Decoration and art of entertaining: photography workshop with The Pineapple Chef
Students on the interior design master’s course began the autumn term with a photography workshop hosted by the talented food and lifestyle influencer, Elise Dumas, aka The Pineapple Chef.
THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING
At the very beginning of the academic year, interior design students at LISAA Paris attended a photography workshop led by Elise Dumas, an experienced Instagrammer specialising in food. Firstly, they benefited from theoretical training on photography and the construction of an image, followed by a half-day practical training on still lives related to decoration and the art of entertaining, which they staged themselves.
- The composition of light: How to measure light and choose the most suitable exposure for a photo shoot;
- How to prepare a photo shoot (scouting, mood board, drawing);
- How to compose an image, to frame it well and to position oneself in relation to the subject;
- How to choose equipment (cameras, lenses, filters, zooms, fixed focal length, etc.)
At the end of the photo shoot, the students worked on editing their photographs in Photoshop. They then received tips for promoting their work on social media, including Instagram, in order to be able to best design their professional interior decorator portfolio.
THE PINEAPPLE CHEF, AN ONLINE JOURNEY
The Pineapple Chef, or Elise Dumas to use her real name, is an Instagram influencer who loves good food. She shares this passion with her 38,000 followers online and via the photo shoot workshops she regularly hosts.
Although she is highly talented and experienced, Elise Dumas is not a professional photographer. She began her studies at business school, then went on to Sciences Po university, and worked at a Parisian consulting firm before joining IFM (The French Fashion Institute) at the age of 30 after having a revelation about her artistic talents. She then became a visual merchandiser for major luxury brands.
My business consulting skills still come in use today as a visual merchandiser and food photographer.
Elise Dumas, food influencer
PASSION FIRST
Elise says: "I lived abroad for many years and that’s when the adventure began: I wrote a blog about food intolerance, discovered new recipes and I started taking photos. I also took part in food workshops, which I found really inspiring. At first, I wanted to become a chef but I soon realised that photography was more inline with my professional experience and that I would be wise to go further in this area."
What drives me is highlighting the savoir-faire, produce and quality of ingredients. I have great respect for chefs and I like to share the authentic aspect of their work.
Elise Dumas, food influencer
As a fan of late 18th-century still lives, Elise likes to apply this technique to her images of the contemporary food world because it allows her to concentrate on the aesthetics of the products and to work in depth on colors and textures.
