Fig. 5.1 Various useful studio accessories.
There is a popular misconception that shooting products is a simple job, whereas it is in fact the complete opposite. I have spoken to and written about many product photographers, and their experience shows there is an immense amount of time and skill that goes into setting up each shot. A lot, of course, depends on the end use of each shot, so products placed onto a white background for e-commerce take less technical knowledge and time than those produced for major manufacturers and luxury brands. However, each shot still needs time and consideration, even for mass marketing and retail, and spending time getting the lighting and angles right will save you hours of tedious post-processing work later on. The less time spent behind the computer, the better!
CONSIDERATIONS
Backgrounds
It sounds like common sense, but the background scenery behind the product can be as important as the product itself. In the same way as commercial fashion and beauty, products sell a lifestyle and usually have a brand identity. The props and background help set the scene, generate the identity and place it within the right market, but at the end of the day it is meeting the expectations of the consumer that really counts.
E-commerce
Photographs on the internet allow the long-distance consumer to see what they are buying. E-commerce is essentially the nitty-gritty of still life photography and the photographs need to be clean, bright and without distractions. This calls for a simple background, and by far the most popular choice for this is white, followed by grey and black. Using a plain background allows designers to easily cut out the product and use it elsewhere. It is of course always possible to use other colours – after all there are no rules. However, this choice will ultimately depend on the finish and colour of the product, or even the design of the website or catalogue. It is important to remember that brighter colours are more distracting, and they can occasionally result in colour casts, so they tend to be used less frequently for e-commerce and catalogue shots.
Lifestyle
Every product has a target audience and this audience will have a particular lifestyle. Setting the scene for this by placing the product within a properly designed set can work wonders. Many sets found in the glossy magazines have had large budgets and props specifically bought in; however, lifestyle can also be showcased by simply propping the product with a few carefully placed items. If you search around, you can find a range of items to prop your products, such as flowers, pebbles and even liquids. As for backgrounds, a little imagination can be equally as creative, with photographers using everything from fabrics or wallpaper to raw materials such as concrete and steel in their backgrounds.
Static or Dynamic
Part of placing the product and creating the lifestyle is how the product itself is portrayed. Movement or a sense of movement within a product shot can make the scene more dynamic and energetic, whereas static sets will look more classic and subdued. Your choice as to whether you make the set more dynamic or static should really depend on the product you are shooting and the intended audience. For example an invigorating facial wash will work well with a sense of movement, especially water with bright colours. Cold drinks and beers are enhanced by ice and condensation. Classic jewellery on the other hand works better within a more static and often subdued set, so that the viewer can concentrate on the beauty of the jewellery. So it is important to visualize the context – dropping a 24-carat gold and diamond studded ring into water may not appeal to the target market, while a static shot of a shampoo or shower gel may look rather uninspiring and lack-lustre.
USEFUL EQUIPMENT
You might assume that a set of good quality studio lights, a decent camera and a studio table are all you need to capture studio-based still life photographs. There is a lot you can do of course with this basic equipment, but most professional product and still life photographers will use a variety of different items and tools to get results. It is not simply a case of placing items onto the table; the skill comes in positioning them exactly where you want them, at the right height and the right angles. This will not only ensure that the light is right and consistent, but will potentially save you hours of Photoshop. You still need Photoshop, but with the right techniques you can reduce the time you spend behind the computer.
Fig. 5.1 Various useful studio accessories.
The good news is that many of these items are fairly cheap and widely available from various stores or photographic retailers.
Common Accessories
Sticky Tape
Tape is useful in many ways, in particular double-sided tape and duck tape. It is ideal for sticking objects together, suspending and stabilizing things. There are other specialized tapes that do not leave any residue, which can also be very useful on reflective surfaces or even assisting to pick up dust.
Brushes
Make-up brushes, cotton buds, paintbrushes or even Pec Pads are extremely useful for dusting and cleaning objects without disturbing your set, especially if you are photographing food.
Anti-Static Spray
Dust is a real problem, and it is not until you get your shoots to the post-processing stage that you realize just how much dust is flying about. It can then take ages for you to heal and clone the specs of dust. However, an anti-static spray can remove the static from the item you are photographing and greatly reduce the amount of dust clinging to it.
Grips, Clips and Pins
Large and small, they are always useful. Bulldog clips are particularly good at gripping things such as paper, wire, mirrors and small reflectors, and they are available in a variety of different sizes. Grips on the other hand will enable you to quickly fasten two items together, such as wire and a stand. If you are photographing clothes, then safety pins and butterfly clips will assist in shaping the clothing and holding the fabric.
Wire and Cable
Strong and stiff wire and cable can help you accurately place items in the frame, whilst minimizing intrusion. They can be quickly edited out in post-processing.
Blu-Tack, Sticky Dots
Blu-Tack or some similar putty/non-permanent adhesive is perfect for holding small items in position, without blocking out the item. It is ideal when used with wire, cable and clips, plus it can help stabilize objects.
Tweezers
If you have large hands or are shooting small items, then a decent pair of tweezers will help you manoeuvre props and products and fine-tune your set with minimal disturbance.
Matting Spray
This spray is ideal if you are photographing very reflective and shiny products. The spray effectively removes the shine.
Water Atomizer/Spray
Water produced as a fine mist using a spray can be used to replicate condensation or add water droplets. Spray is most commonly used for drinks and plants. Remember: it is essential to exercise extreme care and caution when working with water close to electronic items, and especially hot lights.
Glass
If you are planning on photographing items such as drinks, then there are a variety of glass props you can buy, such as glass cubes and glass pellets to replicate ice cubes and crushed ice. These are even more convincing when used in conjunction with sprayed water.
