  We propose a method to calculate the $q\bar{q}$ light front wave functions
(LFWFs) of photon at low-virtuality, i.e., the light front amplitude of
$\gamma^*\rightarrow q\bar{q}$ at low $Q^2$, based on a light front projection
approach. We exemplify this method using a contact interaction model within
Dyson-Schwinger equations formalism and obtain the nonperturbative photon
$q\bar{q}$ LFWFs. In this case, we find the nonperturbative effects are encoded
in the enhanced quark mass and a dressing function of covariant quark-photon
vertex, as compared to the leading order quantum electrodynamics photon
$q\bar{q}$ LFWFs. We then use nonperturbative-effect modified photon $q\bar{q}$
LFWFs to study the inclusive deep inelastic scattering HERA data in the
framework of the color dipole model. The results demonstrate that the
theoretical description of data at low $Q^2$ can be significantly improved once
the nonperturbative corrections are included in the photon LFWFs.
