The "Dream" Product Photography Setup?

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

I find myself in a unique situation, that I hope minds and experiences in this room can help me succeed in.

I come from video, around 15 years deep, I own and shoot almost exclusivey on RED. I have spent 8 years or so becoming average at photo.

I find myself in the position to improve my PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY skills and looks.

Mainly cosmetic, skincare and supplement products.

The unique situation is that money is literally no object with regards to lights, sweeps, backdrops etc and years to figure out how best tp use the,, as this particular prodct line will not be going live for 2 years.

I already own a Sony A7Riv, with the sony 2.890mm macro, the sigma 1.4 35mm, and a ton of the best L's in canon with a EF-E converter.

Coming from video, im used to constant light obviously, so the complete novice with flash vs expert with constant argument is raging. as Im keen to adopt and learn flash.

SO, to the question....given that I am ignorant to studio lighting...

If money was no object... What would your dream setup be with regards to lights, modifiers, backdrops, stands, platforms. I'd love a little hand holding through someones dream build list of the key items, and how many you consider necessary for your ideal product photography setup.

Imagine Clinique or Loreal called you tomorrow and said, build us a product photography space to shoot water drop photography, ripple shots, typical blocks and shadows cosmetic product shots, etc. Give us the stuff you need we'll go get it.

Don89 · Mar 25, 2022

Broncolor Broncolor, Broncolor strobes, packs and all their seriously cool lighting modifiers. Their commercial/product type modifiers are wonderful. Spots, and all. Amazing stuff.

a bit expensive too.

I’ve got Elinchrom gear myself and Broncolor modifiers along with Elinchrom modifiers.

Ive a job next week shooting over 500 products. Spending this weekend designing my setup for it. Will be on retainer for all future products the client gets so am staging a spot for a permanently dedicated studio set for his products to respond to and get new shots done quickly for him.

head over to Broncolor website and build your business system up

--
I am the copyright owner of my work. Please don’t take or alter my images.

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

Thank you very much for the response.

It sounds like we are in similar positions. A permanent setup for product photography to build, except my knowledge of product photography had been self educating for 8 years or so, and I'm truly ready to be told "you need 2 perfect lights, and 2 good ones, etc etc here are the optimal softbox sizes and distances for small products etc... I'm not expecting that from you or anyone here

but getting started is key

I'd be fascinated to see a sketch of how you see that build out going.

BAK · Mar 25, 2022

Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately a very valued forum member took early retirement from the forum today. It seems to me his decision relates to postings like yours, which all too often turn out to be the work of trolls.

Anyway, start learning by finding four or five significantly differently indoor rental studios. The following are not rental, but they'll tell you what to look for. On YouTube, Daniel Norton in New York and Peter Coulson in, I believe Sydney, but for sure in Australia, have lots of programs that show many of the features and characteristics of their studios. And Nathan Elson in Calgary. And Jared Polin in Chicago.

Pye Jursa posted a You Tube thread today explaining why he prefers a 70-200 f2.8 lens to any of the various 85s, but you can get both cuz money doesn't matter.

A 100 or 105 would be a good idea.

Considering the non-restrictions of you budget, buy Profoto flashes. A couple of each power levels. I'd buy battery models, not wall cords.

BAK

Ellis Vener · Mar 25, 2022

Don89 said:
Broncolor Broncolor, Broncolor strobes, packs and all their seriously cool lighting modifiers. Their commercial/product type modifiers are wonderful. Spots, and all. Amazing stuff.

a bit expensive too.

I’ve got Elinchrom gear myself and Broncolor modifiers along with Elinchrom modifiers.

Ive a job next week shooting over 500 products. Spending this weekend designing my setup for it. Will be on retainer for all future products the client gets so am staging a spot for a permanently dedicated studio set for his products to respond to and get new shots done quickly for him.

head over to Broncolor website and build your business system up

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

38 minutes exactly after I joined this forum and found this topic, I saw that gentlemens post and replied to it, eml emploring someone like him to stick around as it seems like he was a valuable member here.

