Light is one of the most important factors not only in the photography industry but also especially in  product photography. The shape or quality of  the light will greatly impact your product photos. So if you can product photography lighting setup well that makes you have the great beautiful photos for you selling business.

The role of lighting setup when taking product photos

Product photography lighting kit

Product photography lighting kit

The role of lighting setup when taking product photos can be seen clearly in:

  • Brighten the photo frame clearly.
  • Lighting the subject helps the subject stand out and be clear in the overall context.
  • Create composition and depth for photos. Thanks to the light direction and color intensity, the viewer can perceive the distance, distance, wide-narrow space,…
  • Bring life to your photos and draw a vivid story. The light itself will tell you the message you want to convey through the way you adjust the light direction and color level.
  • Lighting dictates the shooting style you’re aiming for. By adjusting the light intensity, you can easily create diverse photos such as: Low key, High key, Dark Food photos,…

Principles of lighting setup for product photography

Setup for product photography in studio

Setup for product photography in studio

To be able to produce a photo with beautiful lighting not only requires increasing power but also requires the support of suitable lighting equipment for product photography.

So, the first thing you should consider is:

  • The purposes of taking photos and the type of products you choose
  • The place to shoot?
  • For each person, the needs and purposes of taking photos will be different. You can choose to take photos outdoors or take product photos in the studio. So when producing photography light setup, you should be interested in:
  • Use batteries or AC power
  • How long does it take for the light to be restored?
  • Remote control device.
  • How to handle when safety is needed.

Product photography lighting setup methods

You need to know how to set up lights properly to ensure a stable light source and not cause shadows when taking photos. Difficulty in moving and setting up in places with uneven terrain: mountains, hills, rapids, etc. Therefore, if you want to ensure the light source when taking photos, you need to pay attention to taking advantage of both light sources to complement each other. This will help you handle situations such as cloudy weather, sun out,… when taking photos outdoors or in case of a power outage while shooting at the studio.

Thus, both natural light and lamp light have their own strengths. You should combine both light sources to help your photo have enough light, become vivid and clear.

The 1 light setup for product photography

Actually, using 1 light setup for product photography is not suitable. Because 1 light can not I’ve you enough light to shine your products. So I not recommend you use 1 light setup for product photography. Because the front lighting comes from behind the photographer and shines straight on the subject. This light, also known as flat light, clearly exposes details and has no shadows.

The 2 light setup for product photography

The 2 light setup for product photography

The 2 light setup for product photography

In this step of lighting setup for product photography, you need to know 2 lights is what for. In which, 1 light is the main light and the other is the auxiliary light. The main light is placed in front of the product or to one side. Auxiliary lights are placed on the opposite side or behind the product. You should move the lights to find the most beautiful and suitable lighting angle.

The 3 light setup for product photography

Seting up the 3 light setup for product photography is more difficult. Lighting setups with 3 lights are often used both in the field of lighting for photography and video production in the studio. The 3-light setup technique is to use 3 different light sources to illuminate 1 or more subjects at a fixed location. Because there are 3 different light positions, it ensures that the subject is best lit and controls the shadows from the main light source. At the same time, the photographer can also create depth for the subject in a more diverse and easier way.

Through this article, I hope you have the basic knowledge to product photography lighting setup. Because, to be able to create great photos, lighting setup for product photography is extremely important. However, currently not all users understand the product photography lighting setup. You also need to practice continuously to learn lessons for yourself to choose the most suitable method for each specific product.