I really enjoy working with businesses to bring their creative visions to light, especially when their vision aligns so perfectly with my own aesthetic – if you follow my work, you know I have a thing for hard light and strong shadows. And while the hard light aesthetic is not appropriate for every subject and every brand, it was perfect for my client’s beautiful and simple stained glass pieces.

Hard light creates strong, crisp shadows and high contrast images. This kind of lighting tends to be dramatic and attention-grabbing. It’s the kind of light that stops you in your tracks. But just because it makes you pay attention, doesn’t mean it’s right for every subject or every brand.

IS HARD LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY RIGHT FOR YOUR BRAND OR PRODUCT?

To determine if hard light photography is right for your brand, ask yourself what kind of message you’re trying to convey to your ideal customer. If your brand tends to be modern, edgy and forward-looking, hard light photography might be the right aesthetic for your brand, but there are other factors to consider, like your actual product, its materials, and colors.

Hard light photography works really well with products and objects that have transparency – think liquor bottles, cocktail glasses, perfume bottles, beauty products, or anything involving glass and hard edges. It’s also well suited for bright, colorful products and highly graphic packaging.

Many food publications use hard light imagery to evoke bold flavors and cooking techniques. Hard light is also often used by the fashion and design industry to convey edginess or an industrial vibe.

Ask yourself what kind of image you want to create for your brand. Hard light photography just might be the right choice.