Tag: photography

Pando Food Photography Workshop

azahar

pando foto workshopLast week I was invited to attend a food photography workshop for food bloggers and journalists, hosted by Pando Restaurantes and Gourmedia. It had been awhile since I’d been to the Pando central location in calle San Eloy and I was impressed by the changes to the premises, which were modern without being modernist, and comprising an indoor “terrace” at the front, a large bar area, an interior patio, and a dining room. The photography workshop was held in the bar area, and our tutor for the evening was professional food photographer, and my old friend, Manolo Manosalbas.

pando foto workshop manoloManolo Manosalbas in action

During the course of a fun and informative evening we got to practice our photographic skills on (and later eat) five dishes from Pando’s new menu created by chef Manolo Mediavilla, selected to present a variety of challenges to the budding photographer. Manolo gave us some tips and hints on how to add a variety of perspectives and points of view to our photos, to maintain awareness of lighting and background and give greater depth to photographs, and kept watch over our efforts.

At the end a copy of the book Macuro Tapas, with fabulous food photography by Manolo, was given away as the prize in a raffle, for the further encouragement and education of the lucky winner (who happened to be my pal Peter from @SVQconcierge).

pando photo workshop peterYou can see the results of the participants’ photographic endeavours on Twitter and Instagram by using the hashtag #gastrofotopando. Here are my best shots from the evening…

pando foto workshop ensaladillaEnsaladilla de gambas con mayonesa de manzanilla

pando foto workshop mejillonesMejillones con coco y curry

pando foto workshop sopaSopa de cigales con lomo de salmonete

pando foto workshop presaPresa Ibérica de Bellota, soufflé de calabaza, crema de boletus

pando foto workshop biscochoBiscocho de remolacha con crema de payoyo

The Rainy Rain

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photo by Raúl Díaz

For me this photo by twitter pal Raúl Díaz really sums up today (and probably the rest of the week). It’s the best of both worlds when you know the land around you is getting a much needed drink yet you are all cosy inside watching it come down from a warm and dry comfortable distance. Raúl took this photo today in the centre of Sevilla.

You can see more of his work here: Fotografiando

100 Semana Santa Photos…

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…that you should see. That’s what the poster says.

And I’ve been walking by it almost daily, telling myself that I really ought to go in and have a look, because I love both old photos and Semana Santa. As usual I left it until almost too late (the exhibit closes on April 8th, Easter Sunday) and so popped in this morning after doing a few errands.

[note: exhibit has been extended to 29th April]

And the poster is right – you really should see these photos.

The oldest, taken on calle Feria, was c.1885 and they go up to almost present day. For me it’s entrancing to look at the people and familiar streets – some places haven’t changed that much – and imagine myself walking there now.

I also liked the “photo boxes” lit from within that were placed around the room on the floor. You can see them in the collage here along with a list of the photographers. The reflection of the blue lights played havoc with my photos, but they are really just to entice you over and see them for yourself.

The exhibit is being held inside the Antequarium, beneath the Metropol Parasols (aka The Mushrooms) in Plaza Encarnación, so it was also a good opportunity to visit the Antequarium again, which I hadn’t seen since it first opened a year ago. At that time it was still unfinished and now it’s looking much more impressive.

Semana Santa en Sevilla
100 Fotografías Que Deberías Conocer
23rd February – 8th April 29th April 2012
10.00 – 19.30 Tuesday – Saturday /10.00 – 13.30 Sundays and holidays

[click on images to enlarge]

No Photos Allowed

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Last night I was out with my friend Eduardo from Different Spain for a short tapeo. I got to our first stop a bit early so, while I was waiting for Edu, I took some photos of the place in case I liked it enough to put in my Sevilla Tapas blog. No problem. Got a few outside and interior shots and, though the waitress looked at me with curiosity, she didn’t say anything. When Edu arrived he took his iPhone inside to take a few pictures and the cook told him that the manager didn’t allow people to take photos. Huh?

Then I remembered one time I was in El Corte Inglés and saw somebody taking a photo of something on a shelf, presumably to remember a price or show someone at home, and the security guard came up and told him he wasn’t allowed to take photos.

So this morning I asked on Twitter if it is actually legal for a place that is open to the public to ban photo taking and the general response was that it was at the discretion of owner/manager, regardless of the location being open to the public. Someone also pointed out that many museums and monuments don’t allow photos, but in those places you are clearly warned with signs when you walk in. Somone else mentioned that once they were in a London bar and were told they could take photos of the bar but not of the bottles on the shelves (eh?). It was also mentioned that in many railway stations they don’t like people taking photos.

What’s been your experience? I’ve never thought twice about taking photos of the restaurants and tapas bars I visit, and to date have never had anyone tell me I couldn’t. I can’t imagine why they would.