Window seat, yet
your food looks dark

When a window ruins it

Shoot toward the window and the camera exposes for the bright glass. The window turns white and the front of the plate falls into shadow: the side that matters most ends up darkest.

Is it backlight?

Look at the rim of the plate. If the back edge glows and the front edge is grey, it is backlight. The tricky case is dark food on a white plate: a dark center with bright edges looks like backlight, but it may just be the food’s color.

Fixing it while you shoot

• Turn the plate or yourself 90 to 180 degrees so the window ends up beside the food.
• Cannot move? Stand a white napkin or a menu in front of the plate to bounce light back.
• Shoot straight down. With the window out of frame, the exposure stops jumping around.

Coaching and rescue in the app

1

Check the light before you shoot

Foodlit’s Camera tab shows the light condition live at the top: “Backlit — try turning around” when the window is behind the food, and “Light looks good” when it is fine. You can turn live light coaching off in Settings.

2

Rescue backlit shots with Window Brunch

For photos diagnosed as backlit, the free Window Brunch filter often comes up. It lifts the dark front while holding down the highlights so the window does not blow out further. Set the strength in the Simple tab: Subtle, Medium or Full.

FAQ

Related guides

• Food photo angles: overhead, 45° or straight-on, by dishOverhead, 45°, straight-on by dish
• Why restaurant food photos look yellow, and how to fix themColor temperature, built-in editor, diagnosis
• How to fix old dark food photosRecoverable or not, then edit
• All Foodlit guides10 guides in one place