Le meilleur de 2018 / The best of 2018

2018 a été une année de beaux projets, de belles collaborations créatives et de voyages inspirantes. // 2018 was a year of fun projects, creative collaborations and travelling.

Voici quelques projets chouchous. // Here are some of the year’s highlights:

Lorsque on a la chance de travailler sur trois livres de recettes avec le même chef, on a le privilège de créer une relation de confiance construite aux cours des années. Le meilleur du bistro de Jean-François Plante des Éditions de l’Homme. Editeur: Sophie Aumais, Stylisme d’accessoires par Marie des neiges Magnan et Stylisme culinaire par Alex Mitrofanow. // When you have the opportunity to work with a chef on three cookbooks, you get to build a trusting relationship built over many shoot days. Le meilleur du bistro de Jean-François Plante de Les Éditions de l’Homme. Editor: Sophie Aumais Prop styling by Marie des neiges Magnan and Food Styling by Alex Mitrofanow. 

K pour Katrine / Le site de recettes sans produits laitiers et sans gluten auquel je collabore depuis près de trois ans m'a tenu très occupé en 2018. Nous avons crée deux magazines publiés par KO Media et shooté des tonnes de recettes pour le site et plusieurs vidéos pour Metro. Ces dames (Katrine, Marie-Josée, Margaux, Annick et Françoise) sont devenues pour moi comme une belle famille et j'ai hâte de voir quels nouveaux projets passionnants 2019 nous rapporte! // K pour Katrine / The dairy-free and gluten-free recipe website that I’ve collaborated on for now near three years has kept me very busy in 2018. We put together two magazines published by KO Media , did countless blog shoots, a few video shoots for Metro. These ladies (Katrine, Marie-Josée, Margaux, Annick and Françoise) are like family now and I look forward to new exciting projects in 2019! Art direction: Isabelle Dubuc

Mad Radish / Une année excitante pour Mad Radish avec l'ouverture de leur restaurant à Toronto. C’est toujours un plaisir de travailler avec la styliste culinaire Michelle Diamond et la graphiste Davina Vogrig sur ces shootings. // Mad Radish / An exciting year for Mad Radish with the opening of their Toronto restaurant. Always a blast working with food stylist Michelle Diamond and graphic designer Davina Vogrig.

Un livre de recettes auto-publié par Michelle et Randi Cola pour honorer des recettes de sa famille. La styliste culinaire Michelle Diamond et moi avons travaillé comme des maniaques pour donner vie à ce projet ambitieux! Stylisme d’accessoires: Ariel Tarr  //  A wonderful cookbook titled “Like Mother Like Daughter” by Michelle and Randi Cola featuring family recipes close to their hearts. Food stylist Michelle Diamond and myself worked like maniacs to cram as many recipes as we could in a day! Prop styling: Ariel Tarr

Atelier de photographie culinaire en Italie / En 2018, The Illuminated Table que Valeria Bismar et moi avons fondé en 2015 a enfin concrétisé nos rêves grâce à notre premier atelier en Italie. Ce fut une première expérience incroyable et nous avons déjà hâte au prochain atelier en octobre 2019.  // Italy Food photography workshop / In 2018, The Illuminated Table which Valeria Bismar and I founded in 2015 finally made our dreams come true with our first workshop in Italy. It was an amazing first experience and we’re excited for the next workshop in Oct. 2019.

Le livre Des fleurs dans votre assiette de Nathalie Beaudoin et publié par Multimondes. J'ai rencontré Nathalie en 2013 et elle m'épate par sa persévérance et sa positivité. Les photos de ce livre ont été faites entre 2014 et 2017. En 2018, son travail acharné a porté ses fruits et son livre a été publié, ce qui lui a valu une attention médiatique bien méritée! // The book Des fleurs dans votre assiette by Nathalie Beaudoin and published by Multimondes. I met Nathalie in 2013 and she amazes me with her perseverance and positivity. This book was shot between 2014 and 2017. In 2018 her hard work paid off and her book was published earning her some well deserved media attention! Stylisme: Nathalie Beaudoin

La Fromagerie Hamel a conçu ces beaux plateaux de fromages pour cette publicité dans le magazine Vero que j'ai eu le plaisir de photographier et de travailler avec la styliste culinaire Anne Gagné. // La Fromagerie Hamel created the beautiful cheese platters for this advertisement in Vero magazine that I had the pleasure of photographing and working with food stylist Anne Gagné.

