In Japan the idea of a box lunch is often elevated to a work of art.
Although I love to cook and do a fair bit of my own food styling, the props and styling of this image was largely the brainchild of food stylist and Japanese-cuisine afficianado, Amy Forster. She did a wonderful job with everything. And just when I thought my role would merely be to supply the right lens and subsequent photons, I sorta realized that I wasn't completely happy with the look of the salmon that Amy brought to the party. Luckily I had a piece of Alaskan salmon in my fridge that looked a bit more vibrant (red), so I carefully cut a slice of it and replaced the original one on set. While Amy was quick to inform me that in Japan most of the salmon consumed in bento boxes was of a less-colorful variety, she was definitely impressed that I actually owned a knife that was sharp enough to perform the necessary surgery properly.