Gloves
Lint-free cotton gloves and Pec Pads are very useful when handling shiny and reflective items, such as steel and glass, to reduce the risk of fingerprints and dust.
Cleaning Products
During a shoot it is inevitable that something will get dirty and need cleaning. Try to stock up on a range of different cleaners and polishes to allow you to clean items without leaving marks.
Black Fabric
If you are shooting within a confined location or cluttered studio, you may find that you get unwanted reflections in your shots. A good work around is to suspend large pieces of black fabric to block off these reflections. Simply clamping the fabric to unused lighting stands can help you flag a large area very quickly.
Vinyl/Polycarbonate Board
Reflective vinyl board is extremely useful for placing items on, creating a mirror-like shadow or reflection. Depending on the thickness of the board, it can be ridged or flexible, so can also be curved and utilized as a background. Solid colours work best, as clear boards create a double reflection. As it is so reflective, it usually requires less light to lift backgrounds and shadows, and more restraint may be needed to retain highlights, especially when using hard light sources.
Cameras and Lenses
You can use any type of camera or lens you wish to shoot still life, but some cameras and lenses work better than others. Traditionally, large-format bellows cameras have been used for still life and products, which allow the lens to be tilted, thus correcting the issues associated with parallax errors. These cameras are speciality items and work on an entirely different format 35mm, plus usually require a digital or film back, further increasing the expense.
It is of course possible to utilize a longer focal length lens on your DSLR. Increasing your focal length to around 120mm and above will ensure that you fit the product you are shooting neatly into the frame, and exclude the unwanted studio interior, whilst minimizing distortion. However, using a standard lens is not suitable for every product and you may be required to correct perspective errors in Photoshop, which will dramatically increase your post-processing time and begin to introduce unwanted artifacts into the photograph.
A little post-processing is not an issue if you are only planning on shooting a few still life shoots, but if you are thinking about shooting still life and products commercially, then it is definitely worth investing in a few pieces of equipment. This does not mean that you have to sell your 35mm DSLR as there are affordable ways in which to quickly transform your DSLR into a highly flexible tilt and shift system that accepts large-format lenses, giving you the best of both worlds. If you wish to use your 35mm or medium-format based system, you may find that many manufacturers produce a tilt and shift lens. These lenses are traditionally more expensive than standard prime lenses, but will help correct some parallax issues.
Fig. 5.2 X2-Pro by Cambo, and Tilt and Shift adapter by Hasselblad.
Light Tent/Lightbox
A light tent is basically a pop-up box covered in a semi-translucent or nylon white fabric. Specifications vary from manufacturer to manufacturer; however, you will generally find that the light tent has a removable panel, slit or hole in at least one side of the box, allowing the camera’s lens to be pushed through. The white fabric is used to diffuse the light, in a similar way to a softbox, resulting in soft light whilst reducing unwanted reflections from immediate surroundings. Once erected, a product is positioned within the light tent and then it is lit externally by one or more studio lights. This will to some degree produced a white surround in the finished photograph, allowing the object to be isolated and later cut out if necessary. The larger the light tent, the more lights will be required to obtain a pure high-key background.
Light tents are a cost-effective and space-saving alternative to a product table, as they are highly portable and very cheap. They are ideal for shooting smaller items and are generally used for e-commerce product photography.
Fig. 5.3 Light tent: Cubelite by Lastolite.
Product Table/Tabletop Studio
Product tables (also known as tabletop studios) are available in several sizes and consist of a semi-translucent piece of Perspex mounted onto a frame, which curves up at the rear of the table to form a seamless background. Products can be placed directly onto the Perspex or otherwise a paper background of your choice can be used and clamped onto the Perspex. The use of Perspex allows you to light products from underneath, whilst some of the larger and more expensive product tables will allow 4ft paper rolls to be mounted and the angle of the background to be raised and lowered. If you are shooting a lot of still life, then a quality table will be a worthwhile investment, offering considerably more flexibility than a light tent.
Fig. 5.4 Small product table by Cambo: ideal for still life.
BASIC STILL LIFE TECHNIQUES
A large light tent is perfect for lighting smaller items, helping isolate the subject, create a clean white surround and reducing unwanted reflections. The beauty of the light tent is its simplicity. The light is diffused by the panels of the light tent and then bounces around inside the box, helping to lift both the background and the shadows. It is possible to use only a single light with a light tent; however, the results will vary depending on the size of the box, positioning of the light and the item being photographed.
The following example has been split into three, building up from using a single light, up to three lights, so you should see the subtle difference each head makes to the photograph. For authenticity, I have photographed three everyday items, the very sort of thing you will find for sale on the internet and in the supermarket. Each of the items has a different surface and a different shape. Doing it in this way will help you see how adding more lights will effect the image.
There is no magic formula as to how many lights you should use when shooting with a light tent. A lot can depend on the shade of the background you are using and whether or not you require more or less shadow detail. For example, if you were to use a standard white paper background, you might find that the shadows remain quite dark. Most background papers have a matt finish and are therefore less reflective than a glossy vinyl. If you wish to lift the shadows, then you will need to use either a reflector or a second light. Conversely, if you are using a reflective vinyl background that bounces light everywhere, you will find that the shadows are much lighter, possibly negating the need for a second light.
A lot can also depend on your workflow. It is of course preferable to get the shot as perfect as possible ‘in camera’, reducing the need for post-processing. However, if you are only photographing a small number of items, it is perfectly acceptable to extract these from the background during post-processing. If you are shooting hundreds of items, then relying on post-processing is the last thing you want to do, as this will dramatically increase your workload and reduce your profit margin. The moral is, don’t resort to post-processing unless you really have to. Instead, add additional lights as and when they are needed and light the photograph properly.
Fig. 5.5 Still Life 1 Image © Christian Hough.
