How I use Continuous Lighting for Food Photography | Behind the Scenes

This is the third and final video in this series where I explore continuous lighting for food photography and in this video, I take you behind the scenes of how I shoot food photography using a constant light.
UPDATE 9/16/2020: As for the comparison between the picture lit with the godox and the one lit with the fluorescent bulb, I do realize it was unfair to compare them without properly adjusting the white balance on the second photo. Therefore, I'm not claiming for it to be an accurate representation of light quality coming out of both sets of lights. I apologize if it was misleading in any way.
Other than that, I hope this BTS helps!
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Tools highlighted in this video:
Rosco Diffusion Material - (Amazon) geni.us/Bqjkb
Godox Sl-60W - (Amazon) geni.us/65lq
Preferred c-stand for the value: (Amazon) geni.us/xBJOFBR
ADAPTER USED TO MOUNT CAMERA TO C-STAND
(Amazon) geni.us/mounta...
MY MAIN TOOLS:
Main camera: (Amazon) geni.us/iC8ze
All around lens for my videos: (Amazon) geni.us/hSE2vR
My favorite lens for food photography: (Amazon) geni.us/V8deG
The tripod I use and recommend: (Amazon) geni.us/KYUiWBR
My choice speedlight: (Amazon) geni.us/gJ4NE
Profoto Air Remote for Canon: (Amazon) geni.us/8AysuMI
Best budget speedlight: (Amazon) geni.us/iaHoEU
Stripbox with grid: (Amazon) geni.us/6UqJFU
MagBox: (Amazon) geni.us/sf9cAcN
Godox Softbox: (Amazon) geni.us/BvXUH
My Main Video Light: (Amazon) geni.us/6hMf
Bracket to mount speedlights: (Amazon) geni.us/qF1Yl
Favorite brand C-stands: (Amazon) geni.us/cWFOQLz
Adapter to mount camera to c-stand: (Amazon) geni.us/rojAA
Negative Fill Foam Boards: (Amazon) geni.us/BDTVKZ
White Foam Boards: (Amazon) geni.us/uLZMO8
Clamps: (Amazon) geni.us/fffzi
More clamps: (Amazon) geni.us/SWhoVd
Music I use for KZbin videos: bit.ly/2TEza2Y

[@nomoralsnolife]

Oh my word!! this IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. NOOO TALKING, GET TO THE POINT, SHORT AND CLEAR AND again..NOOO TALKING tutorial for a beginner like me.. Man the amount of unnecessary (self conversation) some youtubers give is TO MUCH. THANK YOU!!!

[@drewrobertson6286]

Sugar Sweet, too

[@dj_ramo]

100% Agree

[@cee941]

OMG I AGREE WITH THIS!!!! I have skipped a lot of vids bc they talk so muuuch unnecessary content 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ best content is right here!!!

[@clairerandall9715]

Completely agree 👍

[@NatashaHerbert]

The fact there was no music, only the sound effects which made it so engaging. Wow, great tutorial!

[@JakeHGuy]

I really appreciate the way this was edited for a tutorial: show, don't tell.

[@smortonmedia]

I felt the same way, the fact that so much is being told here simply by showing... it's only an 8 minute video and half of it is silent. I learned more from this than I have from 30 minute videos that are non-stop talking. I greatly appreciate this!

[@liannaquilong3802]

Literally. And I love it as well

[@abushet1265]

The way he’s showing is very telling though 😂

[@madfinntech]

Exactly, too many "tutorials" are just talking heads, and maybe two seconds of b-roll of the thing where they used four times more expensive gear than their tutorial was about.

[@danielap3012]

Does someone know what tethering program he uses? 😢

[@AlexMercadoGo]

KZbin needs more slow tutorials like this.

[@captainWiggum]

I hardly ever comment on videos but this guy deserves it. Gave us a total, full, detailed view on how to set up the lighting, placement, aperture and get color accuracy. 1000/10 presentation man

[@tex1622]

Not only do I love the simplicity of this tutorial, but those satisfying clicky sounds of the camera and lenses at the beginning just do it for me. The audio is bloody musical.

[@dhp.studioss]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXLk5qtl7uDi6s

[@bluefilmsltd]

The first 4 and a half mins of this was genuinely excellent stuff. Filmmaker level. No talking, pure action. Loved it and I loved how you sustained that for quite a long time. I'd have liked to have seen you go all the way with it.

