Product photography requires you to really make the subject really pop. You want to make the customer buy a certain product, and for this, you need a perfect photo. You may need that super-expensive gear and a studio are a must to create appealing product photos. But, photographer Tom Watts shows you a simple product photography setup you can easily make and use at home. It doesn’t take too much space and it’s very subject to DIY solutions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mDu_0RAz38
You will need
- A glass table
- Black fabric (both for the table and the background)
- Soft light source for the key light (LED or tungsten light with a softbox. Tom uses Tungsten Fresnel 650W from Filmgear)
- A rim light (Tom uses anther Tungsten Fresnel 650W with barn doors)
- A reflector opposite the lights, to be used as fill light (it can even be a cardboard cake base or a piece of Foamcore)
- Black background (you can make it yourself with some plastic pipes and black fabric)
The shooting
Before you begin, make sure to block all the light sources other than those you set up for the shoot. In the video, Tom demonstrates what each light does for the shot. The key light gives some shape and definition to the product. The rim light brings out the details and makes the subject “pop”. Fill light (the reflector) fills another side of the subject and gives you the sense of shape and depth.
Put the piece of black fabric underneath the glass on the table. Also, set up the black backdrop behind it. Place the key and rim light on one side, and the reflector on the opposite.
With this setup, you can photograph pretty much any product. The glass table will give you a nice reflective surface, and the light setup will bring out the details and create the sense of depth.
Feel free to play with the lights and move them around as you change the products. Also, you could try with backdrops and fabric in different colors. Don’t forget to send us the results if you decide to try out this setup, and if you have some extra tips, feel free to share them in the comments below.
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