4 Tips to get perfect lighting for home food photography
Decide on the kind of lighting you wish to get
It is super hard to get the perfect lighting in the first try if you’re using artificial light sources. It is always more convenient to set up your light if you have a rough idea on hoe you want the output to look. Try using backlight for creating a mild shine on top of the food that you wish to click. Side light is a solid advantage and is a perfect all-rounder option to have up your sleeve in case you run out of ideas.
Artificial lighting demands props
Let’s say you’re placing your dish next to the window for natural source of light. Make sure you have your reflectors ready in such cases to make sure the light is not pointed on just one side of the food. If you intend to tweak your light to make one side of the dish look brighter than the other, get your props ready. In such cases you can use pillows, curtains or even cardboard cutouts to get the expected lighting setup.
Make sure to convey the story of the food
If you’re going for a breakfast item, make sure the lighting setup is done in such a way that it looks like it was shot in the morning. This way the time of consumption of the food is hinted through the picture’s mood setup. You can diversify your options according to the natural light changing throughout the day from time to time or even season to season.
Let’s make it professional
If you’re looking for a formal or more professional look rather than moody or aesthetic look, strobe light is the key for it. With some experimenting you can also figure out how to play with shadows!