[@yummyforadam7485]

Agree and it was actually helpful too, I was like "oh that's how you set that up"

[@figandlight]

Noted! Thank you for the feedback. Definitely planning more of these types of vids in the future.

[@NiomiBlossom]

This video saved my life, I can actually follow through. The simplicity is so neglected sometimes on youtube. Subscribed

[@figandlight]

Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful!

[@lizziebutdiff698]

Now this is a proper tutorial, no dude talking about himself no silly music just straight to the tutorial, show first then tell after.

[@felixkhu9747]

I love the whole ASMR vibes..HAHA sounds so chill

[@figandlight]

haha thanks Felix!

[@lawrenceperalta8469]

@@figandlight what do you use for audio bro?

[@halahala7948]

lawrence peralta I was going to ask the same question 👍🏻👍🏻

[@thenameischerryyy]

Did you use mic on this video? The sound was so clear and powerful. ASMR ♥️

[@susanangelika]

Yeap, it's so relaxing!! 😁

[@omniaa7585]

This is so helpful thank you! I work full time and live in a really cloudy area, meaning that I can’t rely on natural light and prefer to shoot at night. I just started my food photography hobby and was looking for something affordable. This looks promising. Thanks again for your advice!

[@figandlight]

Absolutely! This light is a great option for the price. Thanks for watching, Omnia!

[@bhanukaran]

I was contemplating between Continuous lights and was not able to decide, but since there is a clear used case from his side, i now get clarity why they are worth having it. However, i have now just ordered an SL100D and did not opt for SL100BI. I only wanted to build my photography kit and this video gave a clear peace of mind and utmost clarity. Thank you.

[@nawarx9]

The way you recorded all your steps from start to finish is really helpful especially for us beginners.. thank you so much 👌🏻👌🏻

[@iventure12]

I'm just wondering what app you are using to auto white balance?

[@circleofattention6021]

The best way to teach is to show. Thanks for that. No cheesy music or intro or After effects tricks. Just plain and great instructions. You just got a new sub!

[@IsaacMaganaMusic]

What's missing for me, is the comparison AFTER changing the white balance of the last photo.

[@howtobecomeamillionaire]

Tsiamo Nkatane It was an honest mistake. Not everything is a big conspiracy. Unless, you can show me how he’s benefiting from you buying a random studio light?

[@chrxme]

@@tsiamonkatane6344 Lol at you not understanding what amazon affiliates is. How about all the other products in the description from Amazon (which he didn't even mention in the video). What's the conspiracy behind that?

[@suitch]

Why wouldn't you have rebalanced the white for the new light? White balance is all about the color temperature, so the different light should have a different white balance setting, right? (I am new to this, so I am expecting you to have a good explanation)

[@tothbotond5927]

Video lights may be better, but the same brightness costs a few times more compared to a flash. Also, continous lighting can make for example the model's eyes tired of the constant bright lighting. Also it warms up the air fast. As I am quite a beginner in working with a studio, I am staying with strobe lighting for some time. Thank you for the tutorial. It was clear and informative! Keep it up!

[@ajitashrivastava6349]

This is so informative. I see people rant over the video on and on and on and there is no specific information if creating video. This is one of the great gem on KZbin. Love love it. Thanks a lot. ❤️

[@stephaniescagliotti8591]

Wow. By far one of the best tutorials I’ve seen. I get easily distracted by tutorials and all the background noise that I can never watch more than a minute or I feel more confused or frustrated than before watching. Thanks for this!

[@figandlight]

Thank you Stephanie, I appreciate that! 🙏

[@danielleeeee.c]

This is like a "mukbang" tutorial, only the sounds of all those equipment but so informative. It's amazing. You know he is professional and knows what he is doing by simply noticing how this video is edited.

[@arrymochtar4107]

I hope you can make everything videos about lighting. I love your video. So helpful for beginner like me

[@almondbutterumyum]

Thank you for this video. No gimmicky persona, no 2-minute intro with music, and you actually compared light sources in a way I needed!

