{"id":56914,"date":"2010-07-12T10:29:02","date_gmt":"2010-07-12T10:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/?p=56914"},"modified":"2019-04-28T07:23:16","modified_gmt":"2019-04-28T07:23:16","slug":"lighting-the-lights-designers-tabletop-lamp-product-photography-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/lighting-the-lights-designers-tabletop-lamp-product-photography-tutorial\/","title":{"rendered":"Lighting the lights: Designer\u2019s tabletop lamp product photography tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section bb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Hero&#8221; custom_padding_last_edited=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.17.1&#8243; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;on&#8221; background_color_gradient_start=&#8221;#0c1319&#8243; background_color_gradient_end=&#8221;#2b3a42&#8243; background_color_gradient_direction=&#8221;60deg&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px|0px|0px|0px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset7&#8243; box_shadow_horizontal=&#8221;0px&#8221; box_shadow_vertical=&#8221;-80px&#8221; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; next_background_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][et_pb_row custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.17.1&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Title&#8221; background_layout=&#8221;dark&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Open Sans|600|||||||&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;Poppins||||||||&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; header_2_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; max_width=&#8221;700px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Lighting the lights:<\/h2>\n<p>Designer\u2019s tabletop lamp product photography tutorial<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Video Code&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; max_width=&#8221;1000px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|10px|10px|10px|10px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset1&#8243; box_shadow_horizontal=&#8221;5px&#8221; box_shadow_vertical=&#8221;5px&#8221; box_shadow_blur=&#8221;25px&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div data-rel=\"Pro_Club_Active_Member\" class=\"progressally-video-container progressally-vimeo-video-container\" progressally-vimeo-id=\"13306418\"><a class=\"video_not_found\" href=\"https:\/\/popup-click-open-trigger-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/plugins\/photigy-video\/images\/img-not-f.jpg\" style=\"width:1200;\"\/><div class=\"imm_play_icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/plugins\/photigy-video\/images\/play.png\"\/><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;off&#8221; specialty=&#8221;on&#8221; prev_background_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; specialty_columns=&#8221;3&#8243;][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=&#8221;Row&#8221;][et_pb_column_inner type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; saved_specialty_column_type=&#8221;3_4&#8243;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>I like to shoot products, working quietly in the studio, putting all my skills and creativity to get job done. There are three major types of product shots we are dealing with:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">1. Sometimes it is ugly prototypes, where post-production and retouching may take ten times more efforts than photoshot itself. They are good challenge to work with, and it helps a lot:-)<br \/>\n2. Regular off the shell products, with shape and finish that can be very straight forward to shot or require hours of complicated setup built and very precise lighting to be done right.<br \/>\n3. Designers products, which are very unique and usually very interesting to work with.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>In this article I&#8217;ll\u00a0 show our recent photoshot with a third, most enjoyable to work type of product.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>I am talking about the photo-shot we had recently for Doug James (<a title=\"StudioDoug: Doug James masterpieces\" href=\"http:\/\/www.studiodoug.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">StudioDoug.com<\/a>). He brought very interesting and unusual products of his studio to be photographed: LED tabletop lamps along\u00a0 with other cool stuff.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>First lamp<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/1-151.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Atlanta product photographer image example<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The requirement was to have all of them done on a seamless white background, therefore <a title=\"Manfrotto Large Still Life Shooting Table with 79 x 49&quot; Plexiglass Panel \" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/222195-REG\/Manfrotto_220_Large_Still_Life_Shooting.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Manfrotto (Bogen) shooting table<\/a> was used.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>A little tricky part was to capture lamp&#8217;s own light: Each one uses a few hundreds of LED, and combined with the colorful beads it gives amazingly beautiful\u00a0 light.<br \/>\nHowever, LED was not powerful enough to match the power of few hundred watt second strobes (I do not think that such powerful\u00a0 LED exists at all), so we did this:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>After we were done with regular shots with lamp off (1\/250 sec shutter, F10 ISO 100) we turned off all the lights in the studio along with modeling lights for all moonlights used.<br \/>\nThen, shutter was set to 1\/20 of a sec, exactly what\u00a0 a 2\u00b0 spot camera exposure meter suggested for a lamp&#8217;s LED head to be expose correctly. No other parameters was changed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Mouse over on a shot below to see how it looks with 1\/20 sec, turn on the lights!<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2-140.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/3-130.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Tabletop lamp photography lighting tutorial example<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Timehead man :-)?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/4-117.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Time in the head<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The lighting setup:<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/5-5.png&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Product photography lighting setup diagram<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The lighting setup is quite simple : Medium-size softbox from the left&nbsp; for the man light, right with a&nbsp; strip box as a fill light. This can be easily reversed by changing light ratio, sometime it better for other side to be lighter (like we did for&nbsp; this clock guy: fill light become a main (by increasing the power), and main became a fill light.<br \/>\nBeauty dish on the top mostly&nbsp; for filling the background.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The hair light on the right is for a lamp&#8217;s head only: I did not want to be any edge on the lamp body.&nbsp; Background light is to make it brighter and for overall brightness control, not relaying on a reflected light here.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Now, the most interesting part.<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>This is not what we do often, but this time I&#8217;ve asked Doug if we can use one of his lamp to create more dramatic and creative image, something to catch people attention. This shot was not a part of the original requirements, but something we will do for ourselves.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>He agreed, and we did it: not only a producing an amazing photo, but also got a video behind the scene tutorial explained on how we did the whole shoot.<br \/>\nI really like this: we got a great image for the portfolio, gained experience and also created a video tutorial, all from the same shot!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Dramatic look of the same product:<\/h3>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/6-99.