Want to learn to photograph food like a pro, both at home and in restaurants?
I am thrilled to be able to announce that I will be co-presenting a food photography and styling workshop with my sister-from-another-mother and talented photographer Meeta Khurana-Wolff in Italy in May! Meeta and I have been teaching together since 2011 as part of the Plate to Page team and also ran the very successful London Food Photography and Styling Workshop in February 2013. So while Plate to Page takes a short hiatus this year, we wanted to find another opportunity of working together – and the opportunity to teach in the heart of Prosecco country outside Venice was just too good to pass up!
Yes folks, pack your bags – we’re going to be living la dolce vita just outside Venice, Italy in the form of a sensational 2-day food photography and styling workshop. We will be staying among the rolling hills in the heart of the Prosecco-producing region in Valdobbiadene, a picturesque village in the Veneto. Here, far from the tourist crowds, we will spend a two days at the tranquil Hotel Diana, making use of their modern meeting facilities in an environment conducive to inspiration, creative development and collaborative learning. Hotel Diana not only provides us with a convenient base for our field trip but is also well located for strolling into the village, or as a base for exploring the area after the workshop is finished.
We have put together, what we believe to be an interactive, stimulating and fun programme, where you will learn the fundamental elements of food photography as well as the principles food styling as we help you to unlock your personal style. Unlike many other workshops, the focus will not only on natural lighting but we will also be extensively covering how to shoot in the low-light conditions specifically encountered restaurant photography. You can look forward to two days of engaging practical assignments, a lot of theory, creative sessions and individual feedback. But it won’t be all work and no play! We also plan to spoil you with delicious traditional Italian food and wine during on-location shoots at dinner in a local osteria, and during an exclusive vineyard and winery tour including a tutored tasting at the stunning Nino Franco estate. The beautiful estate and their Villa Barberina will also provide the backdrop for practical assignment.
But… there’s more! We are also running an exclusive photography competition together with our awesome sponsors Nino Franco Prosecco which will put our participants in line to win a 2-night stay for themselves and a partner at the sumptuous 18th centure Villa Barberini in the heart of the Nino Franco vineyards. All you need to do is submit your best photograph featuring Nino Franco’s premium Primo Franco prosecco taken during the workshop – but you do need to be a participant to enter, so register now! Full details of the competition are available here.
Ticket price: EURO 770.00
Includes:
- 2 day food styling and photography sessions with Meeta and Jeanne
- 2 nights accommodation (Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd May) including breakfast
- Friday: Meet & Greet Brunch, Dinner at a local Osteria
Saturday: Field trip transportation, winery/vineyard tour and tutored tasting
Lunch, Aperitifs - Fruit and beverages during the workshop
Does NOT include:
- Travel costs to venue, insurance
Provisional programme:
Check-in – Thursday 1st May 2014
Day one – Friday 2nd May 2014
- Breakfast & Introductions
- Photography Fundamentals by Jeanne – Mastering the camera & learning the basics (shutter speed, aperture, ISO & co.)
- Meet & Greet Brunch – A rustic brunch, the Italian way, featuring some Venetian specialities
- Photography Techniques by Meeta – Natural light techniques, getting a sharp focus, color & texture
- Styling Fundamentals by Meeta – Composition and placement, creating a mood/atmosphere, the right props, color, texture etc.
- Styling demo with Meeta
- Free-style Photography/Styling Exercises – Short, focused practical exercises to warm up your creativity
- Restaurant photography by Jeanne – How to shoot in low-light situations as well as basic styling tips
- Pushing Photoshop by Jeanne – Post-processing your low-light images
- Dinner at a typical local Osteria and on-location photo shoot – Practise taking shots in a restaurant atmosphere and in low light conditions.
Day two – Saturday 3rd May 2014
- Enlightening yourself with Lightroom by Meeta – Workflow, post-processing, watermarking, tagging
- Field trip – Nino Franco Prosecco estate – This includes a vineyard and winery tour, and a tutored prosecco tasting; as well as time to gather images for your main photography assignment
- Lunch at the Nino Franco Prosecco estate
- Intensive group work on main photography assignment
- Evaluation, discussion & critique on assignment – Constructive feedback, discussion and critique on exercises
- Finale Aperitivi & Farewell
To register for this workshop please fill out the registration form here.
Payment: Full payment is required upon registration and no refunds are possible. Once you have registered you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours of registration, containing further details and instructions.
Please note: The workshop is limited to only 12 participants and places are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. All presentations will be in English. The course is suitable both for beginner and more advanced photographers wishing to build on their and is aimed towards beginners, novice and advanced level participants. The instructors reserve the right to modify the programme should the need arise.
I look forward to meeting some of my readers in Italy in May!
THIS WORKSHOP IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY:
NINO FRANCO
Anyone who has visited the magical city of Venice has most certainly encountered the famous wine of Prosecco. The legendary estate of Nino Franco, located in the celebrated region of Valdobbiadene, has been producing Prosecco wines for more than three generations. With an ancient stonewalled vineyard, a beautiful villa B&B, the charming town of Valdobbiadene, Venice an easy 1hour ride/ train away, and the steep hills surrounding them, a visit to the Nino Franco winery is a visit rich in food wine & travel story inspiration. An opportunity for a P2P participant & their guest to spend the night at the sumptuous www.villabarberina.it with a private wine tasting w the Francos will be announced during the weekend.
