What is a food photographer to do when a good deal of the food meant to be photographed at an establishment looks like crap. Literally. That question might have gone through the photographers mind this week when they were on assignment for the Mercury at Lucky Strike. I'm assured that, of the photos taken at the Far Southeast, Far-East eatery, the one that ran in this week's issue was the best.

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yum?

I can't stop staring at it in horror. The colors are gorgeous, but... For some reason I can't recall the Spicy Pigs' Ears looking like this when I ate them. If they had, I probably wouldn't have eaten them. But, let's face it, these are pigs' ears. And if you put lipstick on a pig's ear, it's still a pig's ear. I'm absolutely certain that the photographer did the best they could. After all, many of the dishes at Lucky Strike are kind-of oddly colored and amorphous. I doubt that things would have worked out any better with the Spicy Jellyfish salad. And it's not as if I was helpful in giving them an idea of what they might want to shoot. Either way, I'm expecting a lot of comments like the one posted today:

Well, this review sounds like the food might be pretty tasty. So why did you choose a photo that looks like poop?

Posted by mollie on February 5, 2009 at 1:51 PM

So while I was thinking about unappetizing food photos, I decided to go a-web-searchin'. Here's what I found! Enjoy!

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I think this is some kind of pizza. Some kind of horrible, horrible pizza. Wait! Did it just move?

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I think that trying to make something like fluffy mackerel pudding look appetizing is a fools errand. But you could probably say the same for spicy pigs ears. Incidentally this looked appetizing to people who lived in the 70's.

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Aren't you going to finish that?

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When the macro lens doesn't do you any favors. What is that? Gall bladder? Dirt pipe pudding?

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GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! My eyes!!!!!!!

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Matt Davis would likely find this photograph appealing. It's the food of his people, coiled up in a... Um... An ice cream cone, apparently.

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There is no good way to shoot this MEATSTRAVAGANZA!

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I don't even think this is actually food.

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Guy 1: Hey Frank? How we gonna shoot these lung rounds on rice and the whole chicken ass?
Guy 2: I dunno. Just put 'em in that Hello Kitty container. People love the Hello Kitty.