Food styling and photography with Rosie Reynolds and Jill Mead

Learn how to take mouth-watering pictures of food for your blog, menu or portfolio

Whether you’re a photographer, blogger or aspiring food stylist, this Masterclass will transform your ability to create stunning pictures of food. Led by Guardian Cook photographer Jill Mead and food stylist Rosie Reynolds, this highly interactive course covers the technical and creative essentials of food photography – from how to get the right lighting, to how to make good food look even better.

The day includes a mixture of talks and workshops, and a photoshoot where you’ll put your new skills to the test. Plus, you’ll receive guidance on breaking into the industry, as well as tips on how to work to a commercial brief. With plenty of practical exercises on your DSLR camera, the course is guaranteed to help you to create better images for your blog, menu or career portfolio.

Course content

• A practical guide to the right lights, lens and camera
• Lighting, angles, composition, framing and cropping images
• How to analyse food colour, texture and characteristics
• How food reacts to the environment – and how to control it
• Food modelling and styling for preparation and “hero shots”
• Tips on making real food look better
• Hands-on test shoot – get involved in a practical food photography session during the class
• What makes a strong image – the differing demands of editorial and commercial food photography
• Tips on working with stylists, props and home economists, and working to a brief
• How to get into food styling - helpful shortcuts and qualifications
• Q&A and discussion

Course requirements

• Please note: this is an intermediate-level course. Attendees should be familiar with the basic manual settings of a DSLR camera
• You’re required to bring along your own digital SLR camera and be comfortable using it
• You’re also advised to bring along a personal laptop to upload your images. No software is necessary, just the means to upload and view photographs

Tutor profiles

Jill Mead is a photographer for the Guardian and Observer who regularly contributes to the Guardian’s Cook section. In addition, she has been commissioned to illustrate numerous publications including three books with Gordon Ramsay and, more recently, the Mumsnet family cookbook.

Rosie Reynolds is a freelance food stylist, recipe writer and developer. After completing a diploma at Leiths School of Food and Wine in 2010, she started working for BBC Good Food and Olive magazine. More recently, Rosie has worked on book projects with Glynn Purnell, from Great British Menu, Franco Manca and Bill Granger, and is a regular contributor to Guardian Cook.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website