Behind the Food Shoot

It seems like everyone is a food photographer these days with iPhones, Facebook and the virtual explosion of food blogs. (The New York Times even profiled a few obsessive food shooters.) It's not just self-proclaimed foodies getting in on the action, but everyday, enthusiastic eaters who are picking up cameras with sticky, juicy hands and showing off their best bites.
Dive into the lives of the food professionals who specialize in visual culinary art tonight at 9:30pm ET on the premiere of My Life in Food. See leading food stylists and photographers dish their tips, tricks and techniques for getting the best possible food shot.
Ever wonder how a slice of cake can look so beautiful and precise in glossy magazines, without a hint of smeared frosting? Food stylist Brian Preston-Campbell reveals the secret: Constructing a cake slice like a tall sandwich. First he cuts triangle pieces from an unfrosted cake, then uses wooden skewers to prop one above the other, making a small tower. Finally he pipes frosting carefully between the two cake levels, along the top and sides. Presto! Perfect cake.

Tune in, grab your camera, and join the Pix Potluck on Cooking Channel's Facebook page by uploading your best shots, sharing your life in food through magazine-worthy, make-you-hungry pictures.