![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
#Foodstagram: Eateries with a social media craze
Courtesy Anahita Far (@instaa_ana)
Sophomore Anahita Far posted a picture of sushi on her Instagram account. She is one of numerous students who have posted pictures of their food on social media.
CREAM:
Warm homemade cookies coupled with ice cream creates the phenomenon that is CREAM. Cookies range from double chocolate chip to “lemon heaven” and come in gluten free and vegan alternatives. 24 different ice cream flavors, 18 cookie variations and 14 topping choices allow for a 6,048 choices of ice cream sandwich which are sure to satiate your dessert cravings.
With five locations in the Bay Area, CREAM started four years ago as an expansion of a family tradition. The owners’, the Shamieh’s, children would test what to pair cookies with, and their experiments evolved into the chain store.
Recently, CREAM has made a social media statement, which has both popularized the store both among the public and students.
“I feel like people Instagram CREAM or any hyped up places because it feels like they’re in the loop,” Jessica Yang (12) said. “If you didn’t Instagram it, it didn’t happen.”
The visual appeal of the ice cream and the cookie combination also encourage students to take more photos of the ice cream sandwiches.
“[The food] is nice to look at; CREAM is a very modern style of food,” Natasha Mayor (11) said. “It’s something new and something different, at least for now.”
Starbucks:
Hot and cold, caffeination and pastrification, coffees and teas, Starbucks Coffee has it all. one of the world’s most iconic coffee shops, Starbucks spans 65 countries, and has over 10,000 locations in the United States.
Most notable for its coffees and frappucinos, it has also grown a considerable presence across social media platforms.
“[People Instagram photos of Starbucks drinks] because the drinks look so pretty, and everyone wants to share what they make over time, and each barista has their own creation that they make,” Starbucks Barista Alana Bohni said. “I think it’s like, ‘Oh, look at this pretty drink that I have. Aren’t you jealous? You want this but you can’t have it right now.’”
Social media attention has influenced students to visit big eateries as well.
“I know a couple of my friends choose places based on whether the food is ‘Instagrammable’ or not,” Natasha Mayor (11) said. “I think it encourages cafes to have more attractive food. Because there’s such a big social media presence for all these food places, people think it’s kind of cool to go to these places and take photos of food there. It’s the normal thing to do.”
How to take a good picture:
- Find the best angle of the food. That’s usually the side with the most variety: all parts of the food and as many colors as possible. Take a picture of a plated dish from the top unless it looks a little sparse or empty. If it is, then take a photo from the eye level of the dish that makes it look fuller and cuts out the not as photogenic areas. Backgrounds can be a great tool to contrast with the food, but don’t forget to remove background clutter.
- Find good lighting. Lighting is usually best in direct sunlight – it’s natural and doesn’t usually have a yellow or blue hue. Sometimes however, direct sunlight can wash out the food, in which case you should turn so that the food is slightly angled away from the sun. Backlight usually makes the food too dark, but can also create a heavenly glow around the food. If you must take a photo under artificial lighting, make sure it’s bright and a true white.
- Filters are unnecessary. Beautiful food really doesn’t need any filters. Color correcting a funky white balance is a good idea, but allow the food to show its true colors for itself.
- Color—greens and reds especially—will ultimately draw eyes to the food. If possible, always incorporate as much color as you can into the food, and it’ll usually look much more appetizing. Green can be easily integrated with herbs: parsley, cilantro, thyme, and mint are safe bets to garnish any dish.
- Colors, especially green, make a photo especially enticing. Try to capture as much green as you can. Herbs such as mint, thyme or cilantro and other garnishes, make food appear more appealing.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on October 17, 2014.
Priscilla Pan is the features editor for the Winged Post and co-creator of In a Nutshell. She is a senior and has been part of the journalism program for...