I just came from a Food Photography workshop by Artu Nepomuceno at a dainty Italian restaurant in Burgos Circle named Casa Italia. Sitting in a room with a random group of aspiring food photographers was like a breath of fresh air. Usually, I spend my Saturday mornings resting at home. But today, I was very much eager to learn and have a quick adventure in the city.
During the workshop, Artu shared about the Do’s and Don’t’s in taking photos of food and drinks, specifically. He also talked about pricing, taking photos at different angles, appreciating the story and people behind the food, and even choosing the right gear, accessories, and props for this type of photography.
My favorite part of the workshop was the hands-on activity. The participants paired up and attempted to style and take photos of certain dishes from the restaurant. My partner (Joe) at the workshop and I chose the plate of spaghetti. It was challenging because we only had limited props available. But, it was also fun and interesting to experiment with different angles and concepts.
Afterwards, we all went back to the room and evaluated the photos we took. Artu showed the photos to the group and gave constructive criticism and detailed points for improvement. It was the part of the workshop that I appreciated the most because we were given the opportunities to apply the tips he shared earlier today and at the same time, we learned from the strengths and weaknesses of each photo shown to the group.
Before today, I didn’t really think about how the number of forks used in a photo of a single dish would have an effect on the overall appearance. Haha. But, even in this simple illustration, I learned from Artu that it is better to use just one fork especially when taking a photo of one dish even if we wanted to show that the dish was for a couple or a pair. Using one fork (one set of utensils) shows the intimacy in the photo which sets a completely different mood. It was very interesting.
Just before the workshop ended, our speaker asked the participants if we had any more questions. A lady in the room then asked him “Will you continue to have workshops in the future?” and Artu replied, “As long as there are opportunities, the teaching will never stop.” Aaahhh! I love how he casually and sincerely answered it. The teaching will never stop. Of course, on my part, learning about photography will never stop as well. There’s still so much to learn, to experiment with, and to take photos of! This year, by God’s grace, I will be sharing more stories and lessons learned with you through photography. Hopefully, you can share yours with me too!
Thank you, Manila Workshops, for organizing this event! Thank you, also, Artu Nepomuceno, for graciously sharing your knowledge and skill in photography and food styling. May God continue to use you to inspire the young and young at heart to pursue their passions in life.
ARTU NEPOMUCENO
Website: http://www.open-art.photography/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artunepo/
MANILA WORKSHOPS
CASA ITALIA
http://www.casaitalia.com.ph/
