International Conference on Food Styling & Photography

How Did They DO That?
Case Studies of Photography Creative Problem Solving

Moderators: Jim Scherer and Katherine Hennessy

Every day we are presented with tricky problems to solve. This seminar will give you an insider's view into the thought process of four successful food photographers, each sharing how they tackled a challenging problem and figured out a great solution. They'll show detailed visuals of the evolution of the tough shoot and talk about how the project initially presented itself, the technical details about cameras, lighting, special styling needs, why they made the choices they did, and post-production issues. Although this is not a business seminar, client involvement will be part of the discussion. 

Styling Trailblazers

With Alice Hart and Laura Shapiro

How has the career of food styling evolved over the past 30 years? What was happening in the real world with home and restaurant food and cooking that influenced what stylists do? A food historian known for her exploration of the post WWII lifestyles and a trailblazing food stylist who began her styling business in the 1970s will share where we've been and where we hope to go in capturing the way we produce, cook, and eat.

Unplugged - Create Your Own World

With Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton

An acclaimed photographer and food stylist, both veterans of the magazine and cookbook publishing world, will discuss their shared organic approach to food photography and styling. Their experiences led them from the intoxicating environment of food and lifestyle magazines to stepping out of it all to start up their own studio specializing in food photography, styling, illustration, design, and writing.

Pushing the Limits between Advertising and Editorial Photography

With Mel Mooney and John Carafoli

The process of creating magazine advertising has moved, blurred, or erased the line between the business and editorial sides of publishing. Join the senior account director for Saveur magazine and a veteran food stylist for a journey through the process of creating magazine ads that look as good, and sometimes better, than the editorial content itself. These industry leaders will talk about the fundamentals of putting together teams of innovative stylists, creative photographers, and insightful account directors to come up with ads that sell.

Camera, Lens, and Toilet Paper - Practical Tips and Stories of a Traveling Photographer

With Gregory Bertolini

Whether traveling across town or across the country, every shoot involves the movement of equipment and personnel. Learn to travel correctly and safely with either a single camera or a complete studio and get advice on safety and insurance, renting equipment, respecting the environment you're visiting, and items you should never forget.

Global Style

With Marcela Sorondo, Clare Ferguson, and Indranie Dasgupta

A panel of international food stylists will take you on a journey through their globe-trotting work through England and Europe, Argentina, India, and beyond. Local food traditions and foods, table manners, food fashions, provincial issues, and multi-national food clients all influence how these innovative stylists work. Their experiences underscore that multicultural knowledge is the wave of the future.

Sustainable Styling

With Stef Culberson and Mette Nielsen

The world is going green—but what does that mean? A European-trained chef and food stylist, who also owns a small farm, teams up with a photographer dedicated to documenting the explosion of organic foods and local farm production to define what it can mean for the food photography industry to embrace the philosophy of sustainable food and styling.

Viral Video: Expanding Your Reach and Stretching Your Clients

With James Scherzi and Zach Phillips

Learn to move your creative imagery from still to motion in this discussion about what it takes to become a hybrid still and video studio. What equipment do you need? How much of an investment is it to develop this new side of your business? How do you learn the essentials for making professional-level videos? Most importantly, how do you leverage television content, podcasts, and viral online marketing to help reinforce your client's brand?

Best of the Biz

With Eugene Mopsik, Ilise Benun, Tim Foley, and Beatrice Peltre

Calling all solopreuners and creative types: what's the buzz? There are always new issues facing our commercial industry, new technologies, and new ways to market and connect with colleagues and potential clients. Hear the very latest from the executive director of the American Society of Media Photographers, an innovative marketing guru for creative professionals, a creative agency principal, and a food photography blogging star. What do you need to know about protecting your image copyright and usage? Should you be "linked in" or spending time everyday networking via your website? There will be plenty of time to take your questions or hear your stories about business concerns.

Growing Your Visual Awareness

With Delores Custer, Steve Adams, and Lorna Rhodes

Whether you are a photographer or stylist, it's a tough market out there. Long gone are the days of big budgets and days devoted to just a few shots. This panel of seasoned professionals has weathered the ups and downs of business twists and turns, and survived. Explore how you can leverage your skills and find new opportunities and clients by staying inspired and fresh, being aware of where your professional world is moving, and teaming up with colleagues who share your positive vision.

