The 2nd Annual Food & Lifestyle Bloggers Conference

WEEK 1

Saturday, January 6th

A Beautiful Mess: The Art of Capturing Food Moments

Instructor : Christiann Koepke { Christiann Koepke }

For years, food photography was known for it’s flawless, plastic – like approach. Seeing a golden, shiny turkey on the holiday table was once embraced without question. Christiann is redefining perfection, by embracing an organic approach to her styling and showcasing the beauty in it. She’s discovered that imagery has the power to draw someone into a moment at a glance.

Working with food is messy. Capturing it’s “real life state” is an art and requires detailed intention. In this class, Christiann will walk you through her process in creating the perfect – not – so – perfect scene that has set her work apart and grown her brand to the success that it is today.

Finding & Refining Your Voice

Instructor: Ashley Rodriguez { Not Without Salt }

In this market it is essential to stand out. But what does that even mean and how can we differentiate in a sea of talented creatives? The answer; be you! In this class, Ashley will teach on ways to fuel your creative life, the process of finding your voice and the importance of doing so. She will help you understand the importance of being you and help define what that looks like.

Ashley will walk you through practical exercises that will lead you to a better understanding of who you are as a creative and what you are wanting to say through your words and images. Learn how to recharge, grow and push yourself in a crowded industry.

Instagram: Strategies To Build Buzz & Grow A Loyal Following

Instructor: Melissa Megginson { Tailwind Marketing Manager }

Did you know that Instagram now has more than 800 million active monthly users? That’s a lot of potential eyeballs on your content! But how can you capture the attention of your audience when there are hundreds of millions of other accounts vying for attention? Whether or note you have a huge following, Instagram is a powerful place to build brand awareness and gain new followers.

In this class, students will learn best practices for building and maintaining their Instagram account, as well as how to find the perfect hashtags to engage your audience. Join in to learn how to build buzz and engage your audience on Instagram with Melissa from Tailwind.

WEEK 2

Saturday, January 13th

Strategies To Get More Work, & Most importantly – To Get More Work You Love!

Instructor: Bea Lubas { Bea’s Cookbook Blog }

Why wait restlessly for the perfect opportunities to knock to your door when you can take the ‘fate’ in your hands and start working with the clients you really value.

You don’t get your dream jobs not because your work is not good enough but because your dream clients don’t know about you (YET!). In this class we will not only discuss the opportunities you have to earn money as a food photographer but also the simple techniques of how to share your work to get discovered and attract your ideal clients.

Gatherings: The Art of Hosting A Memorable Party

Instructor : Christiann Koepke { Christiann Koepke }

We’ve all been to parties – some leave us wanting more and others – let’s be honest – we want to run from as soon as we step in the door. Christiann is a firm believer that “Gathering” is an art. The most beautiful and inspirational parties begin with attention to every detail. From pulling together the right menu, to how to set the table or cocktail area, to making your guests feel like they’re family, Christiann will walk you through her process.

In this class, you’ll learn practical ways to host a memorable experience that your guest will rave about for years to come. Christiann’s followers love it -and- brands like West Elm, Anthropologie and Crate & Barrel are tapping into her unique approach.

Pinterest Optimization: How to Optimize Your Account & Boost Traffic

Instructor: Jenn Lynch { Pinterest Strategist }

Pinterest is the #1 search engine for helping blogger’s improve their visibility. Add to the fact that food is the most searched for item on Pinterest and you’re left with an incredible platform for foodies who want to increase their reach.

In this class, we’ll highlight the key areas that you need to focus on to stand out from the crowd and take your account to the next level. We’ll cover SEO optimization, account hacks to boost views, hashtags, board creation + descriptions, how to do an account clean up each month, and an overall understanding of the Pinterest algorithm…plus how to get on its good side. Students will be given the opportunity to ask questions as we go along and will be provided with a summary of the key talking points discussed in the class.

