photography workshop

A Three Day – Food Photography Workshop…In Charleston, South Carolina!

11.11.2011 3 Comments

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.

And so…here it is!

Join food photographers, Clare Barboza and Helene Dujardin for a 3-day/4-night photography retreat in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.

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. )

To register: Click Here.

Workshop Schedule (subject to change):

Thursday, May 3rd:

Meet and greet at 5pm with cocktails and nibbles.

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)

Dinner at the beach house, served family style

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Saturday, May 5th:

A field trip to the Charleston farmers market, (bright and early!)

Photo shoot- photographing seasonal bounty and market finds, as well as cooking, styling, composing, shooting breakfast/ brunch.

Brunch

Session #4, Shooting on location

Dinner at award winning Lana Restaurant in downtown Charleston, prepared by the handsome and talented Executive Chef John Ondo (!)

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Sunday, May 6th:

Breakfast

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.

Sharing My work, My Passion: Los Angeles Photography Workshop…

10.11.2011 39 Comments

As soon as I turned the key in the door, I could not help myself and let a corny "Honey, I’m home!" only to be met by my other two honeys…the pups. Then I remembered, B. had probably gone from his day job to a music job. He would not be home until after 11pm. I had plenty of time to chill, unpack, do laundry, snuggle with the pups and find my place back home after this past week in Los Angeles.

This has been our rhythm since May that Plate To Pixel, the book I wrote on food photography was released (went in second printing in July y’all!). With his schedule of day work and music keeping him busy late into the night at least five days a week, and mine of shoots, on location or at the studio, made it really easy to take the decision to travel as much as I have this past Summer and Fall. Whether for a shoot or for a workshop, I was pretty much following an average pattern of 8 days gone – 10 days home. Up until now…

My schedule so far indicates that most of my shoots will be on locations relatively near or at my studio. So far. I think. Unless an out of town gig comes up, of course.
But right now, the suitcase has been shoved to the back of my closet and everyone is finding their groove again. I am happily taking the time to comb through messages and emails, making plans for friends and family for evenings and weekends.

I am also planning my parents' arrival for Christmas and the leisurely trip they want to take to DC and New York with us. Train. Walks. Restaurants. Museums. Another kind of trip. I can’t wait to be in the kitchen with my mom and cook our favorite comfort foods for the holidays, make care packages and drop them off to friends together.

But before this and the next recipe I have simmering on the stove as we speak, I wanted to leave you with some pictures of this last workshop I held in L.A this past weekend.

I have a soft spot for L.A. I love that city. In all its contradictions. It may be spread out and intense with people and buzz, the lack of skyscrapers is of major appeal to me. I don’t walk the streets looking for the famous pretty face. I listen carefully hoping I’d catch the ghost of Myrna Loy or Jimmy Stewart. I know…L.A is much more than the movies. I discover that everyday. So many great cultures migling at once.

I loved staying at the Culver Hotel this time. It was cozy, within walking distance of great restaurants, full of history and with live Jazz almost every night. Great cocktails too. The lovely room, staff and general atmosphere combined with the chance to catch up with friends such as Carrie, Jenny, Cathy, Andrew and Matty (not all at once) over cocktails or dinner gave the trip a bit of a homey feel I love so much.

With Carrie and Jenny.
The great part is that I had this much fun and good feel during the workshop. Those three days teaching were jam packed and went by so fast! It was intense but everyone had a lot of fun at the same time. I loved how everyone in the group tackled each exercise and obstacle with such fierceness and determination!

Hope you enjoy this little recap through pictures…

The workshop was partly at LightSpace Studio in Culver City. Loved the decor there.

First day demonstrating overhead shooting. Picture courtesy of Liren Baker at Kitchen Confidante. The lovely Micah was my assistant for the weekend.

The kitchen and prep area at the studio on day one.

Liren practicing some of the lighting techniques discussed in the workshop.

Students at work…focused and intense…

The second day of the workshop was held at Hollywood Sierra Kitchens where the attendees could choose before many different kitchen vignettes to create a scene and tell a story with their food and the decor. This location shoot had so many different lighting options, from natural to fluorescent that there was always a decision to be made and a challenge to be met.