Fig. 5.6 Still Life 2 Image © Christian Hough.
Fig. 5.7 Still Life 3 Image © Christian Hough.
Still Life 1
Getting Started
Start by positioning your light tent onto a steady table or flat surface. It is better to place your tent onto a raised surface, as opposed to placing the tent onto the floor, as this will afford you greater flexibility when positioning your lights. Depending on the model of your light tent, remove the front panel between the item and the camera and then fit your chosen background inside the light tent before positioning the item to be photographed.
For your lighting, start by fitting a single head and standard reflector to a light stand, positioning your light to one side of the box and approximately half a metre higher than the item. This will be your key light. Use the modelling facility on the studio light to see where the shadows are falling, and if necessary move the light around the box to control the reflections and shadows. Now meter the light to around ƒ11 by placing your light meter inside the light tent, next to the product.
You will find that a longer focal length or tilt and shift lens will work best, helping to reduce lateral and horizontal distortion. To retain the same shooting angle and a degree of consistency between each product, it is advisable to place the camera onto a tripod. This will assist with the accurate positioning of the camera, plus leaving your hands free to fine-tune the positioning of the product. I have suggested metering to ƒ11; however, if you are using a very long focal length to photograph a large item, you may find that you require more depth of field and need to meter to ƒ16 or even ƒ22.
In this example, I stayed with the most common light tent use and utilized a classic white background to help isolate the product. To assist in lifting the white background and softening the shadows, I used a white background with an eggshell finish. This was fixed to the top and rear of the light tent and then pulled to the ground and underneath the product, much in the same way in which you would use a studio paper roll. The eggshell finish is not highly reflective, but is just enough to soften the shadows and lift the background with a single light.
Still Life 2
It goes without saying that adding a second light increases your control over the shadows and will also assist in lightening the background. It is possible (depending on the size of your light tent) to position the second light to light either more of the product or more of the background. In this example I used a fairly large tabletop light tent and concentrated more of the light onto the product, allowing the spill to lift the background.
Getting Started
Fit your second studio light with a standard reflector, place it onto a stand and position it on the opposite side of your key light. This will now be your fill light and used to ‘fill in’ the shadows. Start by positioning the light at approximately 45 degrees from the camera and meter this to one to two stops lower than the key light. In this example, the key light was metered to ƒ11 and the fill light to ƒ5.6. If you find that the shadows are still too dark, increase the power of your fill light to lift some of the shadow detail further. If you find that the photograph is looking too washed out, it may be because you are using too much fill light and the image has become flat, in which case you will need to reduce the power of the fill light. If the fill light is directed more towards the background, too much power will cause the light to bounce off the background and back into the lens, effectively bleaching the photograph. Don’t forget to check the positioning of your fill light to ensure that it is directed towards the opposite side of the shadows and the far side of the product.
Still Life 3
Once you are comfortable with using two lights, you may feel that there is a need to progress to a third light. A third light is not always necessary, especially with smaller light tents. If you are using a medium-sized or larger light tent, it may be necessary to add a third light to partially or completely lift the background, helping to further isolate the subject and to massively reduce your post-processing. If you need a highkey background and are shooting many different products, you may find that using a third light will save you time in the long run.
Getting Started
In this example, the third light was used to partially lift the background. I didn’t intend to blow the background detail completely, simply due to the fact that the item I was photographing was transparent, and a white background would have resulted in a white product! The third light was positioned in such a way that it lit the vertical background and the ground immediately behind the product.
Start by fitting a standard reflector to your third studio light and then attach this to a boom arm. Position the light so that it is directly over the light tent and directed downwards towards the background, without spilling onto the product. If you don’t have a boom, then use a standard studio stand and instead position the light on either side of the light tent, so that it is lighting the background only. The only caveat is that positioning a single light to one side may make the background lighting uneven if you intend to retain some of the background detail.
Once your third light has been set up, meter this to approximately ƒ11. Use the same meter setting as the key light (or less) if you wish to retain some background detail. If you would prefer to completely blow the background detail, then meter the background to ƒ16 or until the highlights are completely burnt out. Care needs to be taken not to blow the highlights on the surfaces or around the edges of the product you are photographing, especially if they are very reflective, such as glass.
Common Issues
LONG DARK SHADOWS
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
CROSS LIGHTING
WASHED-OUT IMAGE
This is known as bleed and is caused by too much light bouncing off the background.
MORE ADVANCED STILL LIFE TECHNIQUES
Still Life 4
Sometimes it is the simplicity of an image that works. In these photographs [Fig. 5.8 and 5.9], more emphasis has been placed onto the shape of the subject matter as opposed to the texture, yet the subject remains instantly recognizable as pears. The framing also contributes towards the image, in that it is unusual to see pears lined up in this manner, whilst the large amount of space at the top of the frame contributes towards the sense of scale.
Firstly, the lighting has been deliberately set up to draw out the outline of the pears and has been tightly controlled to restrict the amount of light hitting the background, whilst creating a circle of light around the base of the pears. Finally, the black and white conversion contributes towards the fine-art feel of the image.
Fig. 5.8 Without fill light.Image © Christian Hough.
Fig. 5.9 With fill light. Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
If you have your own product table (tabletop studio) then begin by placing some grey background paper onto the table. If you don’t own a product table, then don’t worry, as almost any sturdy table will work, providing you find some way of suspending the background paper at one end. A standard background support system will help you achieve this. To secure the paper and make it flat, clamp it to the table in several places.
Once the background paper is suspended, set up a single light onto a boom arm and fit this with a reflector and honeycomb grid. Remember, the tighter the honeycomb, the tighter the light source. Place the pears onto the table and position the key light so that it is now approximately 30-50cms behind the pears. Try and keep the light central to the frame to ensure evenness of cover, otherwise you will find once side of the pears lit and the others in the shade. Once done, meter between ƒ8.0 and ƒ11.
