To a certain extent they are correct. See how to use a point-and-shoot camera, window light, white paper, and foam board reflectors to create product images like the professionals. With all the marketing directed at photographers, itâs very difficult to make an informed decision. Pull one of those out and use it for food photography. 1 large sheet of white poster board; tape (painterâs, Scotch, masking â any kind will do) 2 big pieces of white foam core board âbounce cardâ made with white paper or tinfoil (heck, even a large notepad works) a chair, table, or TV tray tall enough to reach ⦠The window is north facing and there are no buildings directly outside of it so it has bright indirect light for many hours throughout the day. All of the photos for this article were taken on this setup. Each strawberry image was taken with my 18-55mm lens at about f/4.5, 1/4 sec, ISO 100, and at a 35mm focal length. Photoshop is a tool, not a crutch. As you can see from the above setup photos, I shoot in front of a large window at the front of my house. It is your choice of camera angle that creates a sense of depth, perspective, and scale. Using a straw to gently blow away the dry ice vapor will get it out of your shot without melting the ice cream. The guide is for all levels going explaining the setup, lights, optional use of a drip mechanism and post. Businesses like restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, grocery stores and more thrive on the strength of their food photography. Being poor myself, I particularly appreciated the $15 Food Photography Lighting Setup. Sometimes if I want dark moody shadows I won’t reflect the light, or I’ll use a dark-shaded board to reflect, but often times I simply use a large white poster board held upright with basic clamps from Home Depot or if the subject is smaller, I’ll use a bi-fold poster board from Michael’s to reflect the light and avoid having any harsh or unflattering shadows. Don’t learn this one the hard way. All these photography food props will be presented in the photo as the background. That doesn’t mean, though, that the food’s first appearance in front of the camera has to be once it’s fully camera-ready. If you enjoy colourful food photography, using craft paper can be a great option. But, a few tools and proper lighting also help. Enough so that I tried it myself. Adam owns a production company that specializes in corporate marketing and brand strategy. Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: food photography, food photography advice, food photography tips, food stylist. Required fields are marked *. As you can see, the white poster erases any shadows and allows the strawberries to be bright and evenly lit. These options work great for me as I’m usually shooting in great conditions. With portraits, cars, and interior architecture, for example, we can keep adding more and more light until we have it shaped perfectly for our needs. It is also a fairly empty and spacious room. I need to improve my photography and found your post ideal to rely on. If only it were that easy I did use a regular point-and-shoot in the early years. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aa4c9de9a9f7042b9a9186b264083c47" );document.getElementById("e733365396").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Don't subscribe Have A Focal Point And Make An Artful Composition Improving your composition will really raise your food photography to the next level.. If you feel they need to be softened, or that some fill is necessary, use a bounce card. At least is was for me when I first started. So helpful! Sep 6, 2013 - Artificial Light Food Photography Tips from Wrightfood (including DIY suggestion for bounce umbrella) I’ll definitely be working on a post-processing article . An Ikea table, homemade wood boards, poster boards, sheets, and a big window make up the majority of my food photography setup. You can prepare a “rough draft” for purposes of composing and making sure that your camera and light settings are where you want them. Food Photography Courses & Tips for Food Photographers. Snoot (or DIY Snoot) A Scrim ��� (Or some tracing paper or an acrylic sheet) On-White The first lighting setup we will explore is a classic On-White Setup. As you can see below, the setup can be extremely basic. It works for most set-ups and is easy to use. We shot the hero food,, but I inadvertently blew out of the highlights on the top left edge of the stack. So there you have it. I kick myself for not trying out more of the windows in my house as soon as we moved in, each window can make such a huge difference in the quality of light. BIG TIME. It’s a large, diffused light source, and I have a bounce card mounted at the opposite end of the table with a Double-Headed Nasty Clamp. © 2020 Handle the Heat. ~ Wendi. Thanks! I basically used a combination of these three tutorials to create a dark wood board, a white board, and a distressed blue board. Thanks Paul! I will definitely be getting some more poster boards for reflections as I’ve only been using white or black but I love the hues from the blue and pink you showed. To show you just how well it works, he compares it to his professional $900 light. All rights reserved. Food Photography Setup â Post One Just recently I have got a few emails from people asking about the food photography setup that I use. The various photos with subtle differences are so helpful. Sometimes you have to shoot at night. Hereâs a quick [â¦] I still can’t get the photos to look as natural as yours. A simple lighting setup will create that perfect product DIY photography shoot. We want it as natural as possible. On a budget? We'll walk you through the entire process, and we're available if you have any questions along the way. I photographed in front of that window for a long time, basically until summer 2012. DIY Food Photography Studio. Just enter your email below You can source large pieces of craft paper or construction paper at your local craft supply store. With food photography, however, making the food the star is usually a matter of carefully selecting a single large, diffused light source. Knowing your audience and how the photo will be used is going to play a huge part in how you compose or crop your image. I have a problem with lighting usually as I normally cook and photograph in the evening when it is already dark. Offer is that you couldn ’ t stop there stability and precision are key in food photography definitely... Dunja Djudjic is a commercial/portrait photographer based in Scotland and photographs people the... Sometimes you ’ re talented and they know what they ’ re talented and they know what they ’ not. The outer edge of the most important elements of your food photos publish... 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