Inside the showroom.

Sneaking in a few shots myself.

One of the attendees, the lovely Michelle of Luka Looks.

Carole came all the way from Brazil to take the workshop. Here with Liren during a team exercise.

One of the vignettes at the showroom. Kind of modern Italian.

Shooting with a medium format Phase One camera…Picture taken via phone by Micah.

We wanted to add different voices to the workshop and different points of view or just have attendees the possibility to think about "the next step" if they wanted. The lovely Marie-Anne Aizac, photographers agent for Velvet Artists and Mara Serdans, agency art buyer from Deutsch, came to talk about what agent and art buyers were looking for in photographers, gave them pointers on how to put their best foot forward. I loved how the discussion was clearly two ways orientated where attendees were able to share as much of their passion and interest as Marie-Anne and Mara. It was wonderful!

In the last part of the afternoon, John Moeller of Digital Fusion, came to talk about his company’s work as digital technicians on photo shoots. He came with a Phase One medium format camera. I think the 80 megapixels of horsepower of that baby made everyone super nervous. Having handled a few Hassies back in the day, I jumped in and started shooting. Soon enough, everyone was excited to try shooting with this tremendous camera.

Carole jumps right in and tries the medium format camera too.

John also demonstrated their super efficient storage system, DF Studio, similar to a cloud system but much more oriented toward a client-photographer smooth relationship.

Mary planning her move with the medium format. No intimidation there! I love it!

Now that I am back and staying put for a little while, I can’t wait to fill up the fridge with greens and seasonal produce and make plenty of healthy meals. Stay tuned for this salad recipe soon and plenty more!

Announcing A Three Day Food Photography & Styling Workshop in Los Angeles

07.09.2011 8 Comments

Something exciting has been brewing behind the scene for a little while…now it’s time to let it out: my awesome photography agency Primary Reps, led by my agent Chris has been working hard to put together a fantastic 3 day workshop in Los Angeles this November.

The deeds? Three days packed with information on camera work, lighting, composition, and a professional stylist will be there to talk about the demands of that side of the job. Chris arranged for one day to be spent on location where we will take our cameras out of the studio and right into the heart of the matter.

Besides the intensive training, there will also be guest speakers throughout the weekend including a digital tech from Digital Fusion, art buyers from a local ad agency, as well as a photographers rep, all sharing valuable insight into the business of food photography.

The workshop is limited to 10 students so you can be sure to have the perfect one on one time to practice, share, ask, get feedback and improve.

Yep. Intense. Informative. You will walk away with a wealth of ideas and your creative juices flowing…

For more information on the schedule, rates and how to register, check out this page.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Lemon Verbena Macarons, Sharing Passions & A Giveaway!

31.07.2011 498 Comments

Hard to believe that one week ago, last Sunday, we were basking in the heat of Oklahoma watching our first rodeo, enjoying the last bit of our trip to pioneer country.

I’m from the South of France. I talk with my hands. A lot…
A ranch. Wild horses. Cows. Stray dogs. And cats. Night skies that fill your soul of everything good and infinite. Sunrises so intense they almost paralyze your thoughts. And your words.

Food. Lots of it. Cameras clicking away. Spatulas folding fast and furiously. Strangers who became fast friends. Happy banter. Wine. Late nights and shooting stars.

Downtown Saint Louis.
2850 miles driven. One macaron workshop. One food photography workshop. Lots of pictures taken and archived. Lots of coffee. Lots of time spent catching up with Bill as we drove through Memphis, Pawhuska, Saint Louis, Nashville, Asheville. We reveled in the immensity of this country. We anticipated with excitement our time off together at the ranch. We smiled the whole drive back to Charleston. We had fun. The trip gave us back every bit of ourselves we put out there. To strangers and to each other.