Unquestionably one of the top producers of Prosecco today, the quality of the man is to be found in his wine.Primo Franco, grandson of the original founder, Nino, professionally and lovingly moved this estate into the twenty first century, setting the example to other producers. These proseccos are found on the list of some of the top restaurants and fine independent merchants through out the world. Contact the winery for info. The range of the 7 labels of Nino Franco prosecco is available in the UK via UK importer www.sommelierschoice.co.uk. American wine critic Robert Parker scored Rustico 89/100, saying: “Rustico is clean and fruity, with a creamy texture and a lemon and melon aftertaste.” In 2012, Wine & Spirit magazine awarded Rustico 90/100, saying “The gold colour and peach nectar scent predict this to be rich, but a potent, nutty savour keeps it balanced. It finishes clean, tight and grippy- a mouthwatering aperitif”
Website www.ninofranco.it
T witter @ninofranco1919
MASALA MONSOON
Masala Monsoon is an artisan brand of blended spices incorporating dried flower petals, created by well known London-based freelance food writer and cookery teacher Sumayya Usmani, who secialises in Pakistani cuisine and culture. The Masala Monsoon
- Rose petal garam masala – Celebratory and Romantic
- Jasmine petal garam masala – Exotic and Calming
- Marigold petal garam masala – Festive and Earthy
All three Masala Monsoon blends possess unique and versatile ethnic sophistication which transcend different cuisines. They can be used with a wide range of foods from desserts and cheeses to savoury marinades, stews and curries. The versatility of our blends allow them to be used effectively with South Asian, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, European and classic British dishes, from desserts and drinks. Our mission is to expand to include other floral inspired spice and herb blends with a worldwide influence – always keeping the haunting aromas of spicy floral earthiness alive in each blend.
Website: http://www.masalamonsoon.com/
Follow Sumayya as @PukkaPaki on Twitter and Facebook
CHIKA’S WEST AFRICAN NUTS
Chika’s brings you the taste of West Africa, sourcing the finest ingredients from farmers in Africa and working with local, artisan producers to create a delicious range of snacks inspired by the traditional foods of this vibrant continent. Founder Chika Russell spent her early childhood in West Africa and when she moved to London, she sorely missed the delectable snack food she’d grown up with. Chika sought to fill this gap by bringing back suitcases filled with food whenever visiting family in Africa. But she realized that her love of West African foods was not just about taste, but its effect on all senses: the rich smell of nuts toasted by hand; the bright colours of the cloth used to wrap them; rubbing the nuts between her palms; the memories of eating and sharing with family. This inspired Chika to create Chika’s and to spread her love for West Africa and its food.
Chika’s nuts are unique in that have an amazing flavour; they are non-greasy, lower in fat, lower in calories and lower in salt. However, they are higher in fibre and protein than other salted peanuts currently on the UK market. The nuts are produced by artisans using traditional techniques, in small batches. Chika’s West African savoury bites are consistently high quality, beautifully packaged and, above all, offer a new taste experience.
The Chika’s product range includes hand-toasted peanuts (with and without skins, toasted over a wood fire); plantain crisps with chilli and salt; and toasted unpopped corn kernels.
Website: http://www.chikas.co.uk/
Twitter: @ChikasFoods
Facebook: Chika’s Foods
ZAFFERANO
ZAFFERANO: CREATIVITY AND ITALIAN DESIGN ON THE TABLE
Tasting glasses, glasses and complements designed by Federico de Majo Zafferano, a Venetian company directed by Federico de Majo, has been creating collections of tasting glasses and tableware in glass since 2001. This is a company in which creativity and Italian design make up the basis for product design and realization of objects created not only to be functional and decorative but also to bring dreams and emotions to life.
Federico de Majo has always worked in the world of glass, starting off in the Murano glassworks of the family and dedicating himself to the sector of illumination to then move on to the creation of an all-Italian trademark for tasting glasses. In fact Zafferano originated from the Venetian designer’s idea of creating an Italian brand to accompany and bring out the best of those talents thanks to which our country has become famous all over the world: design, wine production and haute cuisine.
We are thrilled that Zafferano have kindly agreed to provide props for our workshop photo shoots from their extensive and beautiful range.
Website: http://www.zafferanoitalia.com/en/
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
HarperCollins Publishers is one of the world’s leading English-language publishers. Headquartered in New York, the company was founded by brothers James and John Harper in New York City in 1817 as J. and J. Harper. Over the years it has been the publishing house of Mark Twain, the Brontë sisters, Thackeray, Dickens, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., H. G. Wells, Agatha Christie, J. R. R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis, amongst others. In 2012 HarperCollins launched Harper360, a global publishing program for its authors. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that all books published by any division of HarperCollins around the world are available in print or digital format in all English-language markets. When the program is fully implemented, the HarperCollins global catalog — 50,000 print books and 40,000 e-books — will be available, limited only by the rights held, not by technology or geography. Authors published in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, India, and Canada will be listed, published, and available to booksellers and consumers in the U.S. through the HarperCollins global print and digital platforms that include regional warehousing with on-site printing machines.
Harper360 also publishes Donna Hay’s iconic cookbooks and we are delighted that they are generously providing each workshop participant with a copy of Donna Hay’s fresh and light cookbook. Donna describes the book as being designed to complement her existing repertoire, while being full of new recipes that combine the freshest ingredients, pantry staples and her personal tricks for a lighter touch. Donna has never been a fan of diets and this book is no exception – for her, it′s always been about balance. fresh and light is mindful of fat and carbohydrates, but is focused on flavour and variety – without the guilt. Divided by meal, fresh and light is a solution-packed book of recipes loaded with power foods to give you the balance you need across your week. There are light breakfasts, tasty lunch box tips and fast dinner solutions to give you ideas for every time of the day.
In addition, HarperCollins will be running a competition during and after the workshop, exclusively for participants, with the prize being a bundle of cookbooks from their various authors. Stay tuned for details of this competition, which we will share with you during the workshop!
Website: http://www.harpercollins.com/
Twitter: @Harper360
Facebook: HarperCollins 360
