Hi I wonder if anyone can help please. I'm meant to be taking some photos for a friend's catering business today and I just (stupidly) assumed there would be some nice natural light to use, a window at least. Turns out there isn't. I have a flash gun and I have a reflector but I was wondering what was best to do now there isn't any natural light? I'm nervous as it is as I don't normally do food photos. I have a low voltage halogen light desk light, but I'm thinking that wouldn't necessarily be very good. My other hope is that I can maybe have a little table set up near the door and go from there. Major panic now! Thank you for any advice.
@agima Thank you Brendan I think I can get that to work. Out of interest what colour reflector would you use (I have a 5-in-1 reflector). Hopefully I can get a practice before I go off to take the photos.
I would suggest white reflector for food, usually gold etc. are for skin tones. Try to keep your light white around food or you will affect its appeal - nobody enjoys a green cast over their chicken!
Silver will give you a harsh light
White will give you a soft even light
Gold will give you extra warmth
The other once will give you a warm light of something in between silver and gold.
I would use white as the light that comes off the is defused and a nicer quality.
If you have a 5-in-1, I assume it also works as a diffuser, in which case you can shoot the flash through the diffuser if you find it easier than bouncing off a wall/reflector.
Mick and Brendan thank you very very much for your advice and help, it was very useful and hopefully the photos are ok, I've been told by my friend that her husband was very happy with how it went. Now to get them off my camera and look on-screen. Big thank you's.
in a pinch you can paint by light...and all you need is a good natural light flashlight...the food stays perfectly still. :-) I shoot ALOT of my product stuff with painting by light. Bulb shutter setting...and you just have to get a feel for the time...and the AV setting...and turn the lights out :-)
As a professional food photographer and recent author of the book More Digital Food Photography I can recommend a simple technique if you only have one flash.
Food does not like front light it loves back and side-back light.
Take your flash, and two reflectors. Position the flash behind the set and splash the light from a 45 degree angle from either side at about 1 food over the surface.
Use the two bounce cards to redirect the backlight into the front.
The result will be better than you think.
Bill Brady Professional food photographer.
Thank you again for your help and advice, it really was useful and my friend and her husband are happy with the results. @katsamste@billbrady Thank you also for those tips, if I have to do this again I will be sure to remember them.
Glad it went well for you. I am also a food photographer and agree that back and side-back lighting is the best. Sometimes I use side window light to get streaming, morning type light effects, but almost always the light is from the back, diffused, and one or two (or more) reflectors in the front to bounce the light back on the food. If you have dark shadows on the front, try using small mirrors to direct light to specific places or to add sparkle to highlight details. Glad it went well and keep at it!!
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If you have the food as close to a white wall on the camera right you will get bounce off the wall to put light on the camera right of the subject
White will give you a soft even light
Gold will give you extra warmth
The other once will give you a warm light of something in between silver and gold.
I would use white as the light that comes off the is defused and a nicer quality.
@pizzaboy Green cast chicken... yum yum yum...
Mick and Brendan thank you very very much for your advice and help, it was very useful and hopefully the photos are ok, I've been told by my friend that her husband was very happy with how it went. Now to get them off my camera and look on-screen. Big thank you's.
Food does not like front light it loves back and side-back light.
Take your flash, and two reflectors. Position the flash behind the set and splash the light from a 45 degree angle from either side at about 1 food over the surface.
Use the two bounce cards to redirect the backlight into the front.
The result will be better than you think.
Bill Brady Professional food photographer.