Food Style without Borders

With Harold McGee

What Do I Do With All These Digital Images?

With Richard Anderson

Struggling with digital filing and organizing? Are you sure you're submitting the right file type or size for specific jobs? And what about preserving the long-term integrity of your hard work and creative output? Learn the best system for digital asset management—and increase the value of your investment in your professional work. Learn the details of this innovative program developed by the ASMP/Preserving Digital Images team, made possible by an award from the Library of Congress.

A Matter of Style and Taste

With Francine Malalon-Degni, Maxine Kaplan, and Peggy Chase Jordao

Need to find just the right plate? Create just the right set? The owner of one of the biggest prop houses in the U.S. will offer a bird's eye view of her showroom, and discuss where and why she selects the items to rent in her shop. A long-time New York prop stylist will take you on a journey through time with her insights into the business of setting the stage for photos—and how she thinks trends change when the political climate changes. Plus, an energetic location photo stylist will share her insider's scoop on the challenges she deals with when parachuted into unfamiliar territories.

Creative Visions: Compelling Photos in Review

With Mette Nielsen, Pornchai Mittongtare, and James Tse

A panel of award-winning and highly admired food shooters will share their work, their creative inspirations, and what it takes for them to get the perfect shot. From working with stylists to photographing chefs or food in its own environment, these dynamic photographers lend a special touch to their photos that is hard to define and sets them apart. They'll show what makes them commercially successful, but also artistically unique.

Producing Jobs That Sell For TV and Print

With Mara Papatheodorou

The job of a good producer is to pull all the details together. They can transport people to other places by effectively creating new worlds in a magazine feature or television spot. These armchair travelers become future consumers of what that producer is selling for their client. What exactly does a producer do? Do you have the skill set to scout locations, source props, write the story, and style the shoot? 

The Artistic Interpretation of Food Photography (Master Class)

At Zaslow Photography with Francine Zaslow and Deborah Jones

Two leading creative women photographers, each with a unique approach to how they work, will demonstrate their “secret ingredients” for creating beautiful photos for both editorial and advertising. This interactive workshop will be set in a working studio, where you will learn how each photographer uses light, composition, selective focus, and props to create strong images. Your specific problems will be discussed, and creative solutions demonstrated.

The Amuse-Bouche: Introduction to Digital Food Photography

With Lou Manna

The author of the first book specifically addressing digital food photography will take you under his wing, introducing the essential tenets of effective food shooting. Even if you are already shooting commercially, this interactive workshop will give you the tools to better understand food as a subject and the importance of working as a team with a food stylist.

Style Lab 1: Bake Style, From Dough to Lens (9 a.m.-Noon)

With Cindy Lund and Maura Kilpatrick

The food styling manager at General Mills, one of the leaders in consumer baking, and Boston's top pastry chef will bridge the worlds of professional pastry work and home baking. Their demonstrations of baking and styling techniques will cover a variety of challenging desserts, refrigerated dough products, and packaged dessert mixes. While sharing their expert recommendations about favorite equipment and ingredients, they will demonstrate techniques for frosting the perfect cupcake, beautifully glazing cakes, and baking up golden pastry. Special emphasis will be placed on troubleshooting unexpected situations with baked goods, along with exploring unique styling methods, such as creating a luxurious butter melt or that amazing chocolate pull on a warm chocolate chip cookie.

Lunch Break (Noon-1p.m.)

Style Lab 2: Kitchen Troubleshooting (1-4:30 p.m.)

With Delores Custer and Dan Macey

From cheese pulls on pizza to producing steam on demand, there is often more than one way to tackle the many problems faced by food stylists when dealing with food that wants to misbehave. One of the foremost styling authorities and an insatiably curious stylist will share their techniques for dealing with difficult foods, including their favorite problem-solving techniques. From the basic—perfect sunny-side up eggs and beautiful ice cream scoops—to the challenging mile-high sandwich, explore the techniques of controlling the color, texture, flow, melt, browning, and freshness of foods you work with everyday. A lively Q&A session will be part of the afternoon.