I loved that Bill saw me in my element and that now he understands why I get so involved and so quiet everytime I do and leave a workshop or a conference. I invest everything I’ve got in the people coming to learn. I am spent. Emotionally, verbally. It was great that he saw the dynamics and spirits of the people attending. Now he gets it. And he gets why it is so important for me to pay it forward. Continually.

Darcy, Helene, Krystin.
Seeing a dozen people go from mildly intrigued to slightly nervous and completely giddy at the idea of learning a new skill like macaron making is priceless. The act covers much more than just piping and filling pretty cookies. It covers essentials of pastry science that would be Harold McGee or Shirley Corriher approved. Things that explain incidents or successes with other cookies and recipes.

Mandy and my editor Courtney.
Answering people’s questions about photography. Seeing people with different levels of interest and skills just pick up their camera and compose and shoot food all afternoon was balm to the heart. They teamed up, they geeked out, they giggled. They got frustrated. They got creative. I was thrilled that my editor at Wiley, Courtney came for the weekend too and saw the book in action so to speak!

It was a moment that went beyond taking a picture or making a story. A sense of community developed bringing us closer. It made them want to share what they had learned that day. I told them they should. I do! It’s the key to a happier soul.

Saint Louis.
We drove to Oklahoma with clear chatty anticipation of the weekend and we drove back to Charleston in silence. Memories already making room in our hearts and bumping around in our heads.

Thank you to everyone who came with open minds and open hearts, who came for one thing and left with three others. Thank you to Ree for opening her home to a bunch of strangers and for the time spent with us in the middle of family sickness and cookbook deadlines.

Ree shooting a recipe for her new cookbook.
It was a colorful weekend. And I am not only talking about the macarons! It was hot sure, but for us it was actually a heat we could sustain as it was humidity free. The moment we stepped out of the car in Charleston, it felt like a steam oven. Come to find out, it was especially beneficial to my plants this whole time and I walked into an oasis of overgrown basil, thyme, oregano, pineapple sage and lemon verbena. Happy, happy!

In an effort to keep the plants trimmed and well and to accompany this post, I made a batch of lemon-lemon verbena macaron the other night. Light and summery. They are perfect with a glass of lemonade as a little pick me up in the blistering heat of summer.

One last thing and there is a giveway to go along…

I rarely travel empty handed and I had brought goodie bags to all the attendees to help them with macarons making (aprons, spatulas, food coloring, etc…) and each attendee also received a copy of Plate To Pixel. I don’t know how it happened but I came home with an extra goodie bag and I want it to find a good home so I am putting it up for grabs today.
The bag contains:
– one apron (similar to the ones worn by the attendees in the pictures above)
– spatula, pastry tip, pastry bag
– powdered food coloring kit (8 colors)
– one signed copy of "Plate to Pixel, Digital Food Photography & Styling"

To enter: leave a comment here between today, Sunday July 31st and Tuesday August 2nd, midnight (Eastern time). No anonymous entry. One comment per person. That’s it! Easy peasy..

Lemon Verbena Macarons:

Makes 25 to 30 filled macarons, depending on size

Ingredients:
For the shells:
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr almonds (slivered, blanched, sliced, whatever you like)
1 tablespoon loosely packed lemon verbena leaves
90 gr egg whites (use egg whites that have been preferably left 3-4 days in the fridge)
25 gr granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon verbena

Directions:
Place the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the lemon verbena leaves and mix until blended. Sift if desired (helps keep the shells smooth in appearance).
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, (think bubble bath foam) gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue (think shaving cream). Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry.
Add the nuts and powdered sugar to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip (Ateco #807 or #809) with the batter and pipe small rounds onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with the finely chopped lemon verbena. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 280F.
Bake the macarons for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool.
Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store the shells in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (longer and the sugar starts to seep out which makes them sticky). Fill the macarons and let them mature in the fridge at least 48 hours prior to eating them.

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
zest and juice of one lemon

In bowl of electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix until well blended. Pipe or spoon about a tablespoon into the center of each macaron shell and top with another shell.

