Professional product photography
is a deceptively complex genre. In
order to create the image styles
sought after by clients today while fulfilling the
main functions of any product shot – to draw
attention to and sell the featured product –
lighting must be tightly controlled.
In many cases product photography
professionals utilise a multi-light setup, but
where space is limited, or when working on
a limited budget, a single strobe can suffice.
In some cases a single light can be desirable
to create a strong directional look, where
using a second strobe would introduce too
much light to the scene and add unnecessarycomplication to the photographer’s workflow.
However, the main challenge with this
approach is that one side of the product
can appear underexposed, especially with
dark, glossy materials. Where this occurs it is
important to add a fill light by reflecting some
strobe light back onto the surfaces not facing
the light source. This provides a more subtle
second light effect than even the lowest power
setting on a second strobe could achieve.
With a creative approach to lighting angles
and a good knowledge of how exposure relates
to lighting output, a magazine style can be
attained with minimal investment in time and
potentially costly studio equipment.Inset
Uncontrolled lighting
A combination of a misplaced strobe
and excessive power have produced
blown highlights, dark shadows and a
distracting background, with lack of
attention on the subjectWork with directional lighting for dramatic but
controlled product photography, with a stylised
look yet balanced exposure
3
Choose a focal length Depending on the size
of your studio, a longer focal length will
compress the scene, making items appear
closer together, minimising optical distortion
and cutting negative space within the frame.1
Place the light Attach a large softbox to
your strobe. While we want a fairly tight
light spread, background illumination can be
altered later, while product highlights will be
kept soft by the large light source.4
Set the aperture To keep all of your subjects
sharp, stop down to at least f11. You may
need to use a higher f-number to manage
image brightness, so moving the items away
from the background reduces unwanted detail.2
Arrange the products Set out the items to
introduce a sense of depth. Stagger the
objects to avoid too much linearity, which does
not produce an interesting perspective. Ensure
good background separation.5
Adjust strobe power If your shot is too bright,
with blown highlights on one side of the
product, keep your camera settings the same
and reduce strobe output. Don’t move the light
back – this can create too much directionality.beforeShoot
product images
single strobe
All images © Peter fenechshooting skills