I am however curious about how a forum post such as mine, explicitly explaining that I'm a veteran in the cinematic Game and I would consider myself a pro in the professional digital video game with close to half a billion views on YouTube pieces for fortune 500's and startups alike, could be the work of "a troll" or am I misunderstanding the nature of these threads? Are they supposed to be purely for experts and peers to compare notes, I'm genuinely asking if I'm out of line asking for advice on this topic.

I am by no means a no knowledge beginner in photograohy as stated, I'm currently running my ARIV through multiple makeshift flash setups, utilizing my arri constants while I'm ignorant to flash and shooting flying product and mid air paint collisions at high speed with laser interrupted trigger technology, the time has come however to stop mcguivering everything and take this seriously so I come to where the pros live to ask... if you could start fresh and go nuts. Where to even begin in such a world rich with paid for opinions and overnight experts. Which is why I bypassed YouTube all together.

I appreciate the input!! I'll do some research based on your opinions which is absolutely my hope from this post. To hear emphatic experienced based opinions after people have used equipment themselves.

BAK · Mar 25, 2022

And Capture 1 software for reviewing pictures immediately after pressing the shutter.

BAK

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

This response is perfection incarnate, ill keep making notes from responses and either extensibely research or just keep renting the best cabdidates. Also great hearing about a specific table to check out, as I was actually struggling with shooting surfaces after 2 years of bad experiences with BHPHOTO recommended tabletop sweeps, combining reflective white surfaces and flat white backdrops, and just generally wasting hours changing light setups with big bulky sweeps, when transitioning from white product staple shots to expressive color, action and flying object images. Thanking you!

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

The Sony software has been somewhat unreliable when tethering. Another great thiught thankyou.

tcphoto1 · Mar 25, 2022

As my mentor said, there are a thousand ways to shoot a subject. I would start with what you have and then go from there. I have shot Food and Product with natural light, strobe and Kino Flo and they all have their strengths and issues. My latest challenge to myself is to work more with diffusion, flags and other modifiers along with what I already own.

I would suggest spending some time on YouTube, I have learned a lot from botvidsson’s channel https://www.youtube.com/user/botvidsson/videos. Good luck to you.

Shiaijo · Mar 25, 2022

Thank you very much!

A-Marc · Mar 26, 2022

Shiaijo said:
Thank you very much for the response.

It sounds like we are in similar positions. A permanent setup for product photography to build, except my knowledge of product photography had been self educating for 8 years or so, and I'm truly ready to be told "you need 2 perfect lights, and 2 good ones, etc etc here are the optimal softbox sizes and distances for small products etc... I'm not expecting that from you or anyone here but getting started is key

I'd be fascinated to see a sketch of how you see that build out going.

you will need a good number of c-stands, gobos, flags, cutters....for shiny stuff you will need scrims and bounce cards. Friction arms and clamps in all sizes and shapes.

i believe the key in product photography is the skill to control the light in every aspect, so its not only where it falls onto, its also important to control where it shouldnt fall onto.

thats my 2 cents.

Don89 · Mar 26, 2022

Ellis Vener said:
Don89 said:

Broncolor Broncolor, Broncolor strobes, packs and all their seriously cool lighting modifiers. Their commercial/product type modifiers are wonderful. Spots, and all. Amazing stuff.

a bit expensive too.

I’ve got Elinchrom gear myself and Broncolor modifiers along with Elinchrom modifiers.

Ive a job next week shooting over 500 products. Spending this weekend designing my setup for it. Will be on retainer for all future products the client gets so am staging a spot for a permanently dedicated studio set for his products to respond to and get new shots done quickly for him.

head over to Broncolor website and build your business system up

Click to expand...

I second the recommendation of Broncolor.a Broncolor HAZYLIGHT is as close to perfect as a light for product photography as anyone has ever made. The Hazylight is a combination diffused light, flash head, and support stand. You might also want one of Broncolor’s Fresnel type optical spots.

From Broncolor’s sister company Foba get a shooting table and an ASABA camera stand.

