Setup for product review shots - neutral white background

[Mac Daddy]

I am a hardware and software reviewer and pictures are a very important element of them. Have been learning as I go and picked up some tips as well and learning a few things by trial and error.

I have a light box I built here as well as a light tent I bought which I will post about later. My main issue is I review items such as computer cases which are too large for the light tent I have. I have come a long way though and lighting is so important for these shots.

This was my very first review and I was such a noob I didn't even know about neutral white backgrounds lol :crzy:

(Images are thumbnails off our server just click on them for larger image)

http://image.svijethardvera.com/thumbs/cr002big.jpg (http://image.svijethardvera.com/?v=cr002big.jpg)

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=535

Using the light tent and digital imaging bulbs I picked up I took the pics for my latest article and getting there ..... any suggestions welcome.

http://image.svijethardvera.com/thumbs/katana7dxd.jpg (http://image.svijethardvera.com/?v=katana7dxd.jpg)

http://www.technewshw.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2556#post2556

Now onto larger items and backdrops. I used the same digital imaging bulbs and picked up a backdrop which is simply a table liner. It's plastic on the outside but a soft flat white satin on the inside which doesn't reflect light. I will have to hunt down the pics I took of this setup but posting a result below.

EDIT: Found the pics

http://image.svijethardvera.com/thumbs/katana3002eze.jpg (http://image.svijethardvera.com/?v=katana3002eze.jpg) http://image.svijethardvera.com/thumbs/rogue012nun.jpg (http://image.svijethardvera.com/?v=rogue012nun.jpg)

The review using this setup:

http://image.svijethardvera.com/thumbs/rogue9vjv.jpg (http://image.svijethardvera.com/?v=rogue9vjv.jpg)

http://www.technewshw.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1261

Anyway my first thread on this and any tips welcome as well as any tips I can give been doing these reviews for over 2 years now :)

[jev]

Get yourself a good half-transparent studio tables and light from below too. Falcon Eyes makes a couple of tables that are suitable, for example the ST-1324 (http://www.falconeyes.com.hk/index.php?pid=570346&lang=enus&cid=73393&product=Photo_Table) seems a suitable table at 130x240cm.

[Mac Daddy]

Get yourself a good half-transparent studio tables and light from below too. Falcon Eyes makes a couple of tables that are suitable, for example the ST-1324 seems a suitable table at 130x240cm.
I will check into that and thanks for the feedback :)

[jev]

The Falcon Eyes tables might not be available in Australia, but there are numerous other brands that make them of course.

And if you can't find them or if they are too expensive, you can always build one yourself using acryl and some sturdy tubes from your local DIY shop.

There's a lot of valuable information available in the video's from pro photo life, check 'm out here (http://www.prophotolife.com/video-library/). Also take a look at this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjbRpn-FHA4) on tabletop photography.

Good luck!

[Whisky_Mac]

Don't forget that most product shots are contoured and can then be placed on any background. Often a common graduated background is created and all shots are placed on the common background. This allows the images to look as a family so to speak.

It is important to have separation from your subject and your background to help the contouring. Light boxes and under table lights are good but light coloured objects are best on a dark background. The layers feature in Photoshop allows you to add shadows as well.

This is just playing with a beer can. It was shot standing on a glass on the table out the back using natural light. Contoured, duplicated and vertically flipped and a white grad placed on the reflection which still had the clipping path on. Then a neutral grey grad was placed behind the lot to end up with this.

[Mac Daddy]

Wow very clear on that image. Thanks again for the tips I will drop by when I can very busy this time of year.