{"id":62,"date":"2016-09-26T14:44:52","date_gmt":"2016-09-26T14:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clydepixel.com\/blog\/?p=62"},"modified":"2016-09-26T14:44:52","modified_gmt":"2016-09-26T14:44:52","slug":"common-mishaps-in-product-photography-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clydepixel.com\/blog\/common-mishaps-in-product-photography-lighting\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Mishaps in Product Photography Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re going to give it away right up front: lighting is probably the most important element to shooting solid product photography. When isn\u2019t it in photography? But because getting the nitty-gritty details is often so important, there\u2019s a lot more involved in planning and setting up your product shots.<\/p>\n

For some product photography lighting tips and advice on getting those\u00a0miraculously\u00a0detailed images, we talked to product photographer Lucas Zarebinski. Lucas is routinely sought out by editorial and advertising clients for his food photography and unique concepts for fashion and electronic products. His edgy work has appeared in magazines such as Men\u2019s Health<\/em>, Prevention<\/em>, Bicycling, <\/em>and Details<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Here is Lucas\u2019 list of some of the most common mishaps he\u2019s seen (or experienced) and how he keeps clients coming back for more:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike photographing a person or group of people, \u201cIt\u2019s entirely up to you to create the photograph \u2013 there is no active collaboration between you and the object,\u201d says Lucas. \u201cProduct photography requires a greater attention to detail and critical lighting skills since you find yourself a lot closer to the subject than most cases.\u201d\u00a0While getting into someone\u2019s personal space during a shoot might be inappropriate for a living subject, it\u2019s encouraged in product photography. \u201cIt\u2019s all about styling your subject prior to shooting and coming up with the right approach,\u201d notes Lucas, who carefully studies all the product\u2019s details before even setting up lights.<\/p>\n

Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of the product, and you\u2019ll be better prepared to light it.<\/p>\n

Creating a \u201cscene\u201d on set<\/h4>\n

Lucas points out that the product should be the center of attention. That means the setting should be clean-cut. \u201cI try to work with as little distractions as possible,\u201d says Lucas. \u201cThat way I can just\u00a0emphasize\u00a0the object without\u00a0worrying\u00a0to much about props.\u201d<\/p>\n

Avoid harsh shadows and aim for softer lighting (try using a light tent or softbox), which helps the viewer focus on the details. You can start by aiming two lights down on the product, and then adjust the brightness and angle to bring out the right texture.<\/p>\n

In most cases, you\u2019ll also want to remove all distractions from the shot and create a simple composition. This is particularly important for editorial clients who will likely want to add text or position several products on the same page.<\/p>\n

Approaching it from an expected angle<\/h4>\n

There\u2019s a simple approach to product photography lighting \u2013 don\u2019t take that one. Coming up with new ideas is what makes you stand out and leaves clients wanting more. So, what about lighting from underneath using a lightbox? This is one of Lucas\u2019 favorite techniques, and the result is often a much more interesting image with shadows and texture details that you wouldn\u2019t normally see.\u00a0\u201cI ended up setting up on a lightbox to give the product a fresh and airy feel,\u201d says Lucas of the above shot. \u201cI was paying close attention to the shapes and texture in the subject to give them colorful and strong impressions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Acting like a know-it-all<\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember: you\u2019re the photographer on set. So just as you wouldn\u2019t want the stylist or art director on set to interfere with your shooting, be sure to return the favor. Sure, it\u2019s fine to collaborate with them, but don\u2019t step on their toes. Trust their expert and leave it to them to do what they\u2019ve been trained to do.<\/p>\n

Though most clients will likely bring along their own people, you should also consider befriending a few good stylists. \u201cI almost always work with a prop or food stylist,\u201d says Lucas. \u201cConcepts are developed as the photographer, client, and stylist all talk about a particular assignment and come up with the best visual solution to the problem at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the above shots, Lucas let the food stylist pick out and arrange the best looking. \u201cAs much as you try to figure out everything before the shoot, you still need to leave room for changes \u2013 things might look better or worse from what you planned,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

You still want to maintain your personal style and put your own stamp on the shot. For example, Lucas is known for his stop-motion photos. \u201cI just love freezing motion and capturing moments that you don\u2019t really see in everyday life,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s like magic to me. In a sense it\u2019s like I have the wand and I can stop time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demanding that you get everything in camera<\/h4>\n

Lucas reminds us that it\u2019s okay to do some extra work in post-production. There are always corrections to be made, no matter how good your product photography lighting might be. You might even find that you spend as much time post-processing as you do shooting. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s just a simple clean-up of dust and scratches, but in most cases things need to be layered, enhanced, and re-positioned,\u201d says Lucas.<\/p>\n

Other techniques often include color boost, contrast change, and sharpening. Or you might simply want to create a concept that\u2019s impossible to get in real life.\u00a0\u201cI think these days all commercial photography is retouched to some level,\u201d Lucas says.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve worked in product photography before, what do you think are some of the most common misconceptions about lighting objects vs. people? Share your expertise in the comments.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re going to give it away right up front: lighting is probably the most important element to shooting solid product photography. When isn\u2019t it in photography? But because getting the nitty-gritty details is often so important, there\u2019s a lot more involved in planning and setting up your product shots. For some product photography lighting tips […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-e-commerce-image-creation"],"yoast_head":"\nCommon Mishaps in Product Photography Lighting | Image Retouching-Clipping Path, Editing Service Provider Company<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clydepixel.com\/blog\/common-mishaps-in-product-photography-lighting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Common Mishaps in Product Photography Lighting | Image Retouching-Clipping Path, Editing Service Provider Company\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We\u2019re going to give it away right up front: lighting is probably the most important element to shooting solid product photography. 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