It is recommended that you place your camera onto a tripod. This will help you position the camera at the right angle and ensure that it remains steady when used at a longer focal length.
Remember, all of these distances are approximate and fine adjustments will need to be made based on the size of the honeycomb grid you are using and the distance of the pears from the background. It is important to use the modelling facility on your head to ascertain where the light is falling, continuously moving the light backwards and forwards and adjusting the angle to ensure you are lighting both the top of the pears and the background paper.
If you feel it is necessary, then you can add a fill light to bring out some of the foreground detail. A lot will depend on the type of pears and the finish on their skin. Of course, you can use this setup with any object, not just pears! As you can see from the other two examples, adding a fill light can distract from the shape, creating more of an emphasis on colour and finish as opposed to shape. Adjusting the level of the fill light will increase or decrease the intensity of the colour. In these examples, the fill light was simply placed on the camera axis with a bare reflector. As to which image you prefer is down to personal preference.
Common Issues
UNABLE TO LIGHT BACKGROUND AND PEARS SIMULTANEOUSLY
If you are struggling to achieve this, then it may be that the honeycomb you are using is too tight or that your boom arm isn’t high enough to allow the light to spread.
TOO MUCH LIGHT ON THE BACKGROUND
TOO LITTLE DETA IL ON FRONT OF PEARS
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Still Life 5
These shots [Figs 5.10 and 5.11] are similar in approach to the pears, but requires the use of three lights instead of one. It is a further example of how you can photograph an everyday object in an interesting or unusual way. To achieve this, the pebbles were stacked vertically and then lit on each side to bring out their shape with a little bit of texture. The grey background was gently lit to provide an element of separation from the pebbles and reduce the over contrast of the photograph. Finally the black and white conversion has given the photograph more of a fine-art feel.
Fig. 5.10 With background light. Image © Christian Hough.
Fig. 5.11 Without background light. Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
Begin by setting up your grey background paper onto your product table or tabletop. To ensure the paper remains flat, pull it tight and clamp it at several places down each edge of the table.
Start by marking a place on the background where you intend to place the pebbles. Ensure that you leave 50–100cms of separation between the pebble and the background. Then, on each side of the product table and behind the intended position of the pebbles, place a studio light fitted with a honeycomb grid or a stripbox. Turn each head to face the back of the pebbles and meter between ƒ8.0 and ƒ11. These will be your side lights/rim lights. Now, set up a third studio light, again with a reflector and honeycomb grid, and fix this to a boom arm. Position the boom arm and light so that they are central to the frame and above the table, either overhead or slightly behind the pebbles. Adjust the angle of the head to that it lights the background and the paper behind the pebbles. This will be your background light. Meter this approximately one stop lower than your side lighting (ƒ5.6–ƒ8.0).
It is time to stack your pebbles. Ideally, your pebbles will have some flat surfaces to allow them to be stacked. If this is not the case, you can use a couple of household items such as Blu-Tack and Sticky Dots to help secure the pebbles, ensuring that as little (if any) of the adhesive is visible.
Once you have set up and metered all of your lights, take a test shot and fine-tune your composition and lighting. Use a tripod, as this will help you achieve sharp focus and a consistent shooting angle, especially when shooting with longer focal lengths and shallow depth of field.
You may find that you need to adjust the angle and height of the background lighting to adequately cover the background paper. If your background is too dark, simply adjust the power output of the background light a little. Try and ensure that you get both sides of the pebbles evenly lit.
Common Issues
CREASES IN BACKGROUND PAPER
LENS FLARE
This is commonly caused by light shining into the camera lens.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Still Life 6
In still life one key aim is to make everyday objects look interesting. Fruit is always a popular subject as it is often textured, brightly coloured and is something that most people can relate to, and it does not have to be difficult to light. In this example [Fig. 5.12], simplicity is the key and a couple of lemons, limes and kiwi fruits have provided the props. Rather than see the all too familiar ‘complete’ fruit, the photograph draws attention to the internal structures. The kiwi fruit in particular is interesting, but as a collective they create a colourful wallpaper.
Fig. 5.12 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
Most shooting tables come with an opaque Perspex tabletop allowing photographers to light the top of the table from underneath. This is very useful when you are intending to lift the immediate background around an object and to create a shoot-through effect as seen in this photograph. If you do not have such a table, then an opaque piece of Perspex supported on both sides will produce similar results.
Begin by placing your studio light onto a floor stand and position it underneath the table or Perspex. Point the light so that it is pointing upwards towards the underside of the Perspex. On this occasion, leave the studio light ‘bare bulb’ and do not attach a reflector, as when firing in close proximity, a reflector will prove too directional, creating a large central hot spot. Leaving the studio light ‘bare bulb’ will allow some of the light to diffuse naturally, creating more even lighting.
Once you have set up, meter your light to about ƒ11 on the topside of the Perspex. All you have to do now is slice your fruit and place it on top of the table. Your greatest challenge will come with getting above the table so that you can shoot directly down. If you are using a tilt and shift or bellows-based system, you will more easily be able to correct any parallax issues. If you are using a standard lens, then mounting your camera on a boom, tethering it to a laptop and then firing it remotely is a very good alternative and much safer than hanging off a set of stepladders!
Common Issues
WASHED-OUT/OVEREXPOSED IMAGES
PROXIMITY HOT SPOTS
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Still Life 7
Continuing with the theme of fruit and veg, I used the red, yellow (amber) and green peppers to replicate traffic lights (at least in the UK). The concept is simple, yet it is the type of image that you frequently find used in stock photography to illustrate healthy eating [Fig 5.13]. The background has been left grey to draw attention to the colour of the peppers and then spot lit directly behind to create a circular gradient. Finally, the three images were composited together in Photoshop to form the traffic-light effect.
