Shooting in natural light is a great technique to achieve moody food photography. It’s also popular and cost-effective since you don’t need to use a lot of lighting equipment. However, it may not be easily accessible in the spot where you’re shooting. Fortunately, you can replicate the beautiful effect of this light in the studio. It may be challenging, but it’s doable using minimal equipment and a good understanding of the qualities of natural light.
In the quick video above by Brandon of Figandlight, he gives us some tips on how to replicate “soft sunlight” using artificial lighting. He chose this because it’s one of the most common “types” of natural light we see everyday. He also describes it as a point light source with an ambient fill light that balances the overall contrast. Taking all of that into the studio, he used a flash, a lightbox, a DIY gobo and a white foam board as a reflector. The results are absolutely gorgeous and pretty convincing! This hack will definitely come in handy for both personal and professional projects when actual natural light isn’t available to you for some reason.
Have you tried other DIY natural light hacks for your food photography? Do share them with us in the comments below, or in the Photofocus Community group discussions!