Summer light can be intense – especially in a first-floor, southwest-facing studio. With the UK deep in a heatwave, it’s easy to take the sunshine for granted and reach straight for the trusty diffuser. But with plenty of cloudy days still to come, we’re making the most of it while it lasts. It sparked a few ideas on how hard light –and the patterns you can create within it using GOBOs –can shape your summer shoots and turn simple setups into bold, graphic images.
Playful shadows captured by Anna Janecka with hard light on the June photo backdrop
One of the biggest mindset shifts with hard light is to stop avoiding shadows. When you’re working with strong sunlight, shadows become a feature and play a starring role in the composition. Always leave some clear space for them to fall (so they’re not smothering your hero dish).
And if you’re feeling adventurous, this is where GOBOs come in – an acronym for “go between objects.” You don’t need anything special to achieve the look – a scrap of lace, old colanders, dried flowers, woven placemats, cardboard slats – all create interesting and realistic-looking breaks in the light.
Image by www.carlabarberphotography.com for PastaEvangelists. Shot on Issy Travertine backdrop
And the leaves don’t even need to be real; faux foliage or a plastic plant works just as well if the shape is right. Monstera works brilliantly for bold contemporary shots. Or use olive branches and eucalyptus for finer, delicate dappling. It takes a bit of trial and error to get it looking spot on, but when it works, it instantly lifts a simple surface into something more atmospheric, casting patterned shadows across both subject and backdrop, effectively styling with light rather than using additional props.
Our current favourites are palm leaves, which instantly deliver a dreamy open-air, tropical-kitchen vibe.
The closer your GOBO sits to the light source, the softer and larger the shadow becomes; move it nearer the set and the pattern sharpens and tightens. Even a slight shift in angle can completely change the feel, from dappled and natural to bold and graphic, so it’s worth nudging things millimetre by millimetre until it clicks.
It’s also worth thinking about scale. A large leaf close to a small dish can overwhelm the scene, while a finer stem or smaller cut-out keeps things in proportion. Matching the size of the shadow pattern to your subject helps everything feel intentional rather than accidental.
A well-placed shadow can suggest sunshine spilling through a slatted window, a garden or house full of plants – prompting the viewer to imagine more than you’ve actually shown. It’s essentially storytelling with light – and GOBOs are a very effective styling trick to have up your sleeve.
Rose wine image by www.carlabarberphotography.com.