Definitely get the ASABA camera stand. I also love ke the ASMIA tripod head, but an Arca-Swiss C1 Cube tripod head is the stand out product in this category, especially for product photography.

For stands, flags, and other grip equipment: Matthews Studio Equipment, https://msegrip.con

For softboxes (besides the HAZYLIGHT): Chimera Lighting https://chimeralighting.com

jazja · Mar 26, 2022

There is no universal setup. The setup depends on the position of the camera (top down, in line, bottom up…) on the lens (wide-angle lens creates higher angles of light reflection than telephoto lens), on the background,….

To photograph cosmetics, you need stripboxes, zoom reflectors, and large diffusers. Minimum number of lights — at least 4. More is always welcome.

It will not work without knowledge.

Search on youtube Alexa Koloskova, Karl Taylor, Martin Botvidsson ...

Teila Day · Mar 26, 2022

Standard product photography stuff. I too would go Broncolor at the time of this writing.

colour temp shifts via the Score pack

A camera stand with more than a measly 20+ inches of reach. For example...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/273344-REG/Foba_31_0120_Portrait_Pro_Camera_Stand.html/accessories

A long hearty boom: If building the ideal studio, I'd prefer to use a really heavy duty boom as opposed to the smaller light/camera booms like the Manfrotto Mega Boom which is only ok for small things.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546484-REG/Manfrotto_425B_425B_Mega_Boom.html

Larger industry booms allow you to hang large lights, parabolic modifiers, large scrims, etc.. from the boom.

I'd opt for: https://www.adorama.com/mtb377700.h...QxoEAQYAyABEgKdoPD_BwE&utm_source=adl-gbase-p

D Saul · Mar 26, 2022

Shiaijo said:
I would consider myself a pro

I am by no means a no knowledge beginner in photograohy as stated

Odd that with all this background you'd never networked with other pro studio photographers who could guide you with some answers.

Richard Hopkins · Mar 26, 2022

My ideal set-up would start with a large studio space with high ceiling. It's amazing how much room you need to do a proper job of a perfume bottle.

If the space is properly large enough, I'd go for white walls simply because the ideal black is too depressing to work in regularly, but with 100% black-out available at the flick of a switch. Kitchen off, changing room, relaxation area, space to hang. Air-con. SkyTrack system to keep the floor clear/safe but also a bunch of wheeled C-stands. Tethered shooting from a heavy studio pillar stand.

With all that, I'd be happy using any of the major flash lighting brands, though probably all the same brand for convenience and compatibility. Mains/wall powered if work is exclusively studio-based. Also consider continuous lights if subjects are static, or if video may be involved.

But money and gear doesn't buy knowledge and experience. With lighting 'less is more' IMHO and a huge pile of kit is more likely to complicate and confuse. Most photographers tend to use quite a small range of favourite equipment for the majority of their work, but with a selection of 'accent modifiers' to hand when needed. On the other hand, be aware that some clients put value in high-end brands like Broncolor/Profoto, Hasselblad etc, and are less impressed by a photographer using a camera that looks like the one they have at home regardless of results or suitability.*

You're obviously no novice, but consider some one-to-one tuition to get up to speed quickly with a new discipline. Product photography is a distinct discipline, and some would say one of the most difficult. Get familiar with tilt & shift lenses and Scheimpflug. Try some deliberately tricky excercises. Then practise and practise, get some quality feedback, practise some more and repeat ;-)

*I'd have a big Bron parabolic sitting in the corner even if I never used it. Preferably with price tag attached.

Shiaijo · Mar 26, 2022

Much appreciated. I've found a few sources that show me optimal lighting setups and techniques, and my own experience helps a little, but noone really talks about the nitty gritty of equipment and what thing are called.

Shiaijo · Mar 26, 2022

The broncolor cart is getting full

I'll keep doing modifier research.

Shiaijo · Mar 26, 2022

Im in love with the detail in this response. I'm frantically reading lifetime reviews on everything therein.

The "Dream" Product Photography Setup?

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