Snapshots From A Weekend On The Ranch…

27.07.2011 51 Comments

We are on our way back from our road trip to Oklahoma and Ree, The Pioneer Woman’s Lodge where I shared with her readers two of my passions, cooking and photographing. We are in Nashville for the night but I could not wait any longer to post a few snapshots before I write a more detailed post later on. Ree wrote the nicest and funniest post about it here and made me wish I could give everyone a hug again!

Horses…Lots of them. Wild horses. This is the first image I saw before pulling in the driveway to The Lodge where we would stay the weekend. Bill and I arrived a day before the attendees to get our bearing, get some work done, take pictures and get Bailey the puppy situated. I texted Ree we were riding speechless at the immensity of the landscape before us. And its beauty.

We know oceans. This was ocean of grass and waves of hills. As far as the eye could see. We were tired and beaten up by the road trip but all our aches evaporated the minute we pulled into the driveway. The Lodge is grand. Spacious. Cozy. Comfortable. Huge. Styled. Welcoming.

We put our bags down, grabbed our cameras and headed back out the door. We wanted to catch the Golden Hour. Right before the sun goes down. We were met by Buster one of the strays hanging out on the property. Buster stayed with us throughout the evening, checking things out. Such a cool and sweet puppy. Yes, I wanted to take him home.

Bailey and Buster became instant friends and they were inseparable on our little walk in the heat and golden glow of the prairie. Thanks to Buster and his nonchalant ways, Bailey’s lack of assurance with the horses vanished in minutes. They were really like two old pals hanging out.

One thing about The Lodge is that it’s spacious. Better not realize you need to get back to your room after you reached the kitchen. On the other hand, it is so beautifully decorated that there is something to read or look at all major intersections!!

Marveling at the sky above us. For once, we could see the Big Dipper. The Milky Way. Shooting stars. Things we can’t see or not as well where we live. We stayed up late to take some shots. We could not go to sleep. All our senses were going crazy. I felt overwhelmed. In a good way.

Many times on the trip we pondered the thought of bringing a blanket outside and sleeping under the stars.

Who can resist waking up to a kitchen with such a light? Dang! No wonder Ree loves shooting there so much now. In my head I could not stop hugging the islands, countertops, stoves and ovens.

Look at that mighty fine bunch of macarons bakers and photographers! The dynamic of the group was pretty awesome and flowing easily. Lots of good laughs and jokes flying around.

There were a lot of macarons baked and photographed that weekend. We had some great successes and some serious ka-plunk but we all shared and learned that day. Would not have it any other way!

On this trip, I also went to my first rodeo. I also observed lots and lots of cowboys. Always fascinating.

This sunrise still fills my heart. The colors that accompanied us as we left The Lodge the other morning. Magical.

This lady. Her warmth, generosity. Her singing and her laughing. Her jokes and her curiosity.

I’ll be back with more pictures from the workshop later this week. Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Salt Lake City, Park City, Utah and Evo 11…Pictures & Thoughts

17.07.2011 46 Comments

Evo 11 is … staying hydrated as much as possible. Altitude. Talking. Sun. More talking. More sun. More slushies. Beware though. Two straws in your watermelon slushie means "a little boozy". Just so we are clear. And boy, the thirst-o-meter was working overtime.

(Photo ©Foodie Crush)
Salt Lake City is…arriving a couple of days early and teach an all day workshop hosted at The Market Street Grill and organized by Heidi of Foodie Crush.
Meeting people for the first time and others whose blog I have been following for years. Being able to pass on anything and everything I can think of that might help. Guiding.

(photo ©Foodie Crush)
Workshop is…taking my job seriously. My words. The impact of what we do as photographers, stylist, bloggers. Without taking myself too seriously.

Workshop is...the remarkable amount of care and dedication from everyone on staff at Market Street Grill to provide the attendees with the tools and time to have a memorable experience. And the food…gosh the food…

(Photo ©Foodie Crush)
Workshop is…It’s finding out what people wish to do and helping them reach those goals. It’s listening and practicing along with them.

Workshop is…discovering new ways to style and shoot. Always being open, aware and happily surprised. The way the chef plated this cake makes it so creative and fun to shoot and yet, I would have never thought of it. Happy discovery…!

