As a Food Photographer I'm constantly looking for new ways of arranging and lighting food to make it look even more delicious.
One of my major goals is to make lighting as simple and fast as possible. It is not that I don't have all that fancy studio lighting gear, it's simply that I don't want to use it all the time. It's a hassle to set up, it takes up a lot of space and in a way it's taking away from the food itself due to the constant need to improve the lighting setup and correct settings etc.
That's why I want to make my lighting as simple as possible, using everyday objects to help shape the light and make as much as possible using daylight or constant light sources like LED Panels for Videography.
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Straight down Tabletop-Images are simple yet visually appealing. Go for an evenly lit Setup with Light from one side and a large white Bouncer from the other side.
Another Top-Down Image with a shallow depth of field. This was shot underneath an attic window with no extra Bouncer or other Light Source. Just make sure it's bright!
A typical 35° Angle Shot. Lit with a 60x40cm Softbox and a little golden Bouncer made from golden Aluminum Foil. Dark Backgrounds work best for these kind of Setups.
You can use a simple Carboard Box to isolate your Subject from unwanted Lights! Poke Holes in the Side of the Box to let a single Light Beam enter the Scene and you'll get a dramatic sidelight!
Sometimes a simple Windows is enough. Enhance the Lighting with a little selfmade Bouncer made from golden aluminum foil. You only need to worry about the reflections in the glassware so make sure your surroundings are nice and tidy and not distracting in the glass.
Using Props with high Contrasts like dark backgrounds + green Asparagus makes shaping the Light even easier. Try to shut out as much light as possible using cardboards, leaving only some light for the asparagus itself.
A very airy setup with lots of light coming through my attic window. To highlight the front of the glasses I used a piece of styrofoam held by hand just underneath the lens.
Shallow depth of field is a great way to improve "lay flat" Food Photography. It gives the Image more depth. Lighting was an attic windows from the top and a white styrofoam bouncer from the front - that simple!
I love using small reflectors and bouncers. They're easily made out of styrofoam or cardboard and they often do the trick when your Image is just that little bit too dark on one side.
