If you browse food photography as much as I do, you may have noticed the trend toward moody and dark dark food photography.
These photos may have been snapped mid-day but they look more like they were photographed in late evening, illuminated by only the tiniest amount of light.
I’m pretty obsessed with this particular food photography style right now.
The sultry photos that I consider “dark and moody” have a rustic, rich texture and an appeal that can be chalked up in equal measure to styling and props which compliment the presentation.
While I’ve admired the look for a long time, I’ve recently started experimenting with the dark and moody effect myself.
Throughout this post, I’ll share a few of my first efforts with this technique starting with chocolate and other elements from my cake styling shoot. The manipulation of natural light on a subject is so important in creating the moody look but this is something I really struggle with.
I continue to practice and through trial and error, I’m slowly figuring out how to find the best light and how to make it work for me.
As I study the dark and moody technique and how to achieve it, I’ve discovered that some of the look is often achieved with the help photo-editing software and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I think it’s safe to say that most bloggers punch up their photos In some way with software whether it’s sharpening a photo or adding a punch of color. The trick is in learning how to balance the use of software without going overboard so the subject still looks natural.
It also helps to have a dependable light source which can also be manipulated with reflectors, diffusers, fabrics and various light/black boards among other things. The angle of the photograph is another valuable consideration and one I certainly spend some time composing.
As I mentioned earlier in this post, the styling and props used also go a long way toward creating that dramatic, organic presentation. I’m always thrilled to come across unique and vinatge props as I comb though antique markets (the tough part is storing the props in bins for the next big shoot!).
I’m so glad she didn’t toss them.
