What do you get when you take Utah’s gorgeous summer light, a room of aspiring food photographers itching to master their cameras plus an even more enlightening photography and food styling instructor?
For 13 lucky students it all added up to Tartelette’s Helene Dujardin‘s SLC Food Photography Workshop at the base of Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon—Market Street Grill Cottonwood.
FoodieCrush Magazine presents the SLC Plate to Pixel Food Photography Workshop
Jim of Fab Frugal Food, Sandra of Everyday Southwest and Radhika of Just Homemade wonder which one was shot with natural light and which with strobe? Only the photographer knows.
Market Street Grill Cottonwood
Helene lines up her shot—and scores
from left > Becky of Vintage Mixer, Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod, Annalise of Completely Delicious, Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks
Looks like Dara of Cookin’ Canuck ‘s food photo bible has been put to the test
The click-clack of computer keyboards and scribbling in notepads was swift and constant as attendees copiously took notes—getting hands-on answers from Helene herself to the questions every aspiring food photographer wants to know:
- what ISO & F-stop do you shoot in? (she shoots mostly on Aperature priority but also manual in her studio since she knows the lighting conditions intimately. Do what feels right and you do best, nobody will be the wiser when they look at the shot so long as its exposed correctly)
- how do you use fill cards and what the heck are they? (white foam core to reflect and bounce light into your subject, black to absorb light and take it away)
- how do you style your pics to make them look so yummy? (hold back a few items/ingredients from the recipe to use as props in the shot, like a squeezed lemon or a couple of berries and sugar to tell a story through your propping and storyboards)
- do you shoot with lights and if so what studio lighting kit do you use? (not much but when she does, it’s this one).
Reviewing shots while shooting tethered with Lightroom
Sasha of SashaTenorio and Radhika of Just Homemade soaking it all in
from left > Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod, Deborah of Taste and Tell, Misty of Sticks in the Mud , Lindsey of Cafe Johnsonia, Annelise of Completely Delicious and Shirley of Munchkins Are Us
Lightroom tips and tricks
Shooting from above? Shoot straight down. On the ground. Kinda like a rock…rock…rock…rock lobster.
Through a thoughtful presentation showcasing step by step examples of her own photo work plus the photo tips and styling tricks that have taken her from amateur foodie photog blogger to a sought after commercial entity, Helene brought her book Plate to Pixel to life for the studious crew.
When working with long tendrils of pasta, do the twist
The essentials: good lenses, clamps, reflectors, Plate to Pixel bible and pretty food
from left > Deborah of Taste and Tell, Becky of Vintage Mixer, Winter of The Redd Party, Annalise of Completely Delicious, Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks , and Misty of Sticks In the Mud
Market Street Grill’s Fresh Atlantic Salmon and creamy caesar dressed salad
After a tasty lunch it was time to roll up the sleeves and get to work—to get to the guts of the day, where the real teaching went into full metal jacket action.
As the photographers maneuvered their way through sets of 4-Layer Decadent Chocolate Cake to Fried Calamari to Cajun Fettucini, Helene shadowed each photographer and assisted in creating their own photos. She answered questions about composition, exposure and anything that came to the minds of these insatiable picture takers.
Radihka shoots Cajun Fettucine
Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and Aggie of Aggie’s Kitchen get coaching from Helene
Deborah of Taste and Tell takes on the 4 Layer Chocolate Cake
There was a bun in the oven, but whose was it?
Helene coaches lighting techniques—bounce and reflect
In addition to a gift certificate donated by Koo de Ker Boutique, some of the the su-weet swag in our goodie bags included Chocolat Artisnal Chocolates, Sweet Tooth Fairy Cake Bites, Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals makeup and a custom print and notebook to keep track of all those tips.
Sandra, Deborah and Misty work the reflectors; goodies from the goodie bags
Radhika of Just Homemade, was FoodieCrush’s contest winner and flew in from Houston TX to attend the conference. For just one day. Yes, she wanted it THAT bad!
and that bun in the oven is Maria’s soon to be pea
Wow. It was a seriously big day for everyone that attended, inspiring so many ideas, images and notebooks full of tips. Thank you Helene for letting FoodieCrush be a part of it, we loooove photography and influencing aspiring photographers in hopes to see more of it in the pages of our upcoming magazine and the blog.
To see more pics from the day, check out our facebook workshop album.
Huge thanks to Market Street Grill for hosting the event. And to give you a taste of the deliciousness we experienced, enjoy their recipe for Market Street Fried Calamari.
| Market Street Grill Fried Calamari |
- 6 ounces of calamari, tubes and legs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 T fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 T sea salt
- gallon vegetable oil
- Soak calamari in buttermilk for one hour in the refrigerator. Combine the flour, pepper and sea salt. Drain buttermilk off of calamari and toss in the seasoned flour.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot until a temperature of 350 degrees. Cook calamari in oil until golden brown, about one to two minutes.
- Serve hot with marinara sauce or tartar sauce.
All photos > foodiecrush
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
What I would have given to be at this event! But I am leaving for Mexico City in the morning on a food photography tour with Penny de los Santos. Penny and Helene are truly my idols! Helene’s book is in my carryon and one day, I WILL meet her!
Timing…why do all these amazing events happen RIGHT at the same time!?!
You certainly can’t go wrong by spending time in person with either Helene or Penny, all photographers have different tricks and styles. Have a terrific time en Mexico. Arriba!
Lovely write-up, great venue, fabulous swag, and excellent photos. Did I cover all the bases?
I need to get organized on these events some day. I always seem to miss the good ones.
Oh thanks Kelly! We all learned so much, totally immersed and still trying to apply it, but so excited to.
Heidi–it was great to meet you and I wanted to say that you are wonderful for organizing that event! I loved it and I think you’re just grand! Winter
Winter, it was so great to meet you! I love others that follow their passion and curate their creative side like you! A pharmacist that loves food and photography: you’re a force to be reckoned with.
Heidi, thanks for organizing such a fantastic event! I soaked in every minute with Helene and the other inspiring folks who attended.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! So much to soak in!
Heidi, thanks so much for putting on this event. It was a day packed with helpful information and lots of fun hanging out with fellow bloggers.
With this workshop topped off with your time at the Evo Conference, you should be styling and shooting like a pro! It was great learning with you.
Now I wish I had gone, but when I heard about it I had just gotten home from 6 days at IACP and my brain was crammed full. I have no doubt it was a great workshop with Helene presenting!
If there is another photo workshop that does come to fruition, we’ll be posting it and will definitely let you know. It was so great to get the hands-on experience.
Wow! What a fabulous event! How did I not know about this? (Maybe because I’m not a dedicated food blogger?!?!) Delicious food AND photos!
You’ll know the next time around. I have you on our list.
Lovely recap of a fabulous workshop! Thanks so much for getting us all together!
My pleasure! So great to share such an opportunity with fellow aspiring photographers intent on improving their mad skillz.
Heidi,
No doubt it was a wonderful workshop! Was it worth the travel all the way from Houston? oh yes. Hope my photographs will say that too, someday soon.
I’m so glad to have met you and Helene in person and so many other passionate food bloggers. My one word for you – “generous”. Thanks for putting on an awesome event.
Radhika, it was sooo great getting to know you and I’m so glad you made the trip. I hope you took home some awesome tips, and I know you got yourself some cool new props. Can’t wait to see the proof in your new pics. XOXO
Great recap! The food workshop was fabulous! Thanks for organizing such an amazing event. What a treat to have Helene in SLC!
Thanks for getting me involved, glad you think it turned out great too.
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