The Styled Table Workshop
Built for your brand, your team, your menu.
Looking to improve your in-house shoots?
Hands-on training for restaurant teams that turns brand story into clear choices for props, color, scale, and composition.
In a short presentation, we cover the visual foundations, then apply them to a guided flat lay on real menu items. Teams leave with a simple build- refine-capture workflow, a shared critique language, and ready to create images for web, social, email, and PR.
I am a prop stylist and creative director with more than fifteen years in marketing and visual storytelling. My work spans product, food propping, off figure fashion, still life, home, and set design. I shape concepts, lead teams, and guide shoots from mood boards and story to on set execution, keeping visuals both brand true and emotionally resonant.
I help restaurants and lifestyle brands create stronger, more consistent images by combining creative consulting, hands-on styling workshops, and professional photography. Each session is customized to your brand, starting with a deep dive into your visual identity and current imagery. I then guide your team through styling principles and set design techniques that make shoots faster, sharper, and more on brand.
Who it’s for:
Marketing and creative teams in restaurants, hospitality groups, and agencies
“Seeing how small adjustments in prop placement and selection could completely transform the mood and appetite appeal of a scene was eye-opening. The session has already improved the quality of our in-house photography and given our team the confidence to make better creative decisions.”
— Jessie Dickerson, Brand Director, Goode Co.
Workshops range from $800 (lecture-style intro) to $2,000 (full styling + photography). Scroll down to see all formats.
Curriculum
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![A person lying on a bed or couch, covered with a blanket, with part of their face visible.]()
Plate First Branding
From Palette to Plate: Translate brand colors, materials, and mood into dishware, linens, and surfaces so every frame reads on brand before food even enters the set.
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![A black and white icon of a pencil and a square, representing editing or creating digital content.]()
Composition and Space
Let It Breathe: Use negative space, rule of thirds, and focal anchors to guide the eye. Learn when to simplify the frame and when to layer for depth without clutter.
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![Black silhouette of a woman with curly hair holding a basketball, appearing to dribble or prepare to shoot.]()
Scale and Harmony
Right Size, Right Story: Choose plate diameters, prop heights, and serving proportions that create visual balance and keep the hero feeling generous rather than crowded.
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![A black silhouette of a person standing with arms raised against a white background.]()
Symbolism and Story
Meaningful Props: Select props that carry brand values and context. Every napkin fold, utensil, and garnish should hint at place, season, and price point.
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![Black and white line drawing of a cactus with a coiled snake wrapped around it.]()
Feel it Through the Screen
Visual Flavor: Balance glossy and matte, crisp and soft, warm and cool so the food looks fresh, touchable, and full of flavor. Strategic contrasts make dishes feel dimensional and irresistible.
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![A black silhouette of a person sitting at a desk with a laptop, books, and a coffee cup, illuminated by a desk lamp, indicating a work or study environment at night.]()
Coverage and Workflow
The Styling Method. Build a reliable sequence for capturing each dish—from hero to detail—so your team develops a consistent rhythm and visual standard across every shoot.
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![Outline graphic of a plate with a heart shape in the center, a fork on the left, and a knife on the right, all on a black background.]()
Balance and Bite
Plate With Intention: Arrange portions and garnishes to guide the eye while keeping the focus on your food. Thoughtful placement creates harmony between elements.
Learn More
Each workshop is designed to meet your team where they are. Whether you’re starting with creative direction or ready to refine your on-set styling, these sessions adapt to your space, goals, and experience level.
Prices will vary depending on how I tailor the content to multiple brands and creative workflows.
Contact me for a quote tailored to your team’s goals.
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A talk-style session for small restaurant or marketing teams looking to strengthen their in-house photography.
We’ll cover practical styling principles, composition basics, and visual storytelling techniques to help your team recognize what makes strong, on-brand imagery.1–4 people
Local only (Houston area)
No props, no styled shoot, no photographer
Spoken lecture with visual examples
Ideal for local restaurants, cafés, or marketing teams who want to start with the fundamentals before moving into hands-on training.
starting at $800
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A hands-on session for teams ready to apply styling principles in practice.
We’ll build a group styling exercise using provided props, with attendees capturing their own photos on iPhone or in-house cameras.Up to 8 people
3–4 hours
Props provided for styling exercises
No photographer; attendees document their own work
Ideal for restaurant or marketing teams ready to put styling principles into practice and build confidence creating their own on-brand images in-house.
starting at $1500
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A hands-on session with professional documentation.
Includes a photographer to capture behind-the-scenes moments and styled images created during the workshop, plus lightly edited photos delivered after the session.Up to 8 people
3–4 hours
Props provided
Professional photographer included
Lightly edited images delivered post-session
Ideal for teams who want professional documentation of styled sets and final imagery to use directly in web, social, and PR.
Note: I highly recommend this package for the full experience of your styling, enhanced by the beauty and precision of professional lighting. The photographer documents the results but does not teach lighting technique.
starting at $2000
Ready to strengthen your team’s visual storytelling? Reach out to discuss which workshop format is the best fit for your goals and schedule. Based in Houston, TX.
Most workshops focus on visual theory—balance, framing, and hierarchy as standalone principles. My approach builds on those foundations but brings them into the real world of hospitality and brand storytelling. Rather than studying composition in isolation, we apply it directly to restaurant imagery, considering how props, color, materials, and set design shape a guest’s perception. The result is a practical, brand-centered styling system that teams can repeat across web, social, and PR content to create a cohesive visual identity.
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Internal Deck Reference — $350
A customized PDF summarizing your team’s visual principles, composition rules, and styling examples from the workshop. A quick reference for future shoots and onboarding new team members.
Recording License — $1,000–$1,500
Permission to record or film the workshop for internal training use only.
Ideal for teams who want to revisit the material later or share highlights with new staff.
Prop Purchases — at cost + 10% sourcing fee
If additional props are needed for the workshop, they’ll be purchased in advance and billed at cost plus a 10% sourcing fee. All items are yours to keep, with receipts provided.
Travel — at cost
For workshops outside the Houston area, travel, lodging, and transportation are billed at cost. Mileage follows current IRS reimbursement rates. -
For teams who want deeper reference materials, documentation, or on-site customization, these add-ons can be added to any workshop format.
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These workshops are focused on creative direction and styling principles, not technical production.
They do not include:Lighting setup or photography instruction
Camera settings or editing tutorials
Technical food styling techniques (such as preparing or manipulating food for close-up advertising work)
The emphasis is on composition, prop selection, color, and brand alignment — the visual storytelling that connects your imagery to your brand.
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Hosted in your brand’s studio, workspace, or on-site at your restaurant.
We work with your existing props, surfaces, and menu items prepared by your team, with additional pieces brought in as needed to complement your collection.
The Styled Table Workshop
Case Study
Goode Co. Prop Styling Workshop
The image the team styled based on our Tex Mex food styling exercise
A hands-on workshop that gives your team the tools, workflow, and confidence to create on-brand, appetite-driven images in-house
In one morning, I trained a six-person restaurant marketing team on the essentials of styling for brand storytelling. After a concise talk on composition, color, scale, negative space, and telegraphic cues, we ran a guided hands-on styling exercise to build two flat-lay sets inspired by Tex-Mex and Texas comfort. Working in their space with their props, as well as some I provided, the team produced on-brand images for social and email, built a shared styling vocabulary, and left with a repeatable workflow, mood boards, and a quick-reference deck. Result: faster shoots, stronger appetite appeal, and more consistent visuals across channels.
My workshops focus on trend-driven aesthetics, prop selection, set design, and creating beautiful, brand-aligned imagery to help you refine your own styling voice.
