Natural light or artificial light? It's one of the biggest questions I get asked, and it's also one of the most misunderstood. Both can produce stunning food photographs. The difference isn't the type of light you use. It's what you do with it. Natural Light Natural light is exactly what it says on the tin. The light coming through your window from the sun. As the sun moves throughout the day, the direction, colour and intensity of that light changes, along with the shadows it creates....

Lighting is the language of photography. In food photography, light creates the mood, reveals texture and ultimately decides whether a dish looks mouth-watering or unappealing. Learning how to control light is probably the single most important skill you’ll develop as a food photographer. When I first started photographing food, I thought, “How hard can this be? I’ve been a portrait photographer for 15 years.” Well… as it turned out, food photography was completely different. Learning to...

The 8 things I look at when critiquing every food photograph There isn’t one thing that makes a food photograph look professional. It’s hundreds of small decisions that all work together. Lighting, composition, focus, colour, food styling, set styling, commercial appeal and editorial feel all play their part. Miss one or two of those elements and your image can feel a little amateurish, even if you’ve cooked a beautiful meal and own a great camera. Every week I critique food photographs from...