Digital Photographer - UK (2020-05)

Replicatewindowlightwithflash

whenthenaturallightfadesaway

Work with flash

8

Thenaturallightofdayfadesintheafternoon.

Usinga flashgunwitha largesoftboxattached

isa greatwayofreplicatingthewindow-light

look,forconsistentandbrightlightingand

tokeepshootingforlonger.Flashalsohas

theaddedbenefitofreducingthechanceof

camerashakeappearinginimages,asthe

lightfromtheflashwillfreezeyoursubject.

Asa generalrule,yourlightwilllookmost

flatteringwhenthelightsourceispositioned

ata 45-degreeangleaboveyoursubject.You

canmovelightstandsarounda tabletopto

lightfoodfromthedirectionyouwant;coming

infromthesideorbehindisusuallyeffective.

Besuretotakeplentyoftestshots.If the

imageistoobright,you’llneedtodecrease

theflashpowerorclosetheaperturedown;if

it’stoodark,increasetheflashpower.

Youcanreplicatea windowlighting

setupwitha flashgunanda large

softbox.Thebiggerthesoftboxis,the

better:thiswillrecreatethesoftone-

directionallightingcomingthrougha

windowonanovercastday.Setupyour

foodona tablesothatyourcamera

ispointingstraighttowardsit,then

positiontheflashgunwithattached

softboxona lightstand– eitherto

thesidetosidelightthedish,behind

it tobacklightit,orat 45 degreesfor

somethinginbetween.Raisethelight

standsothatit’squitetallandangleit

downby 45 degreestolightyourplate.

llaasshh ingg

Reeplpliccaatewindow illumination

Faking naturallight
A simplesetupusingone
flashgunwasenoughto
illuminatethisdesserteffectively.
The spreadoflightwasmadeless
harsh withtheuseofa softbox
© Dan Mold

©Dan

Mold

2

SoftenthelightBareflashlooksharsh,

sousea largesoftboxtoreplicatethe

feelofwindowlight:thiswillspreadoutthe

flashlightandmakeshadowsappearsofter.

Dedicatedflashheadsareidealforfoodshots,

astheyhavea built-inmodellinglight.

3

CamerasettingsGointoManualmode

anddialinthelowestnativeISOvalue,a

shutterspeedof1/200secandyourdesired

aperture,usuallyaroundf/3.5.It’sworth

switchingoffthelightsandworkingina dark

roomsothatonlytheflashispickedup.

Master flashlighting Createanartificiallightingsetupin threesteps

1

SetupflashgunMountyourspeedlight

ona lightstandandextendit sothatit’s

pointingdownatthefoodata 45-degree

angle.Puta radiotriggerontheflashgunfor

remotecontrol,attachtheflashguntothelight

standandbeginwiththeflashpowerat1/16th.

CAMERA+

FOOD TA

PHOTOGRAPHER

ABLE

SOFTBOX

LIGHT

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY