The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Beginner - Equipment for product photography suggestions

MRfanny

New member
Hi

I am a designer that has just been asked by a client to start doing small to medium sized product photography for them...ie downlights and powersupplies. They are more than happy to pay for the equipment to get things going with the intention that I can keep it after I work off the hrs for it which I don't mind doing.

They are after a more artistic take on their products with lighting so I think that can allow me to get some equipment that I can use to start practicing fashion editorals which is my main interest.

Was wondering if someone can give me some recomendations for lighting setup, light modifiers, light stands, tent (if needed) for this application. My current equipment list is;

Panasonic Lumix GH2
1xOlympus FL50-R flash
Flash modifer kit (softbox, snoot, honeycomb, dish, etc..)
1xComer 1800 LED Portable Hot shoe light
1xStand + 40" White umbrella
Cactus V5 remote triggers

What I think i need to buy:
1x boom light stand thingy
another light stand, maybe two
some lights for the light stand
a light tent
some light modifiers?
a dedicated table

What I would like to have reason to buy =):
a boom light stand with maybe a dish
another flash
another stand and umbrella or soft box
a backdrop kit

I don't want to get too much if its not essential so I can work it off quicker but I'd like to get the most out of the offer. Thanks in adavance

Cheers.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
And what lenses do you have for the GH2—for that work, I am sure you will need the 45/2.8, and it's a great lens.
 

MRfanny

New member
thanks for the replies. Yep, I think a medium sized light tent is the way to go and i am considering just lighting it up with a couple large articulating armed desktop lamps for easy adjustment.

this is the sort of product lighting my client is after. quite artistic and dramatic which is great. I think one or two shots are superimposed.

http://www.coolon.com.au/images/products/industrial/cp96-1.jpg
http://www.coolon.com.au/images/products/industrial/cp96-2.jpg
http://www.coolon.com.au/images/products/industrial/cp24-4.jpg
http://www.coolon.com.au/images/products/industrial/tunnelled-3.jpg

can i achieve this look with a light tent? I am thinking its easier to achieve open aired with backdrop and a couple strobes/spots with diffuser setup? This is something else I would like an opinion on, strobe vs hot lights? hot lights come more natural to me as i have a video background but i would like to play more with strobes.

products will be no bigger than two coffee mugs side by side.

as for my lenses, they are as follows;
lumix 14-140
lumix 14 f2.8
lumix 20 f2
lumix 7-14
lumix 100-300
contax zeiss 28 f2.8
contax zeiss 35 f2.8
contax zeiss 50 f1.4
contax zeiss 85 f1.4
tamron 90mm macro f2.8
*would love to get the 45 some day =)

thanks again for your input.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
No, you cannot achieve that look with a light tent. The pics you showed as examples are far more controlled in terms of light placement than is easily achieved with a light tent, if at all.

The lighting used for the shots you posted is most likely done with a strategically placed, boomed soft-box or more likely something like a Profoto Pro box which has a soft light, but harder edge than the typical soft-box ... combined with a light using a snoot/grid ... and some use of bounce surfaces and light killing flags. They appear to be done on a shooting table using matte black or slate vinyl or plex surface.

The size of your products indicates that a 2X3 boomed softbox would work ... and a snoot with a grid to highlight select areas. You'll also need a third light for the glancing back light that spills around some of the edges. Not all shots you linked to used all of these, but some do. You should have the option.

-Marc
 

MRfanny

New member
thank you very much Marc for the analysis. It seems alot more involved than I had originally thought. I will have to re-think the setup again with your suggestions.

thanks

hot lights vs strobe?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
thank you very much Marc for the analysis. It seems alot more involved than I had originally thought. I will have to re-think the setup again with your suggestions.

thanks

hot lights vs strobe?
Actually it isn't all that involved IF you have the right tools. Most lighting solutions are relatively simple and involve careful placement of the light to illustrate the product ... and what is not lit is often just as important.

Strobe or hot lights?

Strobe. When shooting smaller items using soft-boxes you'd be amazed the amount of light required to retain enough depth-of-field ... and soft-boxes or bounced light does eat some of the light.

-Marc
 
Top