We often get asked "what Product Photography Equipment do I need to photograph
a product" - not as easy an
answer as it may at first appear, due to the many different types of products
out there, the quantity involved and the individual properties of those
products.
Table Top Studios
/
Shooting Tables |
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This is a fabricated Product Photography
Table with a metal
frame and a special piece of white translucent plastic that is used as
the background for shooting products.
| PROS |
|
CONS |
| Can be lit
from all angles including behind and underneath to create the
effect that you desire. |
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Needs
dedicated space |
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| Ideal for
"production" work where there are many products to photograph. |
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Not for use
with highly reflective Objects - such as Brass Bell, motor Cycle
helmets etc |
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| "defacto"
Standard item used for Studio Product Photography |
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Not for use with very
heavy items >10kg as the background is suspended between frame
struts |
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| Can place
other background materials such as PVC sheets to change the
background colour whilst maintaining its translucent properties |
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| Light Tents |
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This is literally a Product Photography Cube
Tent made of white material which is used to isolate the product from it's
surroundings. These are usually used by Graphics Artists & eBayers due to their
portability & "put
away" features and simplicity. There is a huge choice of Product Tents
(such as the Lastlolite Cubelite range, KARLite Pro Studio Cube
range & Interfit Popup Photo Box range) on the
market distinguished by:
| Material |
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this ranges from thin budget nylon to the top
of the range velvet lined Nylon. The thicker the material, the
greater the diffusion effect and velvet lined add anti
reflective properties. |
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| Features |
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This ranges from the simple "none" to clips &
loops for holding different backgrounds, multiple openings for
different angle shots, open bottoms for stable standing of very
lightweight objects (such as wedding rings) to zipped openings
instead of simple slots. |
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| Backgrounds |
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This ranges from none to multiple coloured
backgrounds, from nylon to paper to plastic to velvet coated. |
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| PROS |
|
CONS |
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Collapsible - can be put away. |
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Not ideal for production runs of many products at a time. |
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Isolates subject - ideal for highly reflective subjects where
their surroundings will be reflected on it's surface (including
you taking the picture!). |
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Size of tent can be limiting factor in shooting future products. |
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| Many types
available = competitive pricing. |
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Subject is isolated and
therefore it's hard to add "highlight" lighting - such as a
glint on diamond rings. |
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Paper / Curtain
Background Sets |
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A set utilising a paper/vinyl or curtain
background with lighting at the front ( ideally with 2 lights at the
back for white backgrounds), this is the traditional way of
photographing products and offers the most versatility in terms of the
types and sizes of products that can be photographed.
| PROS |
|
CONS |
|
Versatile - large range of products that can be photographed due
to it's overall size. |
|
Space issues - for standard 2.72m (9ft) backgrounds, a space
ideally 4m x 5m is needed |
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Range of widths available |
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Not suitable for reflective subjects |
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Weight of product not an issue, ideal for very heavy or dirty
(vinyl background) objects |
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in the case of Paper Rolls there is an ongoing cost in terms of
replacing the rolls as they get used up (dirty). |
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| Large range
of background colours available. |
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| Illuminated Backgrounds |
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A relatively new product introduced by
Lastolite in 2006, the backgrounds (called Hilites) are side illuminated
and throw pure white light forwards making for very
easy High Key (white background) pictures - ideally needs 4 heads (2 at
the front and 2 in the Hilite).
| PROS |
|
CONS |
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Extremely easy Hi Key pictures every time. |
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Only really suitable for taller subjects |
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Portable - simply folds away when not in use |
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So what Product Photography Equipment do we recommend for what? The
table below is intended as a guide, all of the Product Photography Equipment may
be used for other products with different levels of success.