[@figandlight]

Thanks Nick! Appreciate the feedback 👊

[@landesnorm]

figandlight, Nice succinct video on food photography which starts from the basics and shows the value of a clean, uncluttered set. As a former photog's assistant to a food photog and commercial photog, I find that everything you address has good foundational value. However, a few observations I feel are necessary. First, zeroing out color--checking the color balance--I would do before I introduce the food. This is because food has a limited time when it looks "fresh," and every second counts. Looking at the color profile of the lights is also very important, and I agree. If possible, when using multiple lights, use lights from the same manufacturer. As far as using non-photographic lights, be very careful. Fluorescent lights put out heaps of green light, common incandescent light bulbs may put out too much red light, and some lights may emit a lot of UV light. All of these influence the color of the food, and in food photography color is very important. Peaches can turn slightly green; rice or noodles can have a slight cyan or magenta cast; and clients will complain. Moreover, post-production cannot always correct the color problems. We used to call them "color crossovers," and this is most easily seen in highlights and lighter colors. For example, when this problem occurs and is seen as a color cast in the highlights/lighter colors--often cyan or magenta--trying to correct it becomes difficult if not impossible. This is because in trying to correct the color cast, i.e. a cyan cast which would require adding magenta, the highlights would approach color neutrality, but suddenly lose the cyan and acquire a magenta cast--"a crossover." Zeroing out the color cast was impossible, and the colors in the image would often have a muddy look that could not be eliminated. Lastly, noting the difference between the physical attributes of light from varying light sources--for example, fluorescent, tungsten halogen, xenon tubes, hmi lights, etc., each of their reflectors, and diffusion materials--requires a whole series of videos. Oh yeah, I also noticed that you used the Mac computer as a matte-silver fill card. Was that intentional or just good luck? All in all, I applaud your work.

[@luanmaia]

People in video are doing this for years now. Great tutorial. thanks for sharing!

[@SethsProject]

When you started showing the shots after everything was setup.... All i could say was beautiful lol Incredible shots!

[@dhp.studioss]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXLk5qtl7uDi6s

[@curry2131]

The most luxurious instant noodle I've ever seen. You can simply charge $50 for a bowl of that simply because of the photography!

[@manbehindcamera9003]

Never seen this kind of crazy video in my entire life love from India 🇮🇳

[@void911]

Awesome , today i learned how important cri is . Investing in a better light source is definitely worth it . Thanks !

[@justpixelating]

CAN'T STOP BINGE WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS

[@amandaluu23]

It's extremely helpful just watching someone set up and play with different lighting. Simple and straightforward video. This content deserves way more followers. Thanks for sharing and hope you keep making content.

[@figandlight]

Thanks Amanda!

[@TheCookieJar925]

ASMR photographer gives you a tutorial .... here for it 🙌🏽

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Great video! You are so calming to watch!

[@figandlight]

Thanks Scott! Really appreciate that 🙏

[@Motionphile]

this is oddly satisfying. all the ambients and noises with silence, finally the tutorial concluded it all 🙌

[@Curse_of_the_moon]

The first few minutes felt like a performance art piece

[@theestategalleryllctegauct3901]

You could also set a custom white balance for the particular light situation in any product shoot. That would render close to the accuracy of a 90-92+ CRI I am a product photographer for a busy auction company shooting 5000 - 6000 product photos every 1 to 1 1/2 weeks so we have very little time for post production work except for very high value merchandise where we focus stack and color correct. Using custom white balance will significantly reduce time spent in post with color toning.

[@bringceremony]

Photography student here, it's really satisfying watching your videos and learning more.

[@dhp.studioss]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXLk5qtl7uDi6s

[@PCcardboard1354]

not a word was spake in the beginning. this video is beautiful...

[@wojciechszuster6528]

I love the calm vibe of this video.

[@andytrace]

Finally someone who realises music during tutorials just gets in the way! Thank you, this earned you a sub :D

[@brandonblue5190]

Had to watch this video with the sound off and it’s still a winner. Really appreciated how you built up the scene in real time in a real world way rather than having everything setup already. And again, thanks for the captions since my sound was off. Great job Thank you.

[@zeddproduction]

That video was so silent that i got into this, thanks for reaching and inspiring us ❤️

[@chak_dz6961]

Did he just did a 4 mintues wordless intro ??? Real creative and simple 🔥❤️

[@raracake1]

I love that you didn't say anything and showed the process of everything at a good pace. Many youtubers take much time speaking and the viewers finish the video still confused, you sir are perfect. I'm subscribing .

