I must admit I really like taking portraits more than food. But of course it's always best to be versatile when you're a photographer. At first I thought I could avoid doing food photography, but then it made me realize that I'm passing on so many opportunities. So I decided to practice at home and see how I can experiment with my lights.
I prefer shooting food using natural light, but I figured I can't always rely on that when I have assignments. So I used an umbrella and a soft box for some of these shots! Hopefully I get to do more experiments like these!
 |
| Note: I need to figure out how to avoid glares (or should I just photoshop them out?) |
 |
| Note: Avoid patterned table tops. I get so OC about them being symmetrical! |
So there we have it! I positioned the soft box a little on the right side behind the food and the umbrella on the left in front of the food (beside me). I can't wait to experiment on different lighting techniques! I hope you found these helpful! Let me know if you got to try it!
I loooove food photos. <3
ReplyDeleteSad to say, reflective surfaces will always have glare in one form or another. :)) Natural light as your key light is always a good start, especially for food. Try positioning your workspace next to a window, but beware of harsh, direct sunlight because you'll get dark shadows (or you can cover the window with sheer material like parchment/vellum to diffuse the light). This can leave your other two lights for fill lights. Or you can also try reflectors, but you'll need extra hands or clamps to hold them up though.
One tip I learned for making pasta/noodles look pretty for a photo is that when you plate it, take a section with tongs/clean fingers and as you lower it onto the plate, turn the plate with your other hand so you get nice, neat swirls. Well, only if you want your pasta in nice, neat swirls, haha. :))
Nice composition & details, though. Sometimes using white dishes also makes the food stand out, especially if you have other elements on the table. :) Looking forward to your other experiments!
Food Guru! :) Thanks Les! I wish I had more light here in the kitchen, it just makes food shots prettier I think! Thanks for the tips! Appreciate it! :)
Deletewow, perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's a little bit of hit and miss but great way to learn about food lighting!
Delete