Evo 11 is…Rachael and Jyl. The two powerhouses who founded Evo. Gracious of their talent. Generous of their skills. Beautiful in their friendships to others. Kind. Immensely patient. They make Evo my favorite conference to attend. Not kidding.

Sarah, Heather, Kami (photo©Whipper Berry.)
Evo 11 is… taking a deep breath and rooming with complete strangers and leaving with two wonderful friends. I had the chance to share a room with Sarah from season 11 of The Biggest Loser and Heather from one of my favorite blogs, Whipper Berry.
Evo 11 is …bumping into Evo 10 roomate Kami from No Biggie (far right) and to get one of her special hugs.

Evo 11 is… meeting up with gorgeous Helen Jane and catching up, laughing, hugging and brainstorming posts ideas, life tips and just giving her some plenty of support during her Ignite talk.

Evo 11 is… having the chance one more time to be inspired by super fantastic women, entrepreneurs. Makers like Alli and Barbara. I always feel recharged and refueled after a conversation with them.

Evo 11 is ...not only about the women ya’ll. There were men too. Married. Single. Fathers. Brothers. Husbands. And awesome…!

Evo 11 is …meeting rockstars. Women who can rock tattoos and purple hair. Give warm and energizing hugs. And take awesome pictures. Cecily…you’re badass. Don’t change it.

Evo 11 is…sitting next to someone such as Jenny who can cry as much as I can during Me Ra Koh closing keynote and smile as much as I do when hanging out with super talented photographer, web designer and dear friend Aimee.

Carina And Lucinda.
Evo 11 is... when friends like Carina create magical human beings between Evo 10 and Evo 11.

Evo 11 is.. about letting your inner child let loose. Blowing bubbles and watching them fly away. It’s about letting go of your inhibitions and discovering other facets of yourself.

Evo 11…is being able to teach a food photography and styling workshop in one of the most serene and gorgeous locations I have taught. Lookout Cabin. All the way up the mountain…

That workshop was a team effort between Chef Murcko, his staff, Caitleen of The Canyons Resort and yours truly to make sure that all attendees had not only a good time but also walked away with more knowledge to share with others.

Evo 11 is … filling up your glass with….don’t expect something lyrical here. No seriously. Evo is about quenching that thirst. Mountain air…

Ok, so Evo is also about filling your metaphorical glass with inspirational ideas coming at you from all directions.

Just because I can…having lunch there was pretty darn special.

See…they do fill up glasses there. Orange Bubble Fitzer. No alcohol. None needed with the altitude…!

And just when you think awesome has reached a new level of delicious, you discover the dessert table. And my jaws dropped. And my toes curl. Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries and Basil Chiffonade. Yep.

Evo 11 is… about letting loose. There is no distinction of any kind on a dance floor. We all look a bit weirder than we did five minutes ago. And it’s fantastic. No one cares about what blogs you read, which one you write and what’s the latest app downloaded. Unplugging and letting loose.

Dara and Kalyn.
Salt Lake City is...having a dear and long time blog friend, Kalyn, gather a few people one Sunday evening for a little potluck.
It’s about feeling as much at home as I do when I am the one gathering my buds around a glass of wine and salad.

It’s wishing we were all a tad bit closer. Geographically.

Maria and Josh from Two Peas & Their Pod.
Salt Lake City is…those two. Soon to be three. They are like family to us. There are no words to describe how proud I am of them and what they accomplish.

Thank you to everyone who made the workshops in Salt Lake City and Park City possible. Thank you to everyone who came and asked questions both in SLC and during Evo. Thank you to everyone who gave me a hug, a smile, or a drink.

A special thank you Kristen for being so wonderfully and gently in my life.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I have been cooking and baking up a storm for work and home and can’t wait to share with you this week!