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Dramatic lighting of the tabletop lamp<\/p>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The lighting setup:<\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/7-81.jpg&#8221; show_in_lightbox=&#8221;on&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>Lighting setup for a product photography<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Because of the shape of this lamp I&#8217;ve decided to use main light (<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>2<\/strong><\/span> AB 800, 30\u00b0 grid) directly from the bottom, through the glass table.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Fill light from the left (<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>1<\/strong><\/span>, WL 1600), only to add little shiny marks on a lamp&#8217;s head metal cap and the bottom. Hair light (<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>4<\/strong><\/span> AB400 through 20\u00b0 grid) was used to get an edge on the lamp&#8217;s body, head was not exposed by it.<br \/>\nNumber <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>3<\/strong><\/span> (WL 1600 20&nbsp;\u00ba grid) was for the background, to create a halo-like spot coming from a table..<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Before and after images of the lamp from our retoucher on <a title=\"Post prodcution Atlanta blog\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perfectphotoblog.com\/art-product-studio-photography-before-and-after-post-production\/1317\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\"><strong>post-production blog<\/strong><\/a>, check them out: you&#8217;ll like this!<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Camera gear:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> \t<a title=\"Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III digital SLR\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/518204-REG\/Canon_2011B002_EOS_1Ds_Mark_III_SLR.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III<\/a> DSLR<br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Bogen 055 XPROB camera tripod\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/504845-REG\/Manfrotto_055XPROB_055XPROB_Aluminum_Tripod_Legs.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Bogen 055 XPROB Tripod<\/a> with\u00a0<a title=\"Manfrotto 405 geared head\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/244282-REG\/Manfrotto_405_405_Pro_Digital_Geared.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">405 geared head<\/a><br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Canon RS-80N3 Remote Switch for EOS-1V\/1VHS, EOS-3, EOS-D2000, D30, D60, 1D, 1Ds, EOS-1D Mark II,III, EOS-1Ds Mark II,III, EOS-10D, 20D, 30D,40D, 50D, 5D\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/164276-REG\/Canon_2476A001.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Canon RS-80N3 Remote Switch<\/a><br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Canon Right Angle Finder\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/183200-REG\/Canon_2882A002.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Canon Right Angle Finder<\/a><br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Canon EF 180mm F3.5 macro L Lens\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/112541-USA\/Canon_2539A007_Telephoto_EF_180mm_f_3_5L.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Canon 180mm f3.5 macro L<\/a> and\u00a0<a title=\"Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L lens\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/264304-USA\/Canon_8014A002_Zoom_Wide_Angle_Telephoto_EF.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Canon 24-70mm f2.8 L<\/a> lenses<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lighting, light modifiers and accessories:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> \t<a title=\"Paul C. Buff strobe lighting\" href=\"http:\/\/www.white-lightning.com\/flash2.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Paul C. Buff Lighting<\/a>: 1\u00d71600WS, 1\u00d7800WS, 2\u00d7400WS<br \/>\n \t<a title=\"AlienBees and white Lightning honeycomb grids\" href=\"http:\/\/www.alienbees.com\/hg4x.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">AlienBees\/White Lighting reflectos with various honeycomb grind<\/a><br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Paul C. Buff Cyber Commander\" href=\"http:\/\/www.paulcbuff.com\/pcb2009\/cybercommander.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Paul C. Buff Cyber Commander<\/a> 16 channels remote control with CSR+ receivers<br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Remote capture for canon: Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta 2\" href=\"..\/2010\/03\/shooting-tethered-adobe-lightroom-3-v-s-capture-one-5-remote-capture-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta 2<\/a> as a remote capture solution for tethered shooting<br \/>\n \t<a title=\"Manfrotto Large Still Life Shooting Table with 79 x 49&quot; Plexiglass Panel \" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/222195-REG\/Manfrotto_220_Large_Still_Life_Shooting.html\/BI\/5495\/KBID\/6292\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #cc0000;\">Manfrotto (Bogen) shooting table<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>All shots were done with: <\/strong>shutter speed 1\/250 sec, F10, ISO 100, Custom WB 6100K<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Let me know what do you think, your feedback is always a good sign for me:-)<\/p>\n<p>~Alex<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243;][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=&#8221;3.17.1&#8243; area=&#8221;et_pb_widget_area_4&#8243; orientation=&#8221;right&#8221; \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section bb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Hero&#8221; custom_padding_last_edited=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.17.1&#8243; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;on&#8221; background_color_gradient_start=&#8221;#0c1319&#8243; background_color_gradient_end=&#8221;#2b3a42&#8243; background_color_gradient_direction=&#8221;60deg&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px|0px|0px|0px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset7&#8243; box_shadow_horizontal=&#8221;0px&#8221; box_shadow_vertical=&#8221;-80px&#8221; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; next_background_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][et_pb_row custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.17.1&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Title&#8221; background_layout=&#8221;dark&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Open Sans|600|||||||&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;Poppins||||||||&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;36px&#8221; header_2_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; max_width=&#8221;700px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;] Lighting the lights: Designer\u2019s tabletop lamp product photography tutorial [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Video Code&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.18.4&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; max_width=&#8221;1000px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|10px|10px|10px|10px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset1&#8243; box_shadow_horizontal=&#8221;5px&#8221; box_shadow_vertical=&#8221;5px&#8221; box_shadow_blur=&#8221;25px&#8221;] [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;off&#8221; specialty=&#8221;on&#8221; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4869,"featured_media":56921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13435,1408],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[19121,19120,2435,19122,2436,2422,16530,12210,2421,19123,275,200,1101,19119,2434,2433,2423,119,3029,2418],"class_list":["post-56914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-proclub-beginner","category-product"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56914\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56914"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=56914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}