A creatively stuffed pepper at La Luna Bakery and Cafe in Albuquerque New Mexico - food photography - Nikon D750 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens tripod mounted with cable release - natural light through a white diffuser
When I get a food photography shoot at a bakery in Albuquerque, New Mexico where I am based, I still think, "yes, photographing cakes and pies and pastries!" However, that is hardly the case. I am learning bakeries sell savory dishes too, like La Luna Bakery and Cafe does. Not a single sweet item photographed that morning! Instead, creative looking stuffed pepper dishes like the one above.
When the natural light is very harsh, a white diffuser works almost like magic to make the light smooth and even - photo credit Jessica, photography assistant
When I do a food photography shoot for UberEats, they have certain guidelines they want met, like using only natural light, preferably by a window. There were plenty of windows with natural light coming through them at this bakery, but there was actually too much harsh sunlight, so I had to use my trusty diffuser to even out and soften the light on the dishes. You cannot see it in the photo above, but from the camera's perspective, that table was bathed in smooth, even light. Diffusers are best used handheld unless shooting in a very fixed spot in the same angle, otherwise you have to adjust the position of the diffuser so much, hand holding it is much simpler.
A delicious tofu scramble, and I know because I got to eat it! - Albuquerque Food Photography at La Luna Bakery and Cafe - Nikon D750 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens tripod mounted with cable release - natural light through a white diffuser
See the nice even natural light on this dish above? That's what the diffuser does. Without it, the entire table would have been a bright hotspot totally blowing out the plate and tortilla. Thank you to Travis for letting me take home that tofu scramble dish, and another burrito not pictured. They were a great meal after the morning's photography shoot!