Week 9 -Mastering the Art of Product Photography

Question 1

Draw up a list of the most important aspects of a product photograph. Refer to shadows, lighting, quality, ISO and editing in your answer. Mention at least five things.

1. ISO – below 100.
2. Quality – The photographed object should be sharp.
3. Lighting – set white balance to sunny and make sure that there is enough light.
4. Shadows – avoid shadow, if so very soft.
5. Editing – Shoot in RAW so it is easier to edit it later.

Question 2

1. Make your own DIY light tent.

Instead of paper I used wood and Ikea laundry basket which I tested with a flash light and found out that it spreads light nicely. I used two divided layers of the fabric to maximize the effect.
For the background I used scrap of a white vinyl photo background.

2. Take product photographs of the following objects:

• Something fluffy, like a stuffed animal
• Something shiny, like a knife and fork
• Something hard, like a book or a mug
• A liquid, like a glass of wine

3. Draw a diagram of your lighting scenario for each of the above photographs and submit it along with the photographs.

4. Edit your photographs with the software of your choice. Write an accompanying paragraph for each of your photographs and explain what you did during the editing process.

ISO 50, f/13, 1/60 sec, flash light – 1/4 power.

ISO 50, f/13, 1/60 sec, flash light – 1/8 power.

ISO 50, f/13, 1/60 sec, flash light – 1/8 power right, 1/4 power up