Chapter 7. The Recipe for Light

In photography, the importance of lighting cannot be understated. Just as "location, location, location" is the key to real estate, good lighting is essential to any great food photograph. Lighting is the most essential variable that the photographer controls, after all the other professionals and artists have gotten the food and set ready to be captured. Understanding and using lighting is crucial to bring out the best in your subject. Light in its many varieties and moods is, after all, what we as photographers strive to capture. Simply changing the angle of the light can alter its quality and character.

Tip

Every object reflects light just as a mirror does: The angle of incidence at which light strikes an object is the same as the angle at which the light is reflected. Keeping this in mind is particularly helpful when shooting shiny objects such as glass, silver, and china.