Photo Categories
We have three categories that you can submit your baking photos to. Each category is judged separately and there is one winner per category each month. Look at the descriptions below and pick the one that best fits what you baked and photographed. If you are not sure which category to use, just send us an email and we will help you figure it out. You are allowed to enter more than one category as long as the photos are different and you stay within the two submission limit total.
| Category | What Counts | Example Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Breads and Loaves | Any kind of bread you baked | Sourdough, banana bread, dinner rolls, baguettes |
| Pastries and Desserts | Sweet baked treats that are not cakes | Cookies, brownies, muffins, pies, croissants |
| Decorated Cakes | Cakes with frosting or other decoration | Birthday cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, layer cakes |
Breads and Loaves
This category is for any kind of bread that you baked at home. It does not have to be a fancy artisan loaf. A simple homemade white sandwich bread counts just as much as a sourdough boule with a fancy scoring pattern. What we are really looking for is a good photo that makes the bread look appetizing and shows off the work you put into it. Try to think about your lighting when you take the photo. Natural light from a window usually works really well for bread because it shows the texture of the crust. You could also try cutting the loaf and photographing the inside to show the crumb, which is the term for what the inside of the bread looks like. Bagels, rolls, flatbreads, and focaccia all count in this category. Even banana bread or zucchini bread counts since it is still a baked loaf. Do not stress too much about having the perfect setup. A clean background and decent lighting go a long way.
Pastries and Desserts
This category covers a wide range of baked sweets that are not cakes. If you baked cookies, muffins, scones, pies, tarts, brownies, eclairs, croissants, or anything similar, this is your category. Food styling can make a big difference in this category. Try arranging a few cookies on a plate or cutting a pie so people can see the inside filling. Sprinkling some powdered sugar or adding a scoop of ice cream next to something can make the photo look a lot more appealing. You do not need professional equipment to do this. A phone camera in good lighting can take a beautiful photo of a plate of brownies or a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. Think about the angle too. Some pastries look better from directly above and others look better from the side. Try a few different angles and pick the one that looks best before you submit.
Decorated Cakes
This category is for cakes that have frosting, fondant, ganache, or some other kind of decoration on them. This includes everything from a simple birthday cake with buttercream frosting to an elaborate tiered wedding cake. Cupcakes with frosting also count in this category. The key thing that separates this category from the others is that the decoration is a big part of what you are photographing. Try to set up your shot so that the decoration is clearly visible and looks sharp. If you spent time piping flowers or writing something in frosting, make sure that shows up well in your photo. For tall layer cakes, taking the photo slightly from the side at about a 45 degree angle usually shows off the height nicely. If your cake has a nice interior like a rainbow cake or a checkerboard pattern, consider cutting a slice and including it in the photo so people can see both the outside and the inside.