Food Photography for Beginners: Embracing Natural Light

“Taking photographs with natural light means embracing the authentic imperfection of nature while appreciating the nuances that come with the passing of time.” This is the philosophy of Michael Gardenia, photographer and founder of Fusillo Lab, a studio specializing in food photography, content creation, events, and workshops.

In this online course, learn how to harness daylight to shoot a series of food-themed photographs alongside Michael. He teaches you how to adapt your camera settings and lenses to the type of light, create the perfect set for your shoot, and retouch your images to post them on social media or other platforms.
Explore the wonders of natural light and capture images with authentic flavor.

Begin the course by getting to know your teacher, Michael Gardenia, who tells you about his experience in the world of food photography along with his creative process. He also talks about how he approaches the use of light in his photos and what inspires his work.

Next, work up an appetite with an introduction to natural light. Discover its main characteristics, how it changes throughout the day, and how to work with it to find the right lighting for your photos. Once you’ve decided, learn which camera settings and lenses are best suited to that type of light.

Continue by choosing a delicious dish for the subject and study the light at your shoot location to help you determine the most favorable framing. Then put together your set and sprinkle in some props to enhance your composition.

Now it’s time to dig into the photoshoot! Take a series of photos at the same time of day and see different ways to manipulate the light coming in to create a range of moods and effects.

To wrap up the course, Michael teaches you how to retouch your images and export them to share on social media or other platforms as a tasty treat your audience can eat with their eyes.