#53 - Backlight: When to use & avoid it in food photography

My Food Lens

Ever been stuck during a photoshoot?

You know something is not working, but can’t put your finger on it.

Well, more than 90% of the time, it is the same darn reason that gets us stuck.

It is the troublemaker but also the knight in shining armor.

Which means, it is the devil but can be the hero - depending on how we deal with it.

You know what I'm talking about - That one reason that gets us stuck, is light.

90% of the time we get stuck because the light does not work as magically as we want it to. And instead of focussing on it, we start replacing the props, backdrops, the composition and totally underestimate that all it might actually need is just a slight tweaking of the light.

But to tweak the light, we need to have an understanding of light.

Lighting in food photography is different from portrait, product, landscape and even architectural photography.

That’s why, in this week’s episode I'm sharing with you one of the most powerful lighting techniques in food photography - Backlight.

Unlike other lighting directions, backlight is a tad bit tricky. I call it Mr. Hyde. …. Because it can be evil and vicious but it can also skyrocket our photo from good to Wow… as long as we can use it to our advantage.

In this episode I’m sharing how to read backlight, when to use and when to avoid it ….so that you can not only create backlight but also quickly identify the problem if you get stuck.

Having a grip on lighting in food photography not only helps to save time during a photoshoot but also propels our skills forward.

Knowing different lighting techniques enables us to tap into the power of each light type and use it in a way that works perfectly for the mood and food we are working with.

Back light is one of the most powerful lights to work with but it needs to be understood, adjusted and sometimes even tamed.

It is aptly fitted for the title of “troublemaker” but also “knight in shining armor” – depending on how well we can work with it.

Don’t be at the mercy of the light available to you. Work with backlight like a Pro and take your photography to the next level.

​Read more at https://myfoodlens.com

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Show notes available at https://myfoodlens.com/53-backlight-when-to-use-avoid-it-in-food-photography/