Fig. 5.13 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
For this shot you will need three studio heads. The lighting concept is similar to that of a portrait, in that you have a key light, side light and background light. Begin by attaching grey background paper to your product table. In the absence of a product table, you can use a standard table and suspend a paper roll from a background support system; once done, be sure to clamp the paper to the table to prevent it from moving.
Before you set up your lighting, it may be a good idea to consider how you are going to position the peppers. In this example, I simply used a very thin 30cm steel pole and pushed it into the bottom of the pepper. I then secured the pole using a large lump of Plasticine (or putty). Whilst you are setting up your lighting, it is a good idea to erect the pole without the pepper as this will give you a better idea where to position your lights. Try and leave around a metre of separation between the pole and the background as this will allow you to light the background properly and minimize any spill light.
For the key light, is it recommended that you use a stripbox or rectangular softbox, as this suits the shape of the pepper and also the light is more diffused and less likely to reflect off the shiny skin. Position the key light to about 45 degrees to camera right. Begin by metering this to ƒ11.
For the side light, I deliberately chose a harder light source and used a honeycomb grid attached to a reflector. This created a much hotter reflection on the pepper. Attach your honeycomb grid and reflector and then position your light behind the pole/pepper to camera left. Using the modelling facility on your light, turn it around so that it is lighting the side of the pepper, taking care not to direct it down the camera lens. As the honeycomb grid is a much harder light source, meter this to about ƒ5.6. You may find that you need to adjust this later.
Now attach a further reflector and honeycomb grid to your third light and fit this to a boom arm. Position the boom centrally above the paper, turning the light around so that it illuminates the background immediately behind the pepper. This may take a few adjustments, so it is a good idea at this point to mount the camera onto a tripod, place the pepper on the pole and then adjust the background light from the point of view of the camera. Try to get the pepper as central to the background light as possible. The metering of the background light will ultimately depend on the shade of the background paper, but somewhere around ƒ5.6 to ƒ8.0 is a good start.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
When positioning the pepper, be sure to move it around to get the best angle. It is recommended that you position the camera so that it is level to the pepper, with the background light directly behind. Using a tripod ensures that the camera remains at the same angle and focal length for each shot, allowing the peppers to look more consistent when composited together.
Common Issues
BLOWN SIDE LIGHT
Try reducing the power of your side light or moving it further away.
BACKGROUND LIGHT
Still Life 8
If you are planning on shooting bottles or tall slim cylindrical objects and wish to achieve professional looking results, you will need to use stripboxes or strip lights. A strip light is a tall thin powered flash that can be plugged into a studio generator, where the power can be controlled in the same way as any other generator-based flash. A stripbox is a much cheaper alternative and is essentially a tall thin softbox that attaches to a studio light. In this example, stripboxes were used.
There are several ways in which a bottle can be photographed to bring out different aspects of the bottle and the liquid inside. Many photographers make use of specially designed light tents with strip panels, which have the advantage of being easy to set up and they help to reduce unwanted reflections on the glass. However, in this example, I decided to steer away from the light tent and to use more common studio accessories, concentrating on the shape of the bottle, whilst obtaining an even grey background with minimal reflections, to demonstrate that it is possible to reduce reflections by controlling the light and the surroundings.
The idea and learning point is to accentuate the shape of the bottle, bringing out the contours. As the bottle is highly reflective, it is important to try and retain most of the highlights down the side, as they are intended to be an accent, not the main feature. In this shot [Fig. 5.14], you will find that lighting the bottle is only part of the challenge. It is easy to obtain a high-key background, but more of a challenge to subtly light a dark grey background without creating more unwanted reflections and drawing out the imperfections in the background paper.
The concept used here is fairly straightforward and by no means the only solution when photographing a bottle; however what is important here is the lighting technique and how it may be applied in different situations, without the use of light tents.
It is of course possible to use any reflector or softbox you see fit. However, if you wish to achieve a continuous or semi-continuous highlight down the side of the bottle, you will need to use a strip light or stripbox. This is because a long narrow light creates a long narrow reflection, whereas a normal softbox or reflector would create a round or square reflection. As bottles are generally tall and slim, you will find that a stripbox works best. If you do not have a stripbox, then it may be possible to flag or mask a rectangular softbox by clamping black fabric or thick black card to the front diffuser – not ideal, but it does work!
Alternatively, if you are regularly shooting a number of different bottles on a white background then you may find using a specifically made light tent more suitable. As previously mentioned, there are several light tents available with white diffused strips down each side specifically designed for photographing bottles. These make life a lot easier, although they are limited in space and application.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Fig. 5.14 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
For this setup you will need at least four lights. I used four lights; however, you may find that in the absence of a light tent and lots of white reflective surfaces you need more ‘fill’ on the front of the bottle (depending on the label and bottle), so it is a judgement call as to whether you will find a fifth studio head useful.
Begin by suspending your grey paper background and mark a position for the wine bottle on the paper (to prevent it being accidentally knocked over whilst setting up!). Start by attaching two stripboxes to two studio lights and place them onto stands. Position one of the stripboxes on each side of the table and behind the bottle. Now turn these stripboxes back towards the sides of the bottle. These will create the highlight down each side. The further around to the side the stripboxes are placed, the narrower and less conspicuous the reflections will be. As for metering, a good starting point is to meter them between one to two stops lower than the key light, so that you retain the highlight detail. It is important to keep the metering consistent on each side, so that the bottle is evenly lit.
