sandwiches

BTS: Food Photography Workshop at The Art Directors Club

What a great event and turnout for this past weekend's food photography workshop. It was great to share my experiences and tips I've learned over the years to help the students improve on their own photography. We had a packed afternoon of talking lighting setups, camera programs, and the importance of styling. I did a live demonstration on set shooting and building a sandwich. I also discussed the importance of hiring and working with a food stylist as well as a prop stylist.

Everyone broke out to separate tables building their own sets with props supplied and also making their own sandwich to photograph! You can see a time lapse below of the days events.

I would love to continue this workshop at other locations in New York City as well as New Jersey, and Philadelphia. If you are a food or prop stylist and want to collaborate on this please reach out! Also any studio spaces that would like to host us.

Food Photography Workshop Saturday March 12th 2016

I'm so excited to be working with The Art Directors Club on a food photography workshop at their NYC headquarters. It will be an exciting day of shooting food discussing how to craft your shot providing tips and tricks! Also touch on the benefits of working with food stylists and prop stylists. At the end will have a fun critique looking at what everyone shot.

You can find more info here and register for the weekend workshop, it will be fun :)

Don't forget, ADC month of March is Photography month.

Italian Market Street Festival 100th Anniversary

This past weekend marked the 100th anniversary of the Italian Market Festival in Philadelphia. Originally from Philadelphia and being Italian(oh! and to continue my after-birthday shenanigans) it made complete sense to come out for the weekend to walk the crowded 9th street to drink and eat my way through! The Italian Market has evolved tremendously including more of a Mexican inspired neighborhood while still keeping to its roots and classic Italian food. Some staples you can find along the street are Sarcones, Ralph’s, Monsu, Di Bruno Brothers, Claudio’s, and Fante’s (the original William and Sonoma.)

The festival kicks off on Saturday May 16th at 11AM and closes Sunday May 17th. The streets are packed with people hustling through trying pulled pork sandwiches, grilled mango and corn on a stick, indulging in elaborate pineapple Pina Colada drinks. This is just naming a small portion of what you will find. Among the food vendors on the streets the produce stands are also open as well as the brick and mortar retail shops. Artists are also invited for the weekend selling their hand made goodies whether a scarf or a flask made out of clay! At certain intersections were stages with live bands playing covers of the latest hits or a DJ playing tunes. You could be drinking a beer and standing around having a good time. This year was certainly a fair not to be missed.

Q&A Food Stylist: Heidi Robb

Image_HeidiRobb.jpg

HEIDI ROBB

www.heidirobb.com

@heidi_robb

1. How did you get into styling?

Chef Michael Symon is somewhat responsible! While working as recipe tester on his first cookbook, “Live to Cook”, he asked if I would assist the New York stylist traveling with the (now defunct) “Dear Food Network” that was taping some holiday segments out of his home. I worked with stylist Greg Lofts (now senior styling editor at Martha Stewart Living), which was love at first assist. From that moment, I knew styling would be the natural segue for my set of skills.


2. What could you consider your first break through job?

Greg hired me on his crew for the Martha Stewart/Hallmark production, "Mad Hungry” with Lucinda Scala Quinn. Everyone involved was the cream of the crop, which made for rapid initiation. The job was intensely challenging as a newcomer, yet so incredibly rewarding.  One show led to another, and opportunities presented themselves. Show styling is vastly different than still work. I’m deeply grateful for the cross training.


3. Do you tend to work more on still shoots or T.V. shoots?

The brunt of my current work is still with a smattering of video.


4. Have you traveled for your work? If so where’s the farthest you have been?

I travel often for work - guessing 50-50 Cleveland/travel. A repeat Nashville gig logs the most air miles.


5. Any clients you aspire to work for?

Any editorial world travel opportunity would be a dream come true, as would a beautiful cookware client such as Le Creuset or Staub. I have an abiding fondness for braising and pots.


6. Where do you get your inspiration?

Travel is the obvious answer, both for my recipe development and styling work. Creative collaborations with my talented colleagues! For visual print imagery, I frequently look to the UK and Aussie food photographers and stylists. They possess that naturally disheveled-yet-elegant aesthetic I adore and literally drool over.


7. Do you ever do propping for shoots or do you solely style the food?

Yes, I sometimes contribute or collaborate with propping. Dishware, glassware, cutlery, flowers - I’m good. There are a million other things I’d rather mess with than table linens.


8. What is the hardest food or drink you had to style?

Recently, I needed to style one of those “perfect" commercial sandwiches that was not intrinsically tricky, but the client had sent only ten hoagie-style buns to work with. Seven of the tops were damaged beyond redemption in transit while the remaining three were dry and dying. It took a good and meticulous portion of the day to achieve the hero's desired panini-pressing combined with the über-specific set of grill marks. Three was the charm with an extra three cheers going to Corn Husker’s Lotion. I haven’t used that smelly stuff in forever but you just never know.


9. For aspiring food stylists what would you tell them about getting into the business?

Make sure your culinary chops are well-honed. Most of us have logged years of restaurant, catering and personal chef experience, which not only helps with the actual shopping/cooking/styling, but in anticipating what needs to happen ten steps ahead. Next, get out and start assisting stylists whose work you admire. Cookbooks, magazines and food packaging all serve to keep your eye fresh - don't stop looking and stay inspired!