Small Product Photography: LIGHT HELP (lightbox, softboxes, umbrellas)

[bmilcs]

Hello folks,

I have the DSLR, macro lens and speedlights.

Up until now, I've been relatively satisfied with my cardboard box lightbox with 3 clamp on worklights sporting 3 walmart sun replicating bulbs. However, I want to improve upon that and invest in a decent small studio.

There are many ways of doing it but I'd like to get out of my lightbox and produce superior lighting from my speedlights or pick up some permanent lights.

Do you recommend softboxes or umbrellas?

What setup do you recommend? Can I see examples of shots you've done with yours?

Thanks!

 

[tirediron]

I like Lastolite products, especially their EZbox line. I don't find umbrellas offer enough control for this sort of work.

 

[Big Mike]

If you are only shooting products/still life, then there really isn't a strong reason to get Speedlights instead of continuous type lighting. You can (and should be) using a tripod, so the advantage of a short burst of light isn't really there.

The most important thing is that all your lights are using the same type of bulb (same color temp).

As for softboxes vs umbrellas, I tend to prefer softboxes because they constrain the light more. An umbrella 'spills' the light over a wider area and likely out the back as well. In a small room, that can be troublesome.

If you don't have it yet, pick up the book 'Light: Science & Magic'....it is pretty much the instruction manual for this type of lighting & shooting.

 

[bmilcs]

Thanks fellas.

The more I think about it, the more I'm aiming to upgrade my lightbox. Mine is currently very cumbersome, made of cardboard and heavy.

I really enjoy the look of bouncing the light off a white ceiling. I think that's why I was interested in an umbrella.

 

[bmilcs]

Sorry about that. Brain fart.

I simply want to be able to "bounce a flash off a ceiling" without having a ceiling. I love how soft and nice the light becomes. Would a softbox be too "punchy"?

 

[Braineack]

that's why they call it a softbox instead of a punchbox.

The idea of bouncing the flash is that it makes whatever you're bouncing it off the light source. So if you use the ceiling, the ceiling then becomes your light source. And as a general rule, the larger the light source, the softer the light.

Your lightbox works but converting your tiny light bulbs into large light sources as they shine through your diffusion panels. the diffusion panels then become the light source.

Move a softbox far away from your subject and crank up the power and you wont like the light, it just becomes another small directional light source.