in need of good advice from studio people!

[photojenny]

hello!

i have an interview tomorrow at a big place here in portland, or called Studio 3. as part of my interview, i need to take two product test shots. im not exactly sure what this will mean, but i just thought i'd ask about it here....anyone with any advice on situations like these....please help! im nervous, and i come from mainly a fine art photography background. so this is going to be interesting....

thanks for any advice/help in advance

xo
jenny

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Do you need to take two product shots with you - or are you having to do two there?
Standard product shots - usually done on a plain background. A large roll of seamless paper is best. White for choice.
Hang it behind your set and the front edge you pull forwards over a table so it is at 90 to the paper behind. Don't have a sharp corner, though. Let it change direction in a smooth curve. Make sure there are no blemishes, dirt or wrinkles.
Put your object on top of the paper on the table.
Simplest light is a flash with soft box (Try not to use a brolly unless they have nothing else - less control) over the top of the camera position - usually in front of it so you will need a boom or a sky hook. Angle the light so it is pointing in to the corner at 45 degrees. You should have it positioned so it lights the front of the object.
Position object through the viewfinder. Make sure there is nothing unwanted in shot. Use a lens hood.
You can change the light values on different edges by using white card reflectors (small, about A4/A5) to bounce light back in, making sure they are just out of shot. They can lift the light level on various surfaces to push back annoying shadows.
This is a basic set-up that can provide the basis for a large number of variations with little effort.
For example - put some black card between the softbox and the background to cast a shadow. You should not affect the lighting on the product but by playing around you can change the position of the shadow on the backdrop corner curve. This gives a graduated background, going from white at the front to black at the top - useful for making the product stand out more.
Is that any help?
I hope so. I've just compressed about 20 years of hard won professional expertise into that mini-essay

Best of luck with the interview.
Make sure you get them to be very clear about what they want you to do - and don't panic.