Product photography is the technique to get high-quality photos of products to be used in an e-commerce business, advertising, and other marketing materials. It is an essential aspect of any business that sells physical goods, as the quality and composition of the images can greatly impact customer perception and purchasing decisions.
Similar Articles you may like to read –
Product photography flash VS continuous lighting
Should product photos have shadows?
How do you get good lighting for product photography?
Are product photographers in demand?
As a product photographer, I know firsthand the importance of having the right tools and techniques to capture the best images possible. One essential piece of equipment for any product photographer is a lightbox. A light box is a small, enclosed space with lights inside that can be used to illuminate a product for photography evenly.
If you want to know how to do product photography with the light box, then in this guide, I will walk you through the entire process.
Brief Overview Of Light Box And Its Benefits
A lightbox is a tool used in product photography to create a controlled lighting environment for the product being photographed. It consists of a box with a translucent front panel that allows light to pass through and a back panel that can be illuminated with a variety of lighting options.
The benefits of using a light box include the ability to create consistent lighting for each shot, eliminate reflections and shadows, and highlight the product’s features and details. Here are the steps for setting up and using a lightbox for product photography.
- Assemble the light box according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Set up your camera and tripod on a stable surface in front of the lightbox.
- Position the product inside the light box, making sure it is centered and level.
- Adjust the lighting to achieve the desired effect, experimenting with different angles and intensity levels.
- Take multiple shots from different angles, adjusting the camera settings as needed.
- Review the images and make any necessary adjustments before finalizing your shots.
Setting Up A Light Box For Product Photography
Materials Needed
- Light Box
- Lights
- Background Paper Or Fabric
Setting Up The Frame
Begin by setting up the frame of the lightbox. This usually involves attaching the sides and top of the box together.
Attaching The Lights
Connect the lights with a light box on the inside. You can use clips or straps to hold the lights in place. Check everything and make sure it’s working.
Adding The Background
Add the background paper or fabric to the back of the lightbox. Consider the overall aesthetic of the product and how it will appear in a photo. Once the product is clean and styled, it is important to consider the overall composition and layout of the product. This may include arranging any accessories or props that will be included in the final photograph.
Positioning The Product In The Light Box
Once the product is cleaned and styled, it is time to position it in the lightbox. A light box is a small enclosed space with a built-in light source that is used to illuminate the product for photography. Before positioning the product, ensure that the light box is properly set up and the lights are turned on.
The product should be placed in the center of the light box, and the lights should be adjusted to ensure that the product is evenly lit. For example, if the product is a piece of jewelry, you may want to photograph it from a close-up angle to showcase the details and craftsmanship.
Once the product is properly positioned, and the lights are adjusted, it is time to take the final photograph. This can be done with a digital camera or smartphone camera, depending on the quality of the final photograph that you are trying to achieve.
Camera Settings And Lighting Techniques To Follow
ISO
The ISO setting on your camera determines how sensitive the sensor is to light. When shooting product photography with a light box, it’s best to use a low ISO setting to avoid noise in the image. A setting of 100 will work well in most cases.
Aperture
A narrow aperture will result in a high f-stop number and a deep depth of field, which will keep the entire object in focus. A shallow depth of field can be produced by using a bigger aperture (lower f-stop number), which can be utilized to produce a more dramatic image.
Shutter Speed
To capture more information about the object, a slower shutter speed will let more light into the camera. A faster shutter speed will freeze any action in the scene when photographing static things.
Try several background and lighting setups to obtain the ideal appearance for your product. Remember to always take multiple pictures and choose the best one to use for your product.
More articles you may like to read –
How To Start Commercial Photography? Easy Way To Get In
Types of Commercial Photography? Choose Your Best One To Start!
How to start a Commercial Photography Career?
How do I give a product a white background?
Edit Photos In Post-Production
Post-production is the final stage of image editing, where the photographer or editor fine-tunes the image to achieve the desired look. This process involves a variety of techniques and tools, including image editing software, cropping, resizing, color correction, and enhancement.
Photoshop and Lightroom are extremely helpful apps, but they may be extremely difficult to master. Following tutorials is a terrific way to learn the intricacies, but understanding a few basic photography post-processing techniques gives you the ability to always adjust what you photographed to match the picture within your head.