Food Photography and Veneto Retreat

Many years ago I had the idea of conducting Food Photography workshops around the globe, starting in Europe. I imagined myself bring participants to local markets while teaching them the ins and outs of Photography. It seemed to be the perfect way to bridge my love of travel and Photography.

Fast forward some 7 years: and I mentioned my idea to my colleague Valeria, and she said, "Why don't we offer workshops in Montreal?" So many workshops later (several in Montreal, two in Ottawa and two in Prince Edward County) here we are. Our dream has always been to bring our workshops to the rest of the world, specifically to Italy. So this is a dream come true!

Join us, food photographers Valeria Bismar (valeriabismar.com) and Ariel Tarr (arieltarr.com), on our upcoming workshop in the gorgeous Italian province of Verona.

We’re hosting a 5 day/4 night retreat from May 16-20, 2018 at a villa in the town of Sommacampagna. We’ll be joined by two chefs, Sabrina and Francesco, graduates of the renowned Boscolo Etoile Academy. We’re very excited to spend 5 fun-filled days exploring the tenets of food and lifestyle photography, and of course, eating the most amazing local cuisine. 

Of course, a trip to the area isn’t complete without a visit to nearby Verona, with its medieval old town featuring Juliet’s balcony from Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet." We’ll enjoy a foodie walking tour of Verona where we’ll learn not only about history, but also sample pastries, espresso, Amarone wine, cheese and salami.

A fun day-trip to visit a local olive oil producer in the picturesque Lago di Garda region will provide many photo opportunities.We’ll explore the intricacies of shooting at different times of day, such as photographing the gorgeous resort town of Bardolino on Lake Garda at magic hour.

We’ll be staying in a peaceful area in Sommacampagna, 20 minutes from Verona. TheVilla dates from the 1700s and has been restored, maintaining the characteristics that define the old manor villas. In the middle of the Custoza vineyards, its sprawling 1000 square meter garden is the perfect spot to rest your body and soul. Each room boasts views of the garden or mountains. 

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

• Single accommodation or double accommodation at our villa in Sommacampagna

• Welcome cocktail and appetizers

• Wine tastings at a local winery

• Four breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners.

• Local wine to be enjoyed with dinner

• Five-day food photography workshop with food photographers Ariel Tarr and Valeria Bismar

• Beautiful hand-picked food to photograph

• Day excursion to Verona (including transportation) and a 3.5 hour foodie walking tour

• Day excursion to Lake Garda and to an olive oil producer (including transportation)

• A 2.5-hour cooking demo with Sabrina and Francesco

• A fresh pasta-making workshop with Sabrina and Francesco

• Welcome gift 

DATES:
Wednesday May 16th 2:30 pm to Sunday May 20th 2:30pm 2018

PRICE:

• 4 queen size bed rooms (1 queen bed) - $2600 or 2300$ for a couple (per person), shared bathroom (approx. $2100 USD or 1700 Euros)

• 1 double (two twin beds) - $2300 (per person) (approx. $1850 USD or 1500 Euros) *ONLY ONE AVAILABLE

• 1 single (one twin bed) - $2600) (approx. $2100 USD or

  1700 Euros) *ONLY ONE AVAILABLE
  
  *Price in Canadian Dollars

  **No refunds after booking unless you can find someone else to fill your space. We require a minimum of 6 participants to hold the workshop.

  ***Does not include airfare to Italy or any purchase not listed above. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to Sommacampagna. Please contact us if you need help with transportation to theVilla from a nearby train station or airport which can be arranged. 

FOR MORE INFO, please send us an email at info@theilluminatedtable.ca

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