Posting food photos is the in-thing on social media currently. However, to stand out from the crowd, you need to post high-quality photos because everybody wants perfect photos. Light plays a major role in bringing out the best shots. If the lighting is wrong, your food photos will look messy and unappealing. You should get the lighting right especially in Los Angeles where photographers get less hours of shooting during winter. But the results that you get in LA food photography boils down to the tools that you use and your shooting decisions. Make the right shooting decisions with the following amazing 5 lighting tricks.
Seek The Light Out
Most photographers take their food photos in the kitchen or the dining room. This is because the two areas are deemed to be the most natural places but it does not mean they have the best lighting. Find the place with the best lighting by taking random shots around the house. The best light (indirect light) will avoid harsh shadows from your photograph.
Shape Highlights and Shadows
If you want to illuminate your subjects, directional light is the best. Avoid areas that might not be getting either too little or too much light as they will spoil your photo. You can cut down the light with dark cards or bounce it using reflectors. This will make a big difference in the shape of the object.
Using a Reflector
A reflector is a basic photography tool that every commercial food photographer LA should own. It can either be a professional reflector or even a white piece of paper. Reflectors subtract, reflect and diffuse light to help sculpt the image that you want. Note that the reflectors should directly face the light. Place the reflector between your table and the window. If you are shooting outside, you can use a white sheet or white tent.
Neutral Background
Backgrounds vary depending on the choice of subject. The choice of background will help you choose whether the light should be soft and dimensional or striking contrast. A background can be of a table napkin, clip board, wooden cover etc.
Fall off
A fall off should be incorporated as it transitions light to dark on a particular surface. It’s necessary to apply it to your background .It darkens the background creating a sense of depth and adding some temperature to the shot.
The quality of your food photos will depend on your lighting. If you make good use of the lighting tricks discussed above, there is no doubt that you will take the most attractive still food photographs.