WEEK 3

Saturday, January 20th

The Power Of Styling With Light

Instructor: Valentina Solfrini { Hortus Cuisine }

In an overcrowded industry, there’s pressure from every side to follow the current trends. Finding your own style is important, and one of the keys to doing so is understanding the power of working with light and how it influences your work. In this class, Valentina will open up the world of possibilities that light itself holds as we dive in as a class to talk through styling and the joy as well as challenges in working with natural light as a photographer.

Valentina will address questions like:

• What kind of lighting and styling will work best for an editorial work?
• What colors and tones work best in each setting and what don’t?
• In what contexts is it better to use one kind of light and prop pairing over another?

Valentina, who has done an array of professional work from studio portraits to reportage photography to editorial where light and context is always different, will answer all these questions to help you manage light and styling better.

Branding: How I Got Here – Lessons Learned

Instructor: Christiann Koepke { Christiann Koepke }

Building a business starts with an idea and a lot of passion.  From there, strategy, authenticity, and an ability to edit yourself is required to succeed. In this class, Christiann will walk you through the 5 essentials to building a thriving business. She will share how a hobby turned into a passion and how that passion was used to build a business.   

Christiann will share her growth process and lessons learned along the way – mistakes included. Overcoming difficulty is a part of your journey to success. This class will provide take-aways that are essential in overcoming the challenges that come with being an entrepreneur.

The Power of Tailwind Tribes: How To Maximize Your Pinterest Efforts

Instructor: Melissa Megginson { Tailwind Marketing Manager }

There’s a quote by Hellen Keller that says, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Nearly 100 years later that sentiment holds true – even on Pinterest! In online marketing, it’s incredibly important to focus on community over competition. By working with fellow experts in your niche, we can grow together.

In this session, Melissa will walk you through utilizing Tribes, Tailwind’s latest and greatest tool. Learn how to find your perfect Tribe and expand your reach, traffic, and overall growth in this class from Tailwind’s own inside expert.

WEEK 4

Saturday, January 27th

Decorate For The Life You Want & Maximize Your Creative State

Instructor: Anne Sage { Anne Sage }

Our homes are a reflection of ourselves. The design choices we make for our living spaces communicate our personalities and our values, express aspects of our inner self, and tell a story about where we’ve been in our lives. What’s more, when we decorate with intention, we can select and implement our decor to determine where we’re going next!

In this session, Anne will offer insights into the powerful effect that our homes and workspaces can have on our mood, our mindset, and the results that we create in our lives. We’ll review real-life examples and do practical exercises that get us more deeply in touch with our goals and how our environment can further them. By the end of this session, you’ll have gained clarity on the connection between your interior self and your interior design, and you’ll walk away with actionable ideas to set the scene for creative success.

Recipe Development For Publications

Instructor: Ashley Rodriguez { Not Without Salt }

Learn the ins and outs of recipe creation from two-time cookbook author, Ashley Rodriguez. We’ll walk through common mistakes and learn tips to make your recipes worthy of being passed along for generations to come.

The process for bringing a recipe to life is different depending on where the recipe will live. In this class, Ashley will walk you through the entire process of recipe development for book or print; from generating ideas, to organizing, testing and then finally, execution, to ensure the users of the recipe will have the same success you do.

Tell A Story: The Power of Post Processing

Instructor : Christiann Koepke { Christiann Koepke }

Any single image can either 1- share a pretty object or 2- tell a story. Christiann believes that post processing is art in and of itself and should always be telling a story. No matter what stage you’re at with your photography, the final process of editing your image is absolutely key to the success and longevity of the images you share with the world. The time, attention and detail given to processing your images will largely impact how your work will stand out in the industry. This class will start with the basics and quickly advance to detailed development of an image from raw format to a fully processed image that can now be deemed “art”.

There are 2 types of editing: the basic approach of minor brightening and enhancing and the detailed approach where every part of the image goes through careful precision to ensure every aspect compliments the other. In this class, you’ll learn strategies within Lightroom that can result in “next level advancement” to the work you produce.