Product Photography Tips: Lighting is King. {The Homespun Life Photography}

I’m constantly fielding questions about product photography. In my role as curator of Handmade Gazette artists want to know what I’m looking for in a photo, and as an artist myself I receive lots of questions about how I achieve the level of quality I strive for in my own product photos. It’s a tricky issue – I don’t think anyone enjoys product photography. In fact, I think it’s important to take a moment to release you of any guilt you may be feeling on the subject. So, repeat after me:

The fact that I can’t seem to get a good product photo to save my life does not in any way make me a bad artist.

So there.

Feel better? Good. Now, let’s talk about how you can take a good product photo, and even learn to enjoy the process! There’s lots of info to cover here, so we’re going to do it in bits and pieces. Today, we tackle the most important factor:

Lighting is King

No matter how good your camera or editing software is (I shoot with a Canon DSLR and use both Photoshop and Lightroom, but we’ll get to that later), it can never fully compensate for poor lighting. In order to get a good product shot, you have to have good light, and your fluorescent kitchen light or warm yellow floor lamp aren’t going to cut it. So what will?

If your items are small enough to fit into a light box, use one. Period. They are very simple and inexpensive to create (I followed this tutorial for mine) and they make all the difference in the world. The type of light you use is also extremely important – mine is set up with 3 very bright full-spectrum OTT lights in aluminum reflector cones (the kind with clamps that can be found at the local hardware store for $5-$10). The full spectrum OTT bulbs mimic natural light, the reflector cones magnify and focus the light, and the lightbox itself diffuses the light around the object for a nice, even glow.

If your item is too large for a light box, or needs to be modeled on a person, unfortunately you’re really best off investing in a professional lighting kit. They’re pricy, but if you’re going to be selling your work online it’s probably time to start saving your pennies for one.

Until you’ve got the cash, try shooting your models outside or near a large window (though make sure you have a good, non-distracting background that works with your product rather than against it – another topic for later) when good light is available. Just be aware that good natural light is unpredictable – take advantage of it when you have it.

When natural light is your only option, keep in mind that early morning and late evening light are your best friends – the light at this time of day is warm and gentle, whereas the sun at noon on a bright day can be extremely harsh. Experiment a bit with your shots at different times of day and different weathers to see which are the most flattering.

Next, we’ll discuss blurriness and how to avoid it. Stay tuned!