile perfection of modern commercial work, opting instead for a fleeting, honest light that feels remarkably human. I’ve spent decades cataloging the evolution of the tabletop, and honestly, the way she captures the cooling, viscous texture of the yogurt makes me crave a bite. It’s a quiet, refreshing triumph.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
White yogurt. Green cucumber. The frame doesn't crowd the ingredients. It lets them breathe. I’ve spent minutes watching the light settle on the salt. It’s quiet here. The composition holds a stillness I rarely find in food work. It’s honest. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s a pause. I feel a sudden, sharp hunger for this simplicity. It’s a rare discipline to leave so much room for the air.
Marcus Trent Human Truth, Documentary & The Decisive Moment Expert Review
You’ve captured the quiet rhythm of a kitchen. It’s not just food; it’s the memory of a meal being made. I can almost smell the garlic and fresh coriander. Because you used natural light, it feels like a real afternoon in Al Jubail, not a studio set. I’ve spent enough time in kitchens to know that mess is where the life is. You waited for the right moment. There’s something honest happening here. It’s refreshing.
Rafael Ortega Shutter Technique, Motion & the Cinematic Single Frame Expert Review
The light hits the cucumber and I’m suddenly starving. It’s a kinetic scene, frozen mid-toss. The 128mm compression pulls the ingredients tight, creating a shallow depth that keeps the focus on the texture of the yogurt. It’s a frame the editor keeps because the movement feels unfinished, like a scene about to cut to the next beat. I love the salt dusting; it’s the detail that sells the reality of the kitchen. A perfect, delicious pause.
Mei-Ling Chen Pattern, Geometry, Abstract Form & Visual Mathematics Expert Review
The composition pivots on a sharp diagonal, slicing the frame into a precise 3:5 ratio of textured yogurt to scattered coriander. It’s a beautifully solved spatial equation. The garlic cloves act as anchor points, creating a triangular tension that pulls the eye across the negative space. I’m genuinely struck by how the light vectors stabilize the chaotic distribution of salt. It’s not just food; it’s a rigorous, balanced grid that makes the geometry feel entirely effortless.
Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at this bowl and we don’t just see ingredients; we see the hands that chopped the garlic and folded the yogurt. It’s a portrait of a kitchen’s quiet rhythm. I’ve spent my life listening to stories, and here, the coriander and cucumber tell me of a home where someone is waiting to be fed. It’s a gentle, nourishing silence. I feel a sudden, sharp hunger for the warmth of that table.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Tom Bretherton

The Quiet Ritual of Noon

My grandmother used to say that the most honest work happens in the kitchen when the house is finally still. I remember watching her chop cucumbers on a wooden board that had been worn smooth by decades of Sunday lunches. She didn’t rush.

Read the reflection →
By Rashid Noor

The Alchemy of the Mundane

Why do we assume that the most profound truths must be found in the monumental, in the cathedrals of history or the vastness of the stars? Perhaps the architecture of our existence is actually built upon the smallest, most fleeting rituals.

Read the reflection →

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