[@nickart6631]

Wow! I can't even say how much enjoyed watching this video. I'm a Munich (Germany) based Photographer & Filmmaker, 18 years old & I'm currently working on doing this as my full-time self-employed job. I was just researching for informations about the godox sl-60w, when I came across this tutorial. I absolutely love this slow Tutorial and it pushed me to work even harder! Great work :)

[@djameloveskyFILMS]

nothing to add ..... FANTASTIC

[@NrHrh]

Thank you so much, I really love the asmr video and very straight to the point without wasting time. Also love the differences of photos you take and very detailed explanation 👍👍👍

[@rockjano]

Yes (as a product photographer) today's LED light are quite good for product photography, only thing is that you have to put the camera on a stand because shutterspeed will be long. And you have to have a darker room (could be a problem summer time). You have to have the same kind of LED because the color of the light can be a bit different between different bnrands.

[@icedberrymint]

this was actually very informative and helpful for me who's considering to buy a continuous light. your video is straight to the point and I enjoyed watching the whole 8:28 minutes video. thanks for this!

[@figandlight]

That's awesome, thank you for watching and I'm glad it was helpful!

[@misterwhyte]

Thanks so much man! I was going crazy watching all these videos talking for 15 minutes for maybe 2 minutes of useful info (if any!). Straight to the point is how I like it. Will definitely check out more of your content.

[@qnalsk]

this video is the best. not just that i got the functionality of the vid, but with extra super cool aesthetic

[@ninoydayritvideoworks]

i remember watching this exact video some years ago. probably last year hehe. and i remember because of the shoes!

[@abdullahraslan6301]

I honestly clicked the subscribe button as soon as I realized that he wasn't talking... thank you

[@jocasvia]

I love how this guy explain with every detail .

[@Chalito5]

I appreciate the entire vibe of this video.

[@jimjimgl3]

Nice and simple and functional and small set up. Three Tips. If you position the A clamp towards the very end of the diffusion roll and more at an angle with the roll it won't spin because the end of the clamp hits the c-stand knuckle. Another thing to try if you like soft light is to cut a small piece of diffusion and tape to the reflector which will give you a soft source before it hits the diffusion panel. For more contrast you can place a black board above your camera if you like contrast.

[@pragya744able]

This is the first time I have seen you video and I must tell you, you are just perfect person I was looking the entire time. It was so good with no extra drama. Thanks 😊

[@TheMchef]

So refreshing to see this chill style as opposed to those fake overly enthusiastic photographers.

[@baoturnquist463]

This video had no business being as relaxing and enjoyable as it was!!! More videos like this please!! So good!!!

[@dhp.studioss]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXLk5qtl7uDi6s

[@nellyc2218]

Great tutorial! The way it is edited is beautiful. It is simple and very informative. Thank you for sharing great quality tutorials!

[@Bong_jpg]

This is what I need, you have no idea how much this helps

[@qiujin4548]

This is the first channel I found that is dedicated to lighting, like a little treasure, thanks for sharing your valuable experience, subscribed!

[@figandlight]

Thank you so much!

[@awelliwika]

It was very interesting and visual! I don’t know anything about the light, except that it’s difficult) I will be happy to watch new videos.

[@charlieross-BRM]

I like the way you kept the instructions narrowed down to one task instead of diverging to more topics. I also liked seeing the Godox SL60W in use since that is my first and only continuous light. Not very many (none) of the other tutorials for stills I have found use anything in that budget category. Mostly I'll be using mine for video but I also wanted to know what I can do with it instead of flash for stills. I have a 38" softbox but I think I'll get a fold out reflector, and a second SL60W, and and and .... :) BTW your composition with the split lighting is a great idea to simulate early morning sunlight hitting a breakfast table. It's got an uplifting effect on mood.

[@7971adsl]

Best of photography lesson video ever!

[@mariagloria267]

thank you for this video, I deeply enjoyed the first part with asmr

[@DcyphaProductions]

Honestly one of the best info videos on youtube. This is a golden format!

[@tylerturner2771]

Love the detail. Sharing your thought process is very helpful and so was taking the time to reshoot with the different lighting setup. Very informative in a way that was visual and rememberable. Great content, thank you.

[@artsmodelstation9396]

Bought an antique scale and put some pears on top. Tried using my strobes flash to photograph which works but trial and error. So decided use just the modeling light. Much easier. Got my iso down to 64, f stop at 8 and shutter way low. For stills this works perfectly for me unless the pears come to life

[@pragyanbezbo]

Loved your approach. Not useless talks. Straight to the point. And you did show valuable points in here. Thanks man!