Now attach a third strip light to another studio head and position this approximately 45 degrees to the camera axis. In this shot, I positioned it to camera right. Use the modelling facility on the light to ascertain where the reflection will be on the bottle in relation to the camera and the label. Occasionally, reflections can prove distracting on very reflective labels, with the reflection partially obscuring the name on the label. Meter the key light to ƒ11. If necessary, you can consider using a further strip light around the front of the bottle to lift the shadows and label detail.
Finally, attach a standard reflector onto your fourth studio head and fit them both onto a boom arm. Position the boom centrally over the table and adjust it until it is between the bottle and the background. Now rotate the studio head so that it is pointing directly towards the ceiling (or white bounce reflector). This will bounce diffused light off the ceiling and back towards the table, lighting the background paper without creating unwanted shadows and reflections. The metering of this head will depend entirely on the distance between the table, the ceiling (or white bounce reflector) and the studio light. Aim to fill the unwanted background shadows and adjust as necessary. A meter reading of ƒ5.6 at the table would be a good starting point.
Once you have positioned all of your lights, it is safe to place your bottle and glass of wine onto the table. If you are photographing an expensive bottle of wine and would rather not open it for the shot, then it may be worth considering purchasing a second bottle to fill the glass so they may be photographed at the same time. (Try not to spill the wine, as this will warp and pucker the background paper.)
Common Issues
NON-CONTINUOUS REFLECTION
Depending on the shape of the bottle, it may not always be possible to achieve a continuous reflection.
UNWANTED REFLECTIONS
UNABLE TO LIGHT BACKGROUND
Still Life 9
One area of the market that has huge promotional budgets is that of alcoholic drinks. Alcohol has become a lifestyle product, with drinks being marketed at certain age groups and even specific genders. Regardless of markets, one image that is universally popular is that of the ice-cold beer. The idea behind this shot [Fig. 5.15] is to sell the image of a chilled and refreshing bottle of lager. By placing the bottle on ice and lighting the back of the bottle, we are able to capture the beer inside, the colour of the bottle and condensation. At the same time, the bottle and label have been lit from the front to add shape to the bottle and draw attention to the brand name.
Fig. 5.15 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
First of all, it is necessary to purchase a few props. If you are working within a large freezer, then working with ice is a possibility; however, in a studio with equipment producing lots of additional heat, the ice would begin to melt before you had a chance to photograph anything. Although the ice in the photograph may look real, it is in fact a combination of crushed glass and glass ice-cubes! Imitation ice is widely available on the internet, and you will find that it comes in a variety of different forms, even as semi-melted ice-cubes. Additional effects such as a fine water spray can further enhance both the bottle and the ice, recreating the effect of condensation.
Before you start, it is a good idea to purchase and clean several bottles of beer, then place them in the refrigerator overnight to get them really cold. This will help them naturally condense when it is time to photograph them.
The key to obtaining this effect was by backlighting the opaque top on the product table. Begin by placing your props and spreading the ice over the table, leaving enough depth to support the bottle. Once done, attach a single head to a floor stand and leave it bare bulb. Place the light directly under the table and position it so that it points directly at the underside, shining through the bottle – this is ‘backlighting’. If possible avoid using a reflector as this will project the light forwards and will result in a hotspot. Meter the light to approximately ƒ8.0 on the top side of the table.
The next step is to fit two stripboxes to two heads, placing one at each side of the table. Adjust the height of the lights so they are approximately one metre higher, then position the stripboxes so they run parallel to the bottle, providing a continuous highlight up each side. Meter the left box as your key light to ƒ11 and then the right box as your fill light, between ƒ4.0 and ƒ5.6. Adjusting the height of the stripboxes will adjust the highlight. The lower down the stripboxes are, the further around to the edge of the bottle the highlight will be, and vice versa.
When you begin to photograph the bottle, it is better to fix your camera to a sturdy and weighted tripod, using a boom from the tripod or a lighting stand in order to position the camera directly over the bottle. If this is feasible, tether the camera to a computer so you may trigger the camera remotely and view the images as they are shot. If you intend to hold the camera and photograph the bottle from above, care must be taken not to overstretch, causing yourself to fall onto the equipment. You may of course shoot the bottle at whatever angle you wish, adjusting the lighting as you go.
Common Issues
IMAGE WASHED OUT
Usually caused by too much power from the back light underneath the table entering the camera lens.
HOTSPOT
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Still Life 10
Recomposing, playing with depth of field and zooming in on particular areas of the set can help give your table top photography a different feel and add to your collection of shots.
Making the most of the limited space available when shooting table top products can at times be difficult. However, considered use of depth of field can really facilitate a sense of scale and distance.
In this shot [Fig 5.16], the long focal length of the lens has assisted with the flattening of the perspective and helped to increase the effect of depth of field. Together with the landscape orientation of the photograph, it enables the two nearest objects to be framed to the left and the positioning of the out of focus products to the right. This helps add to the sense of scale. Some consideration has also been given to the colours, and the darker products positioned closer to the camera and in focus, while the lighter colour products have been placed in the background as their paleness helps them to naturally recesses into the background. The positioning of the taller product close to the middle of the image also helps divide the frame into two.
Finally, a little colour goes a long way! As opposed to making use of a contrasting background such as white, peach background paper has been used to create more of a blend and help draw out the complementing tones, giving the shot more of a brochure appeal.
Fig. 5.16 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
This set-up can be used with any colour background paper; however, to achieve a similar effect, is worth identifying some paper and products that complement each other.
Begin by fixing the background paper to your product table. It is important to keep this as crease-free and flat as possible, otherwise the creases will cause unwanted shadows. Now position your camera and lens onto a tripod. You will find that a longer focal length lens or tilt and shift system will help you make maximum use of depth of field. Now roughly position your products on the table and check the framing of them in the camera lens. This will give you a rough indication as to where to position the lights.
