When I was a young child in school, my greatest joy was discovering something new to learn. Every day was exciting then, with new skills, new stories, and new ways of seeing the world. I would go to sleep at night anticipating that the lessons of the coming day would transform me from the familiar to a brand-new-me whose horizons now stretched farther than before.
In this spirit I took a leap and signed up for a weekend class in food styling and photography at MDR Photography. It was like going back to first grade! I have been using a point and shoot camera for years, and only recently purchased a DSLR. To learn a little about the more serious side of photography, I went to Lynda.com to watch some instructional videos about photography and exposure, just to make sure I wouldn’t be completely lost in the class.
Allison (Sushi Day) and her boyfriend Son live in the area, so they picked me up and took me out for dinner on Friday night after I arrived at the hotel. They were excited to take me to 26 Beach, a restaurant that has been in business for 29 years in Venice, Ca. The sushi burgers served at 26 Beach are legendary… Rachael of La Fuji Mama (and my Avocado Sister) practically swoons when she describes the wonderful offerings of this delightfully artistic eatery…and thanks to Allison and Son, I’ve been craving another of those scrumptious burgers ever since!
As for the food, check out this California Roll Burger! Snowcrab salad, avocado, picked ginger, nori & shoyu-wasabi-aioli with baby lettuce and tomato…all served on Angus beef burger and butter-grilled home baked bun!
On Saturday morning I met a Camp Blogaway acquaintance, Cynthia of What a Girl Eats, as we were both trying to find Christina Peters’ Photography Studio in Marina Del Rey. As we walked into the bright studio we were met with warm hellos and breakfast treats. Our food styling teacher, Denise Vivaldo launched right into her presentations with hilarious side stories and tales of her experiences in 30 years as a food stylist. Her Food Fanatics colleague, Tiffany Wu demonstrated how important it is to have an assistant who can anticipate the needs of the stylist and the desires of a client, providing “collateral food” for those just-in-case situations.
We learned how to style pancakes, a roasted chicken, salad, and sandwiches that first day. We began to appreciate the practical and logistical aspects of food styling as well as the tricks and tips of making food look wonderful for the camera. Denise shared insider business strategies that only a seasoned veteran would know. As a complete newbie I found the whole day fascinating!
Our homework that night was to come up with a project for the next day… a fabulous food layout that we would photograph. Denise mentioned that she was looking for color, so I decided to search for foods that would complement an avocado. (Big surprise, right?!) I had to explain to the class that a beautifully peeled “naked” avocado is something special to behold!
That evening I found the nearest Whole Foods store and searched for colorful food in the same way that I might coordinate accessories for a new outfit. Gorgeous large plump shrimp, already cooked, with plenty of pink color. Golden mango salsa with magenta red onion pieces and green cilantro. And I found a few treats to buy as well! (Ever tried Orange Ginger Almonds? Yum!)
Sunday morning we all gathered back at the studio and listened with awe as Christina revealed the mysteries of using DSLR cameras, and shared stories of her life as a commercial photographer. Her explanations were easy to follow and anticipated our questions…she even talked about using our IPhones for food photography! Most of all, it felt good to be learning something brand new…exploring something I don’t think about in my daily life, and becoming a “new me” who could consider food and photography from a completely new perspective.

We even learned to make fake ice cream …it doesn’t melt under hot lights and displays delicious toppings perfectly!
Each of us styled our own project, trading ingredients and collaborating on the use of props from Christina’s immense collection. All the while Denise and her partner Cindie Flannigan were circulating among the class participants, giving suggestions, helping to brainstorm and adding an extra level of excitement to each of the projects. Denise suggested that I separate the components of the mango salsa and then rebuild the salsa in front of the avocado using tweezers.
When the styling was finished, Christina worked with each of us to photograph our masterpiece and demonstrated ways to enhance them using Lightbox and Photoshop. We were able to take turns photographing each others’ layouts too! It was a joy to work with a group who were so willing to share and collaborate.
You can see all the finished photographs from our class projects here. Christina’s photos of our class are here.
The weekend was lots of fun and I can honestly say that I truly was transformed. I will never look at another food photograph in the same way… and I’ll work much harder on my own shots from now on! If you’d like to explore Denise’s vast knowledge of food styling, find her book on Amazon.com!