Thoughts On My Ace Camp Photography Workshop In Sante Fe, New Mexico

23.05.2011 28 Comments

Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions,
then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart.
—Anonymous

Ace Camp Group Shot.
These were the words in my heart as I was traveling to Sante Fe a couple of weeks ago to teach an Ace Camp Workshop. These were the words I wanted to give to the attendees the same way they were given to me. As a gift from someone on a creative journey. Indeed, my editor Jenny gave me this quote one day I was having a difficult time telling her how I approached assignments. "That’s it!" I exclaimed.

I wanted to give it so badly to the attendees but I refrained as much as possible. I wanted them to feel what these couple of lines were telling them without explicitly writing it out.

Leslie and Kay.
Together, twelve attendees, myself and Angela who organized everything made an unspoken pact when we signed on for a photography camp in Sante Fe. We agreed to discover and share. To like, dislike and grow. To find our own battles and obstacles. To reach out within our strength and ask of others. To give and take. As a whole, alone, out with words or in our hearts.

Lisa and Megan.
We knew we’d have to be out there and vulnerable. We knew we’d come out stronger. I personally had no idea that twelve people would impact my life this much in the span of four days. I miss everyone of them. Not a day goes by that I think about someone from the workshop. Every single one of them gave me something huge right from their heart: they left them open and free. In a world where we are sometimes misinterpreted or judged without being known, this was a gift indeed.

Olive oil at Oleaceae.
As Angela noticed in her recap post, I had come prepared. Well, I was following some big footsteps of creative workshops and Angela was trusting me to bring the same level of quality and care to our camp. Hence, I could not fly by the seat of my pants…well not completely…!

Our workshop schedule was intense but so were the hours spent laughing and coming together as a group striving to learn and have a positive impact on one another. At the end of the day, our sessions ended with a group discussion and critique of all the shots taken that day. As you can see in the post here, a glass of wine made the whole exercise way smoother. That’s the French in me, always trying to mix work and play…!

Elysia and Mike.
Seriously though, I wanted to make sure that each attendee had the opportunity to explore the journey behind their picture. I challenged everyone to shoot at the complete opposite of what they usually did and then take the whole group through their own reactions to help them word what they had learned, disliked and liked in the process.

Selah and Julie.
Maybe they would try one new thing in the future, maybe two. Maybe none. At least they tried and were not left to fly solo on this discovery.

There were laughters and frustrations. Moments of discoveries and growth. There were moments that moved me as a teacher and moments that touched me as a photographer. It changed me.

Xarene and Janice.
Leslie, Kay, Lisa, Megan, Elysia, Mike, Selah, Julie, Xarene, Janice, Sasha, Pilar and Angela: Thank you. You have made me a better person, a better teacher and an even more motivated photographer.

Sasha and Pilar.
Yes, if you ever have the chance to take an Ace Camp with Angela, do not hesitate one second! Angela will feed your belly well (just look at this spread!) and your soul and creativity will soar!

When the doors of perception are cleansed. Man will see things as they truly are…infinite.
– William Blake.

Food & Light Photography Workshop Recap & a Chefs Catalog Giveaway!

02.07.2010 487 Comments

Going around the tables taking some shots. Still life styled by Diane.
It hit me at the Atlanta airport that I was really back on the East Southern side of things Wednesday night. Unlike in Salt Lake City or Denver, you could feel the humidity seeping out through the walls and permeating the air at the gate. A part of me wanted nothing more than to turn around, click my heels and head out West again. The bigger part of me wanted to be home, hug my better half, play with the pups and slowly go through all the emotions and images of the past week.

The Rembrandt Yard where the workshop was held – look at all that light!The main reason for my being out West last week was to teach at the Food & Light Photography Workshop that Jen from Use Real Butter had been planning for months. From the moment she asked me to be one of the instructors until the day the workshop began, the excitement of the event was beginning to make my head burst. A HUGE thank you to Jen for organizing with such detail and apparent grace the workshop. From creating the website, downloading all sort of info for attendees (hotels, camera manuals,…) to gathering sponsors and prizes.