Start by attaching a stripbox (or slim softbox) to one of the heads and position it at the front of the table to camera left, turning it to face the products nearest the camera. The positioning of the light and size of the modifier will depend entirely on the shape and surface of your product; however, 45 degrees is generally a good place to start. As with all set-ups, small adjustments can be made by using the modelling facility to help you ascertain where the reflections and shadows are falling. Once done, position a white polyboard (or white card reflector) on the opposite corner of the table to help lift the shadows. Meter to around ƒ8.0.
The procedure for lighting the furthest products is exactly the same, although this time you will need to place the stripbox/softbox on the right side (or opposite side) of the table at around 20 degrees (more side on). It is possible that you may require a further polyboard (or white reflector) on the opposite side of this light to help lift the shadows. A lot will depend on the size of the product table, the stripbox or softbox used and the distances between the products. It is possible that your key light will sufficiently fill the shadows without the need for a reflector. Meter to around ƒ8.0.
It is useful (although not essential) to have two boom arms available for the remaining two lights: one for the background and one to for a bounce fill. For the background light, attach a studio light to a boom and fit it with a reflector and honeycomb grid. Position the boom and light directly over the centre of the table and turn it to face the background. Use the modelling facility to ensure that the background is centrally lit. You only need to add an accent to the background, so keep the power low starting around f4.0 and adjust if necessary. If you do not have a boom for this light, then use a studio stand, position it on the left of the table and aim it towards the background. In this scenario, a carefully positioned stripbox will illuminate the darkest side of the background and create a subtle gradient. Both are nice effects, so there’s no wrong or right! Again take a few test shots, adjust the power gradually and see what you’re most comfortable with.
Finally, attach a medium to wide angle reflector onto the fourth light. Place the light onto a boom and move it close to the rear of the product table, but central to the frame. Then turn the head around so that it is bouncing light off the ceiling. The idea is to allow the light to bounce and diffuse, gently filling in the darker shadows and any unevenness on the table. Positioning it further back helps prevent light from unintentionally lighting the front of your products, but should instead even out creases and dark shadows. Meter the power at the table and begin low and gradually build up, until you are happy with the filling effect. If necessary, you can place this light behind the product table and instead use your boom arm for the setting up the background light as per the paragraph above.
Of course, a lot of the above will depend on your ceiling! You should find that any white ceiling of approximately 2–3 metres in height should prove suitable. The higher the ceiling, the more power will be required. If your ceiling is very high or not white, it is entirely possible to suspend white polystyrene or paper above the set; alternatively fix it to the ceiling to create a similar effect.
As with anything, it is worth getting a little creative and taking a few abstracts. Simply zoom in and out on particular areas of the set and reframe your subjects to give a different perspective [Fig. 5.20].
Common Issues
LIGHT SPILLING ON TO THE BACKGROUND
Try using stripboxes or smaller softboxes to help control the light.
If you don’t have a stripbox, clip pieces of black card or fabric to the front, creating a strip effect.
Move the products further from the background or change the angle of the light so that it no longer illuminates the background.
LOTS OF SHADOWS
Try using more polyboards or white card around the set to help lift the shadows. Silver reflectors are not recommended as they will create reflections on shiny surfaces and the paper.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Still Life 11
Some images require more than propping and need to be more dynamic. Sporting goods and bathroom products are good examples, requiring energy and a feeling of invigoration to entice the viewer.
As we have already seen, water is ideal for creating that feeling of movement and energy, plus it is just as suited to products as it is to people. Combining products, props and movement can make a really enticing image as in this example [Fig. 5.17]. Whereas many photographs using water are photographed on a shaded or black background to make it easier to capture the water, this shot remains a little unconventional and was shot on a white background. The white background combined with the bright yellow (or lemon) bottle of shower gel retains an airy fresh feel. To add to the lemon theme, sliced lemon was added to a container of water and then literally poured out over the shower gel, giving the feeling of being drenched in lemons and water.
Finally, in post-processing a blue-coloured filter was very quickly added to the water to give some contrast and variety. You can see both images for comparison.
Fig. 5.17 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
Begin by erecting your product table, and placing your shower gel onto the surface. To ensure that the bottle remains upright when the water and lemons fall on it, place some Sticky Dots or removable rubber adhesive on the lid of the gel to secure it to the table surface.
Now place a single studio head onto a floor stand and position it under the product table. This will backlight the tabletop and help to reduce the shadows at the base of the shower gel. Leave the light ‘bare bulb’ to help diffuse the light more, as using a reflector can make the light more directional and cause a white hotspot under the product, resulting in loss of highlight detail. Once in position, meter the light to approximately ƒ11. It is also necessary to light the background and produce the high-key effect. For safety, attach a second bare-bulb lamp to a regular lighting stand and position this directly behind the opaque vertical back of the product table, lighting the background. Meter this light to around ƒ16. It is of course possible to light the high-key background from the front; however, it is better to keep as many lights as possible away from water splashes.
For the key light, almost any reflector will work. Hard light sources work better with water as they add more contrast and defined shadows. In this example, I used a bare reflector on the key light and positioned it approximately two metres from the table, to reduce any risk of splashback. It is of course possible to use a softbox, as the front diffuser will provide a physical barrier between water splashes and the hot bulb/flash tube. Position the key light approximately 10–30 degrees of camera axis and meter to ƒ16. You will find that a greater depth of field will enable you to get more of the splashes and droplets in focus.
In order to assist with the backlighting of the water, set up a fourth head on the left of the table and at 45 degrees to the rear of the bottle, again fitted with a bare reflector. Ensure that it is around two metres from the bottle to reduce any risk of water splashing onto the flash. Meter this light to around ƒ16. This is effectively backlighting the water, so be careful not to use too much power as you run the risk of blowing all of the highlight detail in the water.
