Product Photography, Shadows.. help!

Benjamin2 · Aug 14, 2012

Hi There,

I'm really stressing myself out over my photography, I wonder if someone could help me out..

Basically the problem I'm having is regarding shadows in my photos which you can see below :

I'm using an area 80cm wide with a 60cm length so I can't get my lights down the side of background which is a grey paper roll.
I've got a large silver reflector but this isn't making any difference. The shadows beneath the bowls is my main issue, I can crop the other one out.

Currently I'm using two softboxes with a 5500k colour temperature, they have five bulbs in each light with an internal diffuser.
A 7d with 18-135mm lens and I'm using the internal flash on this.

To give you an idea of settings I'm using a 1/50 shutter, F5, auto iso and shooting raw.

I don't really want to correct these in post process so any help here would be greatly appreciated!

* Just to note the lights are just there for reference, I don't normally set them up unlevel.

Benjamin2 · Aug 14, 2012

I'm thinking of getting a ring flash to resolve the issue.. thoughts anyone? .. please

KmH · Aug 14, 2012

Raise the product, or lower the lights. You might also get by by using a couple of white reflectors low on each side of the product to reflect some light under the object to fill the shadows. Some white foamboard would work. Some black foamboard can be used to subtract light.

However, you really need more lights than what you have in your set up, and your softboxes look like they don't have an internal diffusion panel.

If you don't already have it, get the book - Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

cgipson1 · Aug 14, 2012

^What Keith said!

Get the softboxes closer to the subject, more on a horizontal axis! Right now, you are throwing light at a strong downward angle... and the light source cant reach where the shadows are!

Does this make sense to you? (I know.. I am a lousy freehand artist)

Benjamin2 · Aug 14, 2012

KmH said:
Raise the product, or lower the lights. You might also get by by using a couple of white reflectors low on each side of the product to reflect some light under the object to fill the shadows. Some white foamboard would work. Some black foamboard can be used to subtract light.

However, you really need more lights than what you have in your set up, and your softboxes look like they don't have an internal diffusion panel.

If you don't already have it, get the book - Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Thanks!!! Keith, I'l purchase the book. In the meantime, what would you recommend? I don't have a lot of space to play with so I'm thinking a third softbox isn't really an option. I need something small, cheap and effective..

By defuser your talking about the sheet between the softbox cover and the light? each has one but I guess they aren't diffusing the light very well/ or it's just the picture.. I'l check this later on.

Benjamin2 · Aug 14, 2012

cgipson1 said:
^What Keith said!

Get the softboxes closer to the subject, more on a horizontal axis! Right now, you are throwing light at a strong downward angle... and the light source cant reach where the shadows are!

Does this make sense to you? (I know.. I am a lousy freehand artist)

View attachment 16879

Loving the diagram Charlie, really helpful! ... I get what you are saying I'l give this a go in a moment and see what happens.. If this doesn't work I have a table I can use to raise the product up. I do have another issue to resolve after this but I won't confuse matters just yet.

You guys are lifesavers! ... thanking you!

Derrel · Aug 14, 2012

Mad diagramming skilz for the win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!! I think we need more of this kind of helpfulness on TPF.

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

cgipson1 · Aug 14, 2012

Derrel said:
Mad diagramming skilz for the win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!! I think we need more of this kind of helpfulness on TPF.

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

Why thank you, Derrel! It is rudimentary, but I think it gets the point across!

cgipson1 · Aug 14, 2012

Benjamin2 said:
cgipson1 said:

^What Keith said!

Get the softboxes closer to the subject, more on a horizontal axis! Right now, you are throwing light at a strong downward angle... and the light source cant reach where the shadows are!

Does this make sense to you? (I know.. I am a lousy freehand artist)

Click to expand...

Loving the diagram Charlie, really helpful! ... I get what you are saying I'l give this a go in a moment and see what happens.. If this doesn't work I have a table I can use to raise the product up. I do have another issue to resolve after this but I won't confuse matters just yet.

You guys are lifesavers! ... thanking you!

I just hope it helps! lol! And yes... read that book!

Benjamin2 · Aug 14, 2012

Okay, so I tried it again with the setup in the image below...

and ended up with this result :

Thoughts anyone?

cgipson1 · Aug 14, 2012

flip your softboxes horizontal!

move them down further.. get the bottom of the softbox on almost the same axis as the bottom of the bowl! Softboxes are still too high.. maybe too far away.

move the two softboxes together, leaving just enough room to shoot through!

Try it.. see what happens

In the image I drew for you.. where are the bottoms of the softboxes in comparison to the bottom of the subject?

Also.. turn a softbox.. take a shot of the softbox while lit.... I want to check for hotspots.... cheap lights / softboxes often have hotspots, and don't soften light that well!