Food Photography Lighting

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen creating, cooking, photographing and writing.  Earlier this year I wrote about the importance of lighting for food photography in Recipe For A Great Food Photo.

Food Photography In Natural Sunlight

Much of  my food photos are shot in natural sunlight through filters.  However, timing is not always on my side, and there are many occasions when I need to photograph indoors and at night.

It’s difficult to get indoor and nighttime photos to come out with the same vibrant color that outdoor sunlight gives, and many times they come out so yellow that not even photo enhancing can help.

Using flash photography is never an option for me because it gives off a glare, the same way that incandescent light bulbs can do.

Nighttime Indoor Food Photo

Time For A Makeover

I decided it’s time to give my workspace (also known as my kitchen) a lighting makeover.  It was time to bring outdoor quality lighting into my kitchen that allows me the versatility to work, photograph and videotape whenever I want.

Being energy efficient was also a major factor in my makeover decisions.  With some help from GE Energy Smart’s Bright From The Start CFL, I found that I can achieve better lighting with their hybrid halogen, and save on my power bill.  GE Energy Smart bulbs last 8 times longer and use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.

The “Before” Kitchen

Before the kitchen lighting makeover, my ability to work was limited by the time of day.  Dawn and dusk gave me natural filtered sunlight, with the remaining day receiving direct sun.  At night, my incandescent kitchen light bulbs gave off a yellow hue.

The “After” Kitchen

By changing my kitchen light bulbs to a soft bright light, I eliminated the “yellowish” tone from my indoor kitchen lighting.  And, by adding a light fixture like this hanging pot rack, I was able to direct the light to my kitchen counter top where I cook, photograph and write the most.

installed hanging lighted pot rack with GE Reveal Light Bulbs

Selecting A Light Bulb

Other than being energy efficient, other important factors in choosing a light bulb for me are brightness or “lumens” and “color temperature”.  Each light bulb has a rating that describes the color temperature from “warm” to “cool”.

I decided on the GE Reveal Light Bulbs.

GE Reveal Light Bulbs

According to the GE Energy Smart CFL Savings Calculator, I will be saving$65.70 this year on my energy bill for just my kitchen area, and $360 savings over the life of the bulbs, by switching to GE Energy Smart light bulbs.  With that savings, I can purchase a new set of stainless steel pans to hang on my new pot rack!

To calculate your savings, visit the GE Energy Smart CFL Savings Calculator:

GE Energy Smart CFL Savings Calculator

GE Reveal Light Bulb

Bright Lighting

With my kitchen lighting makeover, I can now work at whatever time of day I want.  Who knows, you may find me in the kitchen at 2 a.m. making my next creation.

my kitchen lighting makeover with GE

More Savings! Download The Coupon

Download the coupon.  Save More Money with GE Smart Energy and Reveal Light Bulbs by downloading this coupon for $2.00 off your purchase.

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and GE.  The views and opinions expressed here are very much my own. #CBias #SocialFabric

More information about GE Smart Energy and Reveal light bulbs can be found at GELighting.com, or follow on Twitter.com/GELighting or Facebook.com/GELighting.

More photos from my GE Smart Energy Lighting kitchen makeover can be found on my Google Plus album.