You would be forgiven for thinking that you have finished setting all your equipment up. However, water reflects light and needs something to create contrast from all of the white background. Place a large piece of black fabric either to one side or to both sides of the table, so that the water picks up the black reflection and increases in contrast.
For health and safety reasons, it is recommended that you use a full-sized large professional product table when working with water, as this will minimize the risk of water splashing onto the hot lights. Ensure that you have at least a dozen large absorbent bath towels, a large absorbent sponge and a bucket close to hand. Place the towels all around the edge of the table (over any joins) in order to soak up the water as it is dropped. Use the towels and sponge to immediately mop up spillages, and place soaked towels in the bucket. Electricity and water do not mix and are a lethal combination, so regularly check the towels and replace them as necessary, whilst ensuring all power supplies, plugs, extensions and lights are well out of the way of any splashes, wet towels or potential spillages. Be warned: do not cut corners.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
Fig. 5.17 Infrared and sound trigger. Image © Christian Hough.
Rather than use a radio trigger by itself, it proves to be more productive to make use of a motion or sonic trigger that fires the shutter the moment the sound or motion triggers the sensor. This in turn fires the shutter on the camera and then triggers the flash via the regular radio triggers. Some of these triggers (such as the model in Fig. 5.17) can be activated sonically or via an infrared beam. The firing of the trigger may be fine-tuned to trigger the camera at exactly the right moment.
SETTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Camera Settings
Lighting Equipment Required
To capture the water a sonic sensor was used to activate the shutter on the camera at the moment of impact, proving to be far more reliable than simple guesswork and manual timing.
Common Issues
WATER DETAIL BLOWN OUT
If you are overpowering the backlighting, then it is quite possible to blow all the detail in the water, effectively making the water invisible.
UNABLE TO CONTROL WATER
UNABLE TO FREEZE WATER
Still Life 12
Occasionally it is the everyday objects that can be the most difficult to photograph in a more interesting or unusual way. In situations like this, lighting remains important, but compositing and editing can help bring an object to life.
In this example [Fig. 5.18] a standard multi-bit screwdriver was photographed along with each individual screwdriver bit. The driver bits and screwdriver were then composited in Photoshop, so that they all appear together. Photographing the screwdriver in this way adds an extra dynamic to the image, clearly illustrating that the driver has multiple capabilities. A medium-grey background was used to contrast against the yellow screwdriver handle yet remain clean enough so not to appear cluttered against the expanded driver bits.
This image is simple in its approach, and there are many professional still life photographers that utilize this effect to its full potential. Yet it illustrates how consistent lighting and Photoshop can be used together to make even the plainest of objects appear more interesting.
Fig. 5.18 Image © Christian Hough.
Getting Started
Erect your grey paper background and clamp it securely onto your product table. (As with previous examples, a standard table or pasting table is a good second, with the paper suspended using a background support system.) You will find that you need to support the screwdriver and bits in some way; for this I used a very thin pole placed into a lump of Plasticine and then secured the driver using Blu-Tack. Now attach the camera to a tripod and position this at the same height as the driver, fine-tuning the framing before you move on. Doing this will assist you to more accurately position the lighting.
To light the background alone you will need three lights. Fit two of these lights with standard reflectors or small softboxes, position them on either side of the table and face them towards the background, leaving approximately one metre of separation Meter each light evenly to around ƒ5.6. This will evenly light the grey background paper. If you are using a light grey paper, you may find that less power is required, but more light will be needed for a darker background. Now mount the third background light onto a boom arm, fit it with a medium-sized honeycomb grid and mount it centrally over the paper. Turn the head around until it is lighting the centre of the background behind the screwdriver, creating a ‘spot’ effect. Take a test shot with the camera to check the position of the spot effect and then meter to ƒ11.
For the key light, fit a standard reflector with a broad honeycomb grid to a regular lighting stand and place it approximately 30–45 degrees to the right of the camera axis. You will find that a honeycomb grid helps prevent light from spilling onto the background and creates harder shadows, accentuating the shape of the driver. If you are using an object with a very reflective surface, you may wish to consider using a more diffused light source such as a softbox, although consideration will need to be given to how this may affect the background. Once you have decided on the modifier for the key light, meter it to ƒ16. Using an aperture of ƒ16 (or smaller) will help you retain more of the screwdriver in focus, especially if you are shooting close-up at a longer focal length.
Finally, attach a fifth light to a stand and fit this with a reflector and honeycomb grid. Place this light at the side of the table and behind the position of the screwdriver, turning it back 45 degrees to face the back of the screwdriver, whilst ensuring it is not shining directly down the lens of the camera. This fifth head will become the side light and help separate the screwdriver and screw bits from the grey background, whilst accentuating their shape. It is important to keep the side light power low to retain the highlight on any reflective surfaces; therefore it is recommended that you begin with a low power setting, around ƒ4.0, slowly increasing the power as required.
Once you have finished setting up and metering, adjust the angle of the screwdriver so it appears to be more three-dimensional, with a clear visual of at least three sides. Once you are satisfied with the shot of the screwdriver, begin to photograph the screwdriver bits one at a time, by attaching them onto the pole with Blu-Tack. A priority task is to ensure that they all remain at the same angle, otherwise you will be unable to maintain the same perspective when compositing them together in Photoshop. It sounds easy, but it takes time and practice. Shooting tethered to a computer is recommended, as this will enable you to quickly view previous images to ensure that the perspective and field of view is not changing between frames. With more time and practice, you will be able to position component parts at different heights and focal planes to reproduce a more accurate perspective.
Common Issues
BACKGROUND UNEVEN
UNABLE TO MAINTAIN PERSPECTIVE
This takes time and patience.
LENS FLARE