Food Photography in 2026: Authenticity, Daylight, and the Art of Believability with Andrew Scrivani
In this updated live course, Andrew Scrivani revisits the core principles of great food photography through a contemporary lens, focusing on authenticity, restraint, and believability. Today’s viewers respond less to perfection and more to images that feel lived-in, tactile, and emotionally credible. This session reframes “authenticity” not as casual imperfection, but as intentional, story-driven realism that invites the viewer into the moment. A central focus of the course is lighting, specifically, how to create artificial light that behaves like daylight. Andrew will demonstrate a range of techniques, from simple tabletop setups using compact lights to advanced studio approaches with high-end tools like the Arri Skypanel, all designed to mimic the qualities of natural window light. Rather than emphasizing gear, the course explores how direction, softness, falloff, and color shape trust and appetite, and why restraint is often more powerful than complexity. These techniques are applicable to still photography and motion, reflecting the realities of modern editorial and commercial workflows. Throughout the session, Andrew connects technical choices to creative intent, showing how light, texture, and shadow support human presence and storytelling in food imagery. The course is designed for photographers at multiple levels, offering both accessible setups and professional insights, and concludes with an extended live Q&A to address real-world challenges. This update builds on the foundation of the original course while reflecting how food photography is practiced and perceived today.This class includes a dedicated 30 minutes of Q&A directly with Andrew Scrivani. What You'll Learn Define authenticity in modern food photography and understand how intentional realism builds trust, appetite, and emotional connection. Use daylight as a visual reference point, learning how direction, softness, falloff, and color influence mood and believability. Create artificial lighting setups that convincingly mimic natural window light, from tabletop configurations to controlled studio environments. Shape texture and contrast with restraint, recognizing when lighting choices enhance realism and when they unintentionally make food appear artificial. Apply lighting decisions strategically across different contexts (editorial, brand, social, and motion) while maintaining consistency. Connect technical lighting choices to storytelling intent, knowing when to stop adjusting light so the food and human presence remain the focus. Who It's For Food photographers at beginner to advanced levels. Editorial and commercial photographers adapting to modern platforms. Creators interested in refining lighting, realism, and visual storytelling. How to Join The class will be delivered via Zoom Webinars. You’ll need access to Zoom through a web browser or the Zoom app in order to participate. To reserve your spot, register using the Sign Up form and button above. Space is limited. A unique Zoom join link will be sent to the maximum number of participants per class. You’ll receive this link one hour before the class start time. About the Instructor Andrew is a photographer, director, and producer who has worked on editorial, publishing, advertising, content creation, documentary, and feature film projects. He is also an internationally recognized workshop instructor, author, and columnist on the subject of visuals. Andrew is also an Executive Producer for the film company Borough Five Pictures and has recently completed work on his first full-length feature film, Team Marco. Some of Andrew's clients include The New York Times, Conde Nast, Meredith Corporation, Hearst Corporation, Apple, Adobe, CreativeLIVE, Disney, Hay House Publishing, Clarkson Potter, Harper Collins, Norton, and Grey Advertising. Andrew's recent work includes directing and photographing the latest campaigns for Oprah Winfrey’s O That’s Good Foods and Bumble Bee Tuna, as well as directing a short documentary film for The New Yorker Magazine, The Blades of New York's ‘Forged In Fire’ Contestants.
