Food styling and photography with Henrietta Clancy and Jill Mead

Learn how to take mouth-watering pictures of food for your blog, menu or portfolio with Guardian food photographer Jill Mead and food stylist Henrietta Clancy.

Whether you’re a photographer, a blogger or an aspiring food stylist, this interactive masterclass will transform your ability to create stunning pictures of food. Guardian Cook photographer Jill Mead and food stylist Henrietta Clancy will cover the technical and creative essentials of food photography, including how to get the right lighting and make good food look even better.

You’ll also receive guidance on breaking into the industry and tips on how to work to a commercial brief. The day includes a photoshoot where you’ll put your new skills to the test. 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.

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

Preparation

• 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 has been a food photographer for the Guardian and Observer for over 10 years. She has also been commissioned to illustrate numerous publications, including three books with Gordon Ramsay and Top Bananas! The Best Ever Family Recipes from Mumsnet.

Henrietta Clancy is a food stylist and writer, and the author of cookbook Just Soup, released last year. She styles for cookbooks, print media (Observer Food Monthly, Guardian Cook, the Sunday Times Magazine), supermarkets (Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Lidl) and advertising. She initially trained to cook at Ballymaloe cookery school in Ireland.

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible - but please contact us if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website