With natural light food photography, we want to mimic this effect. You may not know what your environment will be like, and it’s important to be prepared for any given scenario (especially when working with a client). For educational purposes, I’m going to work this image using the same strobe light with three different modifiers: bare bulb, shoot-through umbrella, and a large softbox. In fact, when compared to the natural light setup, the light is actually a bit. TIP: If you’re considering photographing food with a strobe light, be sure to get a very low-powered unit. In the photo above you can see our favorite daylight set-up. The umbrella soft light photography set is very light and comes with a storage bag. Backlighting is when you position your light behind the food. 'RealVideo.RealVideo(tm) ActiveX Control (32-bit)', HELP: Food Photography Lighting Setup for a Beginner. I wanted a bright scene with a lot of contrast and sharp highlights. However, in most cases, you should avoid shooting in bright sun as it can cause exposure problems and cast harsh shadows on your subject. The key is to make your light as big as possible by using very large diffusors, which can be done with any light, anywhere, at any time of day. When you shoot earlier in the day, the light will be “cooler” and have a value more towards blue. It’s also a quick way to soften the light and minimize the harsh shadows in your scene. It can be difficult to light your set evenly with this light direction. When this is achieved, all the issues of natural light disappear. Another con (the most obvious) is that you’re limited to shooting in daylight hours—once the sun is set, your light is gone. If possible, I recommend lighting your food scenes from your left. You can also select your interests for free access to our premium training: As a professional food photographer, I shoot with artificial lights most of the time. Food photographers, professionals and amateurs alike, know that natural lighting is among the best tools to take drool-worthy photos.However, there’s a time and a place to use natural lighting, and times when you won’t want to. Daylight can be a bit difficult to work with, but is also the most flattering type of light in food photography. In the Western world we read from left to right. Layers Magazine is published by KelbyOne — the online educational community for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Photography. This shot above was taken at 7pm with one light. Launched in 2005, Layers Magazine is one of the web’s premier destinations for photographers, filmmakers, designers, and other artists who are interested in how new creative tools and techniques are being used in the industry today. The important thing to remember is that they both behave very differently, which requires an individual approach. Basic light set ups can be used for food photography. As you can see, it’s possible to re-create beautiful, soft window light using off-camera strobes—and you don’t even have to use a strobe. Resist the urge to use your on-camera or, even worse, your phone’s flash. A couple of lights, placed so as to illuminate evenly, but still provide some modelling for texture and … The next time you shoot that chocolate cake or bowl of raspberries, take your time and play around with the distance to your window. I use them either to reflect the light or in case of the black, to create more shadows and contrast. Just make sure you bounce some of that light into the front or your subject with reflectors. There’s also a little bit more shine in the tomatoes than I’d like to see. In this article, I’ll walk you through four different lighting setups using both sunlight and strobes to show you that it’s possible to create a natural light look with artificial lights. My apartment has a large North-facing window and the light coming in is always gorgeous, even on cloudy days (which is a good thing considering I live in Seattle). Plus it’s free, fairly reliable, easy to work with, and if you’re lucky enough to have a window with diffused light coming in to your home or studio, then you have the perfect setup for food photography. Fill light refers to the amount of light that is bounced back onto your subject. Therefore, our eyes will naturally enter the brightest part of the image–the part we are naturally most drawn to. When the weather is warm, you could try photographing your food outside. But understanding light and how it works is the foundation of creating great images. The next setup is using a shoot-through umbrella. The great thing about this is that the equipment used is very inexpensive, and you could even replace the diffuser I used with any type of sheer fabric, such as a DIY version from materials found at a craft store. Therefore, you need an artificial light source, such as strobe lights, to enhance or recreate natural lighting effects. In this video, I show you how to use different lighting setups to get beautiful and professional looking photos of your food. A softbox acts in much the same way. You may not know what your environment will be like, and it’s important to be prepared for any given scenario (especially when working with a client). Some of my shots here are using natural window light and others using speedlites in a softbox. The last setup is with the largest modifier I have: a 30×60″ rectangular softbox. TIP: Make sure when using off-camera lights to keep the light as close to your setup as possible; the closer the light is to your subject the softer the light will be. Regardless of whether you use studio lights or speedlights, make sure you’re using a softbox or other diffusion material large enough to give you a nice spread of light. 'rmocx.RealPlayer G2 Control.1', In photography, we apply the principle of inverse square law to our lighting. This brings out the depth and dimension of your food, and can add a pleasing rim light to some items. Hard light sources like this 500w halogen work lamp, shining through large diffused material, create stunning natural looking light for your food photography. It´s incredible easy to install, all you have to do is place the Light Bulb socket on the light stand and screw in the bulbs. I often use small cosmetic mirrors placed out of frame to bounce a concentrated part of light on a specific part of my food. I have met many food photographers who swear by natural lighting. Nope the sky above just wants to pour rain and gloom down on to my dreams of photography bliss. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a fancy light kit either. Assessing light and figuring out how to use it in food photography is a process that involves exploring and discovering. However, if you are shooting indoors by a window, as most of us food photographers do when working with natural light, then the source of your light is not actually the sun but the window. It's best to photograph your dishes in diffused natural light. The key element to creating tantalizing food images is the lighting setup. Mathematics aside, inverse square law basically means that the intensity of a light source will decrease as you move the light away from your subject. It can change its color, quality, and strength, which will drive you nuts, but can also create beautiful effects and happy accidents. 'RealPlayer.RealPlayer(tm) ActiveX Control (32-bit)', This creates a natural look with one set of shadows. 'RealVideo.RealVideo(tm) ActiveX Control (32-bit)', … There are so many variables that come into play. 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