Todd and Diane (left) and Jen (right) sharing their knowledge.
I was honored to be among the instructors with kickbutt Jen and the ever talented Todd and Diane from White On Rice Couple. I was equally honored to be among such a tremendous group of attendees. They were all so enthusiastic to learn, practice, share and help one another, talk with us, ask questions and practice some more. It made the whole two day workshop that much more enjoyable and well, plain awesome.

Hungry Girl Lynn practicing.
I had done workshops before in which 1 or 2 hours was devoted to hands on practice after a presentation but this time, 2/3 of the workshop was devoted to hands on, time-on-tool practice. Time to really put into play what the instructors had just talked about and as we were circulating from table to table, we could repeat or elaborate what had been shared and discussed before.

Lisa working on styling and light bouncing.
The instructors time was divided in such a way that students got the best of everything that we got and boy we did cover a lot! Jen kicked off the workshop with a thorough and interactive presentation on camera basics and fundamentals such as exposure, metering, aperture, shutter speed, ISO. Todd and Diane presented on natural light workflow, lenses and focal lengths. On the second day, Todd and Diane presented half a session on artificial light while I presented the second half on natural light, both addressing how use either or depending on the desired photographic goal. The last session tackled food styling which Diane and I shared with a bonus styling demo to boot.

At the Rembrandt Yard.
Beside the reward of learning and practicing for 2 straight days, Jen scored some neat prized to give out to attendees in different categories. Picking from all the entries posted to the Food and Light Flickr pool was tough! See the list of winners on Jen’s post. Congratulations to all of you guys – everyone did a fabulous job! Watch out for Elena’s son, Ethan…Such a young fella but his creativity and skills are already really strong!

The Kitchen Upstairs.

Cocktails and good times.
To celebrate such a strong end to this fabulous workshop, the "break-down crew" (Lisa, Anita, Dana, Annie, Todd, Diane, Jen and Jeremy) headed out to happy hour at The Kitchen Upstairs.

Jen and Lisa.

Garlic Fries and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
After hearing rave reviews from Jen for months I was thrilled to finally sit down to good cocktails and good food. The Kitchen did not disappoint, from the lovely details and atmosphere to the wonderfully crafted small plates we shared.

Mac N' Cheese enjoyed by Annie.

Beets and Olives – so good!
I laughed for a straight two hours…it felt good. I wish I could have stayed to hike with Jen, Jeremy, Todd and Diane the next day but flying back East takes about an entire day and there is much to be taken care of at home these days (trips, work, family, etc…). Jen’s backyard is like my backyard in the Alps. Beautifully breathtaking and a sight I miss everyday.

Chocolate Pots de Creme and some pretty stylish water.
No reason to feel left out if you could not attend though. Jen found herself with three extra swagbags at the end of the workshop and decided that we (Jen, Todd and Diane and myself) should put them up for giveaways. So here you go: THREE chances to win one of these awesome bags very generously filled by Chefs Catalog (coincidentally my go-to source for kitchen stuff ever since I move to the US). Each tote is filled with 4 large wooden spoons, 1 silicone spatula, a ceramic peeler, a 6-inch Wusthof bread knife and cutting board set, 3 kitchen towels, 4 stainless steel prep bowls with lids (love those!).

Here are the rules to enter:
– leave a comment on this post by Monday July 5th at midnight Eastern time
– one entry per person (duplicate will be deleted)
– participants must have US shipping addresses
– the winner will be picked at random by my wonderful better half

Don’t forget to increase your odds of winning by entering the two other giveaways on Use Real Butter and White On Rice Couple!

In Boulder.
Good luck! I’ll be back to a regular recipe posting and sharing after the holidays.

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Workshops 2016

28.02.2005 18 Comments

* February 2nd – 6th 2016: SOLD OUT

A three day food photography and cooking workshop in Charleston, SC with food stylist Tami Hardeman and Chef John Ondo.

Details & Registration HERE.

* May 16th-20th 2016: SOLD OUT

A three day food styling, photography and cooking workshop in Charleston, SC with Chef John Ondo.

Details and registration HERE.

*September 27th – October 1st 2016:

A 3 day food styling and photography workshop in Tuscany, Italy.

Details and registration HERE.