Side lighting is a good approach for a lot of your food photography. Our eyes gravitate towards the brightest part of an image, where the light enters the scene. I recommend placing your one light setup- on your left. This is when your light is coming from directly beside the food. And note the difference! How does each approach affect the final result? Many photographers use one or the other as part of their style. It’s a subtle difference but an important one.Īs an experiment, photograph your subject in soft and hard light the next time you shoot. For the image of the asparagus, I wanted to highlight the texture and structure of each stalk. I used soft light in the form of a large softbox. In the image of the pea shoots above, I wanted the light to glow on my surface and emphasize texture. This mimics natural light closely, as if the light is coming through a window. The diffusor becomes the light source, not my strobe. Whichever you choose, the light should be diffused to give you a nice blur where the light and dark meet.įor example, when I use a dish reflector with a honeycomb grid, I shoot it through an extra-large diffuser. A dish reflector will give you more contrast. As mentioned, a large softbox will give you soft light. Your choice of soft or hard light will determine which modifiers you use. Often, your subject will dictate the light you choose. The greater the contrast between light and dark, the more dramatic your image will be. Do you want the light to look soft and dimensional, or are you looking for striking contrast? White brightens your scene, while black absorbs the light.īefore you shoot, know what you want your final image to look like. You can also use simple black or white cardboard purchased from a craft or dollar store. A silver reflector, for example, brightens your food. It has foldable discs in various materials to use in your shoots. You can buy a professional 5-in-1 reflector kit. You also need some simple tools to bounce and absorb the light. This is rarely the desired look in food photography. It provides hard shadows if it’s not diffused. This is a panel of sheer white material that you place at the edge of your table to soften the light that hits your scene. I recommend a 20- or 30-degree grid.Īnother important item in your kit is a diffuser. This creates a beautiful contrast in food photos without looking too harsh. A honeycomb grid is placed on a reflector dish and is an accessory with a honeycomb pattern. Another good modifier I use constantly is a reflector dish with a honeycomb grid.Ī reflector dish is a standard modifier for a studio flash head. But you must sculpt and shape that light to create the dimension that best shows your food.Ī softbox is the most common light modifier for food and still life photography. Yes, you need to get enough light onto your set. Having an artificial light source is not enough. How Lighting Modifiers Can Improve Your Food Photography You must see how the shadows fall and what works to give you the results you’re trying to achieve. What varies is the distance to your table and the height of your light. Whether you’re using a constant light or a strobe light, you have the same choice in setting up your light. And clients such as PR or marketing agencies will expect it. When shooting professionally for clients, it’s best to work with strobes. It helps you to see what you’re doing while composing your shots. This is a constant light source that you can turn on to give you a small source of constant light. Most monolights come with a modeling lamp built into the strobe head. For advertising or product photography, you need a lot more power. You need a light with at least 300 watts of power for a food blog or editorial-style photography. Work With a Strobe Light for Professional ResultsĪ strobe light is more powerful than most constant lights. Once you have improved your skills, you can invest in a more expensive strobe light. If you’re interested in shooting a video for your blog or Instagram profile, you need a constant light. You can get a decent light at a relatively inexpensive price point. This is especially useful if you’re shooting tethered.Ĭonstant light can be a good choice for starting with food or still life photography. The advantage is that you can see exactly how the light and shadows fall onto your scene. It blankets your setup with a steady light source. Use Constant Light for Easy Food Photography LightingĪ constant light stays on.
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