[@figandlight]

Thank you Pragyan! I appreciate that 🙏

[@permanar_]

I'm not even photographer and this video just popping out of nowhere but this is really interesting. Now I know, lightning is probably the most important thing even you got the most OG camera out there, it's still nothing! :D

[@viraj.shinde]

I liked the style of your video. Very informative. Thank you for creating this.

[@Happilyhyper]

I love how you compare and give the details

[@raduszilagyi6055]

Great video. Simple but instructive and informative. I love this type of content

[@theola2499]

I just discovered your channel today and THIS IS THE BEST CONTENT i learned so much in this video!!

[@manashidaspurkayasthya2035]

U guys make a simple noodle dish, look awesome. And that's make me crave for more food....😁

[@CasaDePolly]

I just found your channel and it's so addictive to watch! Love your work! Hoping to learn a lot!

[@keshavchandak5183]

It was really a helpful video. Simple yet knowledgeable.

[@cee941]

I really love your videos! I would say the best photography content in YT. All of your videos are so informative and useful. I’ve been binge watching your vids since last week and I definitely learned a lot of key points! Looking forward to more of your content 😍💛

[@adilbachiri1709]

Excellent video very informative ! I'm perhaps the only one here who prefers the first version of the noodles shot , I found that the technique you used to combine between both harsh light and the diffused one was matching the breakfast picture perfectly ( kinda giving the impression that it's a morning sun ray ) while the noodles are more liklely to be eaten at lunch or dinner , I don't know just my humble opinion , anyway great video from beginning to end (y)

[@junj2039]

I like your way to tell the light.

[@HariharanAnbazhagan]

Not a fancy introduction with a too much of blah blah. Well demonstrated. Nailed it! Subscribed without even a second thought :)

[@alaybadai960]

WOWWWWWWWWWW You're amazing man, i never seen tutorial video like this

[@andersfernandez13]

i am thankful to have stumbled upon this. very helpful! thank you and will be watching more!

[@REKlaus]

The CFL picture is a good example of Why camera manufacturers put a "Custom White Balance" function on their cameras. If the white balance Had been set for the CFL, the images would have been much closer.

[@fluffy_shark]

I've looked for such videos for such a long time, thank you so much for your videos and light tips!

[@figandlight]

That's awesome! I'm glad it helps, thanks for watching!

[@irtiqaraees]

Loved the way you explained very thing. Subscribed 😍 but Please give some cheap and creative ideas for beginners who don't have professional lights and cameras and usually use mobile sets for their cooking videos.

[@nomads5563]

Watching your video for the first time, subbed ❤️ You are underrated man

[@alinarafalovskaia4644]

Okay, this deserves my very first comment on KZbin!🙌🏼 Your channel is awesome. Question: what should I get for my first continuous light? Could you please recommend some specific brand/model lights that are budget friendly. I’m just getting into product photography, only done it with natural light so far and love it but know that I need to get some light to grow in this field. Thanks in advance!

[@SouliMenah]

But of course you should change white balance when changing lighting.. That's why it's there cause even the best lighting can turn up mediocre whith wrong WB Settings.. Cheers

[@kitchenwithnoonzay]

This is so helpful 👍 thanks for sharing

[@SK-gi3gf]

What a great video. Detailed and clear and great sound quality. Such a relief not to have music.

[@Paytonwh]

Oh snap, you just earned a subscriber with this one lol! The first half of this video is a riveting short film disguising itself as a lighting tutorial, love it keep it up!

[@figandlight]

Thanks Payton!

[@gregap8282]

This was so relaxing

[@petersarellas]

The first half of this video was incredibly satisfying and the whole thing was very informative. Awesome stuff!

[@AngryBroccoliRecipesVegan]

Wow! This channel deserves more subs! Everything is straight to the point. Thank you. You got my sub!

[@figandlight]

Thank you so much! Appreciate that 🙏

[@AndreaImre]

Oh it's so cool! I'm always afraid to use artificial light...but now I have to try

[@randymartosoewito7892]

First video I am looking at about light photography and happy I found you first

[@jody1622]

Thank you for this calm, measured set up video! I'm just starting with my Godox 60 and this was very helpful!

[@figandlight]

Thanks Jody! I'm glad it was helpful. And that's awesome, it's a great light!

[@dondee7846]

You are super amazing man!, been waiting for someone like you to show up on thee Tubes!. Please continue with these educational content. I enjoy watching you nicely shot videos!

[@figandlight]

That's awesome, thank you so much!