Question: What type of lighting gear do I need for in-house product photography?
This shooter has been asked by his company to bring their product photography in-house for the release of their new catalog. Which options should he consider?
Ted in California asks:
The company I work for wants to bring the photography in-house for our new catalog. Currently we are using the Photosimilie which is OK for some products but not or others - RESULTS MAY VARY. I am wondering what is my best option for lighting? I am looking into various lighting options and I do not know what to choose. Please help.
Do you prefer tungsten or fluorescent? The camera we have is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT.
Hi Ted-
Thanks for your question.
Assuming your company produces smaller products (such as those that would fit inside a Photosimilie), what you’re after is a light tent—I’m sure you already know what that is, but for the sake of those who don’t, it’s basically a large box made of translucent, light-diffusing material that casts an even, peaceful glow on whatever you place inside.
As we told Jeff in California yesterday, it’s better to get the largest light tent you think you’ll need, since you can always crop your shots down to the size of the subject at hand.
Do you need a really high-end light tent? No. Still, some cheaper tents and many at-home solutions can leave you with “hot spots” and undesirable shadows that could detract from that feeling that your product is hovering in the white room from “The Matrix.”
Tungsten or fluorescent? Tungsten lights are very good option, and though slightly pricey they might be a good investment. But one great benefit of using a light tent is that you can use lights with one continual output level as opposed to strobes that fire specifically when you shoot, meaning you have a lot of options; even a few high-powered desk lamps could theoretically work if placed properly.
Your Canon Rebel XT should work fine for the most part, even assuming you’re using the 18-55mm EF-S lens that comes with the kit. Just keep in mind that it is a consumer camera and you might have to experiment a bit to get the effects you’re after.
We’ve never used a Photosimilie around here, but everything we’ve heard lines up with your experience: It can be a great solution for some things, but it’s certainly nothing approaching the end-all, be-all answer to the problem of producing in-house product photos.
Let us know how it goes!
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