Food Styling and Photography For Dummies

you’re not using natural lighting, close any curtains or blinds, which can let outside light in, to help reduce reflection. You can also use a scrim — a large panel of translucent material that acts as a light diffuser — and place it between your food and the window.

You can open up cloth napkins and use them as a background, as I mention in Chapter 3, or you can use them in a more traditional way as a prop for a food shot.

Vary the size. Varying the size of your accents is always a good idea because you want to avoid the look of sameness. Each accent should have its own unique look.

Buy a small (less than 6 ounces) empty spray bottle at your local drugstore. You can use plain water, or you can mix it with a bit of glycerin to provide staying power under the lights. If you decide to use glycerin, create a mixture of 1⁄3 part glycerin to 2⁄3 parts water. Use the spray sparingly on the front part of your subject. Be sure to not go overboard and drench the produce in water drops.

Another great way to add character to a photo is to add small, inexpensive, everyday items. Careful scouring at a neighborhood garage sale yielded the retro red melon baller in Figure 1-7.