After quite many people emailed asking about the restaurant we seemed to always take our workshop attendees to when in Charleston, I figured I’d do a little special post about it and its wonderful crew.
The restaurant is Lana. Located a tad off the tourist path at the corner of Cannon and Rutledge in Charleston, SC. It is by far my favorite spot in town. Granted, Executive Chef John Ondo is not only a close friend but he is one of those "good people" with a heavy dosage of natural talent for his craft. It is easy to just walk in, sit at the bar and order blindly from the menu. And have a heck of a tremendous meal.
John and his staff focus their culinary talent on Mediterranean cuisine while infusing a touch of Southern flair by interpreting classic regional dishes through local ingredients. I love their respect for sustainable and local seafood, local business and the care they put into each dish. Classical inspirations with an adventurous spirit.
I love nothing more than taking a night off and grabbing my camera to hang out with those guys. They are a dream for a photographer’s eye. You can tell from the flow of the kitchen, the fast yet precise pace of their motion, all the intensity of their dedication to the meal being prepared. The whole restaurant crew make it very easy for you to fall in love with the food, the place, the moment.
My dream is to have John sit down long enough to compile his favorite dishes into one book. That I would campaign to photograph…of course! Not only I would cook from it every day, but I would still visit the restaurant for more.
I have to say, so far the year has kicked in high gear right from the start with great projects after great projects. Work wise, the calendar looks like a well packed tin of sardines. Fun wise, I am making sure there are plenty of fun projects to sustain creativity and inspiration throughout the year. That means teaching workshops…and more workshops…!
When Clare and I put together our May workshop a couple of month ago, we were overwhelmed by the positive response from readers who asked us to add more dates. We have been working hard to get our schedules together and we are thrilled to say that we are doing not one but TWO more workshops together in November 2012. And each is a little different than the other. Read along…you will see…
Nothing is more soothing than the beach in November. It is the perfect foil to let your mind run wild and allow your creative self to take over.
Imagine spending 3 days and 4 nights in a gorgeous house located across the street from the beach in The Isle of Palms, enjoying great food and wine, learning all about food photography and styling from Clare and Helene, and taking lots and lots of photos. Over the course of the workshop, you will learn about exposure, utilizing natural light, composition, choosing props, camera angle, styling, and how to tell a story through photographs.
We will venture at the farmers market and local artisans to procure the best ingredients for our shoot. We’ll take a little play/work time to the beach and chill, relax and learn at the same time. We are also thrilled to have a couple of guest speakers join us for an afternoon, such as an art director and magazine editor who will share the ins and outs of their specific field, their experiences and much more.
When: Thursday, November 1st through Monday, November 5th, 2012
Fee: $1500 (includes accommodations for 4 nights, all meals, transportation to/from Charleston International airport and on all field trips, and 3 days workshop instruction from Clare and Helene. Please note that bedrooms are shared. See house plans here. )
To register, check out the schedules and more details: click here.
BUT…as I mentioned above, we have made plans for a second workshop in November, also in Charleston!
This one is slightly different and all the same fun and geared towards giving you the tools you need to progress on your photo journey.
Clare and I asked my dear friend Tami Hardeman who is a professional food stylist in Atlanta, GA to come join us as an instructor. So instead of two passionate food photography gals, you get three…!
We will be together for 3 days and 4 nights in a gorgeous house located across the street from the beach in The Isle of Palms, learning all about food photography and styling from Clare and Helene and Tami. Over the course of the workshop, you will learn about utilizing natural light, composition, tips and techniques of food styling, and how to tell a story through photographs.
When: Thursday, November 8th through Monday, November 12th, 2012
Fee: $1850 (includes accommodations for 4 nights, all meals, transportation to/from Charleston International airport and on all field trips, and 3 days workshop instruction from Clare and Helene and Tami. Please note that bedrooms are shared. See house plans here. )
To register, check out the schedules and more details: click here.
We are really happy to be able to offer you two weekends of food, photography and styling in a calming and inspiring environment. Looking forward to it!
THE WORKSHOP IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT. WE ARE NOT ADDING MORE SPOTS BUT THERE IS A WAITING LIST AVAILABLE.
When I was in Seattle last month, Clare Barboza and I started comparing notes about the workshops and classes we were doing. Nothing strange there. We have become close friends over the last few months and have worked together on a couple of projects well enough to know our outlook, philosophy and ethics about photography and work just gel. It’s very comforting to find like-minded spirit you want to work with repeatedly, support and cheer along.
Anyway, in one big breath I said "Hey! I have an idea! We should create a workshop together. In Charleston!"… and within five minutes we had the dates penciled down and were online finding the perfect location. We wanted to make it a thorough learning experience where people would learn from both of us since we have similar views and complete different approaches at times. But also a retreat, by the ocean, with plenty of photography field trips in gorgeous Charleston.
Imagine spending 3 days and 4 nights in a gorgeous house located across the street from the beach in The Isle of Palms, enjoying great food and wine, learning all about food photography and styling from Clare and Helene, and taking lots and lots of photos. Over the course of the workshop, you will learn about exposure, utilizing natural light, composition, choosing props, styling, and how to tell a story through photographs.
When: Thursday, May 3 through Monday, May 7, 2012
Fee: $1250 (includes accommodations for 4 nights, all meals, transportation to/from Charleston International airport and on all field trips, and 3 days workshop instruction from Clare and Helene. Please note that bedrooms are shared. See house plans here. )
Attendees will be treated to a homemade dinner prepared by Clare and Helene (contribution of their better halves at the grill not excluded!). Please list any food allergies or restrictions at time of registration.
Enjoy the evening walking on the beach, checking out the music scene a block down from the house or get a good night of sleep in preparation of the coming days.
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Friday, May 4th:
Enjoy breakfast on the back deck before gathering with Clare and Helene for your first session of the day!
Session #1, The Nitty Gritty of Food Photography (basic camera function, exposure, light, depth of field)
Photo shoot
Lunch prepared by your hosts
Session #2, The Nitty Gritty of Composition and Food Styling (learn simple yet essential art guidelines, camera angles, etc.)
Photo shoot
Session #3, How to tell a story with images ( in preparation for field trip the next day)
Photo shoot- picnic on the beach (food preparation and styling, working outdoors, telling a story)
Downloading and choosing images
Critique and Review
Farewell dinner bash prepared family style.
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Monday, May 7th:
Breakfast
Clean up and departure
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Sponsors:
If you are a company interested in sponsoring part of the event, please get in touch with either Clare at [email protected] or Helene at [email protected] Seattle based Cucina Fresca will supply a hungry group of food photographers with the finest of their products from homemade sauce and pasta to gluten free options and delicious recipes!
Based in Charleston, SC, Rio Bertolini’s Fresh Pasta Co. produces fresh cut pasta, ravioli, gnocchi, lasagna, pizza dough, sauces and more with local and seasonal ingredients. Find them at Farmers Markets across South Carolina and Asheville.
There is no need to introduce this household name…Le Creuset… Based in Charleston, SC, we are excited to say that they will provide us with cookware and giveaway items to satisfy attendees and readers alike.
