Review: PhotoTasting's "Art of Food Porn" Seminar

"Do you like food? Do you like taking photos? Do you like taking photos of food?"

That was the opening description of PhotoTasting, a photography class I took on Saturday dedicated to helping L.A.-based food bloggers perfect the art of food porn. Hosted by Pam of DailyGluttony.com; Sharon of WeezerMonkey.com; and Tony, contributor to TripVine.com, this food-focused seminar was one of Los Angeles' first and featured the gorgeous new Winter Seasonal Menu of Checkers Hotel's Executive Chef, Todd Allison.

Lobster Bisque

with wild mushrooms & lobster medallions

I scanned down to the "Cost" portion and was pleasantly surprised that for $45, I would get the chance to network with other food bloggers, hone my photography skizzles – the class wasn't limited to SLRs; my new Point & Shoot was welcome with open arms – and exclusively preview a mouth-watering, multi-course meal? Count me in!

Ahi Tuna Salad

with pomegranate, blood oranges, & baby Lola Rosa lettuce

Upon arrival at the Checkers Hotel, I was thrilled to see that the class had been set up in the semi-private rear of the hotel's restaurant. The class started at 12:30pm and I snuck in a 12:29, grabbing a seat in the front row. At first glance it appeared that the class was sized appropriately, with between 18-24 students seated in front of a large LCD monitor and laptop station. For the first class of its kind I found the hosts were mostly well-prepared, explaining that the class would be organized into a series of "Talk. Shoot. Eat." sessions. Sounded good to me.

Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly

with roasted shallots & Brussels sprout gratin

Tony kicked off the session, sharing information about the differences between professional SLRs and Point & Shoot cameras. Sharon took over with a detailed presentation ranging from "How A Camera Works" basics to professional White Balance, ISO, Aperture and Exposure details. We all followed along, firing up our cameras and experimenting with the various settings and programs. Questions were welcome and due to the intimate nature of the class, explanations were easily heard and for the most part, understood.

Grilled Local Calamari

with Kalamata olives, cipiollini onions, haricots verts & roasted garlic aioli

About thirty minutes in, we got to the good part: the food. Being an L.A. native, I'm always skeptical of downtown L.A. restaurants. Until recently, downtown L.A. was a no-mans land, save for business travelers and throngs of nine-to-fivers who commuted to the high rises. Culinary Mecca, it was not.

Grilled Alaskan Salmon

with asparagus, quinoa, roasted tomatillo & chili relish

Without hesitation, I can truly say Chef Allison's menu was stellar; the presentation was gorgeous, the flavors divine and the ingredients clearly hand-picked from high-quality, local farmers markets. The bites alone were absolutely worth the seminar's $45 price tag.

Myers Ranch Beef Tenderloin

with Bloomsdale spinach, fingerling potatoes & bearnaise sauce

But back to the class: One at a time, the courses were presented on white tablecloth-covered tables placed next to picture windows, optimal for taking photos. When it comes to food photography, natural light is king. We were given about 10 minutes per course to flock to the tables and shoot the food, experimenting with our new-found photography tips and tricks. After the shooting session, we were all able to dig in. Heck YES.

Myers Ranch Beef Tenderloin

with Bloomsdale spinach, fingerling potatoes & bearnaise sauce (presentation #2)

Between courses, Pam led the charge with tips and tricks on Photo Composition, Background and Photo Editing. She shared incredible food photos taken by the hosts at local restaurants, providing a visual for each of the techniques. I'm not sure if my hand-sketched replications will prove as great reminders, but they were worth a shot!

Shortcake & Farmers Market Berries

with fresh mint & whipped cream

Three hours, seven courses and 100-plus photos later, I definitely had more of a handle on my camera. I had learned the major differences between SLR and Point & Shoot cameras, how to adjust almost all the settings on my camera to take great photos in a variety of locales (from dimly-lit bars and restaurants to meals swathed in sunlight), and how compose and retouch my shots. An added bonus? My tummy was happily full of fabulous food from a restaurant I've added to my repertoire. All in all, a win-win.

Coconut Bread Pudding

with Tahitian Vanilla ice cream & Thai banana

For information on future PhotoTasting events, email Pam at DailyGluttony@yahoo.com.