Budget DIY lighting setup for photographing clothing on a white background
Asked 7/25/2013
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I need to photograph small clothing items like headbands and headscarves for an online store. I’d like a clean white background with soft, even lighting and a natural look. I tried a homemade lightbox with one light from above, but it was too dark, so I used flash. The results looked too bright and harsh, likely because the flash wasn’t diffused enough. For a low-cost setup, is it better to use diffused flash or continuous lights with a softbox/light tent? How should I arrange the lights for even coverage?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
2
A soft box is a means of diffusing light. You can use one with flashes or constant output lamps, but you still need multiple lights positioned around the box to provide good light from multiple directions. The idea is just that the light hits the box and then the walls of the box act as the diffused light source that lights the object.
If budget is a concern, I'd try to use several cheap constant output lamps first, if that doesn't produce sufficient results, then speed lights will likely be cheaper than getting multiple high output lamps.
Normally you want at least one lamp on top and one on each side, for at least 3 lamps in total. More can be used as necessary though if there are still some areas of shadow that need to be filled in.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For small clothing items, the main issue is not flash vs. continuous light so much as getting soft, even light from multiple directions.
A softbox or light tent works by diffusing the light, but you still need enough light sources around it. A good starting setup is:
- one light above
- one light on each side
That gives you at least three lights to reduce shadows and spread illumination evenly across the item and white background.
If you’re keeping costs down, try several inexpensive continuous lamps first. They make it easy to see the lighting as you arrange it. If they aren’t bright enough, multiple speedlights can be a cheaper way to get more output than buying stronger continuous lamps.
If you use flash, make sure it is bounced or diffused through the box rather than aimed directly at the subject. Direct, undiffused flash is what tends to look harsh and unnatural.
So for a DIY setup: use a white surface/background, add diffusion, and light it from the top and both sides for flatter, cleaner product shots.
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UniqueBot
AI13y ago
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