Podcasting with one of my favorite people, Malorie Burden


”Today we’re joined by my dear friend and Charleston-based photographer, Kate Blohm! She’s been an inspiration to me since I met her at art school in 2009, and more recently I've wanted to pick her brain on becoming a full-time Creative (i.e. her childhood dream!). We chat about taking initiative with your passions, leading with curiosity, and being a part of an engaged and inspired community along the way. I know you’re going to leave this episode feeling motivated to take intentional action towards your own dreams!”

- Malorie Burden, Bad Luck Burden

I had so much fun getting to sit down and podcast with one of my favorite people, Malorie Burden ✨ She has always embodied what it means to be so authentically yourself, 1/1, an original. I’m honored to have been a guest on her podcast, and to have a moment in time preserved with her. This is the first piece of long-form content that I have put out into the world, and while it’s easy to overly critique oneself, I’m proud of a lot of points that we touched on. Mal has a talent of carrying a conversation through, and always keeps me comfortable and laughing.

We discuss the process of going from college to owning Kate Blohm Photography- and sustaining it for the past four years. And then of course, all of my plans on the horizon which may or may not include, living aboard boats, acquiring my captain’s license, and traveling across the world to work on boats with strangers.

Before recording this podcast, Mal and I did a shoot for her business Bad Luck Burden. Here are some previews of her, and of course Pepper.

Kate Blohm Photography for Bad Luck Burden, 2023

It’s a journey, and a privilege to share this conversation with you. Love you Mal!

Connect with and learn more about Kate:
Website: https://kateblohm.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateblohm/
About Kate: https://kateblohm.com/about
Say Hello!: hi@kateblohm.com
Find more about Pep Talks with Mal:
For more good vibes check out my website at https://www.badluckburden.com
Find me on Instagram + Pinterest: @badluckburden
Schedule a coaching session: https://www.badluckburden.com/bookasession

The essential tools for shooting a cookbook

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of shooting my first cookbook, Southern Sugar by Belinda Smith-Sullivan, with Gibbs Smith publishing house. It was an incredible experience, with 50 different recipes ranging from cakes to cookies to ice cream to candies. The project took a month in total when you include all of the preparations. It was my biggest project yet. I was the Food Stylist, Prop Stylist and Photographer.

Thanks to Belinda Smith-Sullivan, the chef who created these recipes, each one was easy to execute and made for a really incredible Superbowl spread.

Efficiency is key when there’s that many moving parts. If I had something baking in the oven, I’d want a custard setting in the fridge and an ice cream finishing in the churner. Thanks to my assistant Brian Reese (or as the Charleston wine and food scene knows him - Breezy), I was able to keep things moving, and shoot while things were being prepped or cooked.

All of this being said, here are my top tips for shooting (and baking) a cookbook

  1. Good props and / or Prop Stylist

    • Props make such a difference when creating a setting. In addition, collaborating with another creative always elevates the final product, so if it’s in the budget, hire one! If you’ve never met them before, buy them a coffee and see what your dynamic is like. Even if the bid falls through, you’ve still created a new relationship

    • Build your personal inventory of props

      • Shop when you travel. Small dishes, silverware and linens are easy to pack

      • Thrift for props. You’ll find basic, and unique pieces. Make sure to look in the curtain section for tablecloths

  2. Backdrops / Surfaces

    • Having a variety of backgrounds will keep the photo story interesting without having to have multiple locations

    • I enjoy using tile samples, linen napkins, fabrics, decorative paper, wrinkled parchment paper etc. Get creative! There’s so many fun ways to add textural elements that help create a sense of space

  3. Good tools in the kitchen

    • Make sure you read through each recipe and see what tools you need, equipment, etc. Some things are easy to DIY (ex. dry beans instead of pie weights) but there’s some things that just can’t be replaced (ex. a tart tamper)

    • Good equipment : a sharp knife, a good mixer, lots of mise en place bowls, and a lot of room in the fridge

Southern Sugar Cookbook | Photos by Kate Blohm

Southern Sugar Cookbook | Photos by Kate Blohm

With 100 satisfying recipes, the cookbook is divided up into chapters that focus on cakes, pound cakes, cheesecakes, pies, ice creams, candies, cookies and brownies, and cocktails and mocktails.
— Southern Sugar

It was such a fun experience bringing this book to life. Southern Sugar is now available for pre-order here, and will release on September 14, 2021.

Happy baking!