Product Photography
Another form of photography that fascinates me is product photography. It’s very difficult to get a professional look with limited resources. Most people build an entire white box to shoot in, but I haven’t done that. I don’t even use soft boxes, I use umbrellas (cheaper and more convenient, though they have their drawbacks). So depending on what I’m shooting, I have to rig up something ridiculous in my office, usually involving a white sheet. I had to shoot some decorative hardware for a feature we were doing for the last issue of the magazine. I put the main flash reflecting off a silver umbrella up 45 degrees and over 45 degrees and then set another flash with a diffuser just pointing up to the light colored ceiling to bounce back down and create a little more fill. Then I juggled intensity of the flashes with shutter speed until I got the perfect (enough) exposure. Here’s a setup shot (flashes triggered remotely when I snap the picture) and the final shot.
One day I’ll have a studio full of backdrops, giant softboxes, and awesome gear. But for now, I have to rock what I’ve got. Starting small and working your way up is the way to go. Pay for more stuff with money you’ve made with your old stuff. You have to spend money to make money and photography is no exception. But gear isn’t number one on the priority list of getting a good picture.