The most important lesson of the weekend? Don’t be afraid to try something new and outside of your comfort zone !One of the best parts of the weekend was meeting my classmates and learning about their lives and goals. In the words of the famous song, “Would you like to swing on a star? Carry moonbeams home in a jar? And be better off than you are?…” YOU could be swinging on a star! Go for it!

June 13, 2012 at 5:10 pm
I’m jealous! I would love to know the tricks of styling a roast chicken. But I have to eat mine!
Laura @ Family Spice recently posted..Father’s Day Worksheet
June 13, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Sorry, no eating the styled chicken! (I’ll tell you why when we get together!)
June 13, 2012 at 6:03 pm
“…And be better off than you are…. or would you rather be a pig! ” ( I always wondered why that song made being a pig sound so bad. I’d like to try it!). Anyway, I love howyou can use tricks to make food look better for the camera. Mimi, you should get a job on television. I think most of the food on television looks really unappealing, even though I’m sure they are using “food stylists.”
Fun to see your picture from South Barre School! I recognize lots of faces!
June 13, 2012 at 6:09 pm
Our teacher Denise has worked for television and movies…apparently the “table top” stylist budgets are being cut these days. No wonder you think the food looks unappealing…Denise isn’t hired to style it!
June 13, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Awesome Mimi! Sounds like you had so much fun and learned a lot; plus you are indeed a talented photographer. Your comment about ‘not being afraid to try something new and outside your comfort zone’ has hit home for me as just today I launched a project on Kickstarter. I want to do a photo book and this type of project is way out of my comfort zone but I’m going for it. Thanks for sharing your class experiences.
Linda C Smith recently posted..How would you like to see Yourself as a Kaleidoscope?
June 13, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Your picture has sort of a yin yang and an appealing sense of movement to it, plus wonderful color choices. What fun to learn this skill! Food IS art, after all! I like to photograph dessert and candy. In college I bought 12 boxes of Twinkies, made a sculpture, and took lots of funny photos as a gift for someone :).
June 14, 2012 at 6:54 am
Ooh, next time we get together let’s do a dessert/candy buffet! I’ve been calling my class photo “The Yin and Yang of Shrimp”…thinking about framing it!
June 13, 2012 at 9:50 pm
What a great post, Mimi! sound’s like it was a fantastic experience — had to be a hit with Christina and Denise running the show! P.S. I’m also thrilled to have learned from you about a “naked” avocado (yes so beautiful), and I’m getting to 26 Beach ASAP! I didn’t even know about that burger — I must try it. Thank you!
Valentina recently posted..Summer Corn Chowder {Vegan Recipe}
June 14, 2012 at 6:51 am
I’ll drive up and meet you at 26 Beach! Let’s plan it!
June 14, 2012 at 6:33 am
Great post Mimi!
June 14, 2012 at 10:45 am
It sounds like so much fun! And, I must say, your avocado and shrimp dish looks delish. You sound like you are very close to L.A., if you are, we need to have lunch next time I am there. We can meet in the middle.
Sandy @Southwestgirl recently posted..Mango Sorbet Dreamsicle Dessert Recipe and a Give Away
June 14, 2012 at 10:52 am
I’m between LA and SD…only 2 hours to Marina Del Rey if no traffic…1 hour to OC…it all depends on who else is on the road. Yes, I’d love to meet you! Fun to finally get to chat!
June 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm
So fun Mimi!! Wish I could have joined you. Looks like you gained a wealth of knowledge. And those burgers!? Oh dear. Just looking at it made me swoon so I can only imagine what tasting it would do!
Krista recently posted..Apple Blueberry Crisp
June 14, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Next time you’re in the area, we’ll have to arrange a Camp Blogaway Reunion at 26 Beach!
June 14, 2012 at 2:10 pm
You know what I love? I love your gusto – absolutely love it!
Kristen recently posted..Save the Date for the California Avocado 4th of July Blast!
June 14, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Some days I have it…yup, it’s fun when I do!
March 19, 2015 at 5:16 pm
I was there too! Such a great class! I still remember you brought a bunch of tangerines for us to shoot!