Do product photos in a studio really need very powerful continuous lights?
Asked 5/17/2014
6 views
2 answers
0
For tabletop/product photography with static subjects on a tripod, I’m wondering whether the absolute power of continuous studio lights really matters. I often see recommendations for very strong lights, but if the subject doesn’t move, couldn’t I simply use a longer shutter speed?
Assuming similar modifiers and light placement, is there any practical image-quality difference between several low-power continuous lights and higher-power ones that can’t be compensated for by using a slower shutter speed?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
It's a matter of controlling the contrast between lower ambient and higher flash light sources. You have more control over how the lighting looks if you can increase the contrast between ambient and flash. When you're using lower lighting levels with longer shutter speeds, the ability to balance the flash against the ambient is greatly reduced.
For example, turning a background completely white or completely black in a studio setup generally relies on lighting the subject and background independently of one another, and then adjusting those lighting levels differently--lowering the background lighting or raising it on the subject can make a grey backdrop black in the image, and doing the reverse can make it white. If your lighting sources are low-powered enough to be similar to the ambient lighting (long exposure), you can't make much of a difference between how the background is lit and how the subject is lit.
And if you use continuous lighting that is powerful enough to give you that contrast between background and subject, chances are really good it's going to produce a lot of heat and require more power than a flash would.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For static product shots on a tripod, absolute continuous-light power often matters much less than people think. If nothing moves, you can usually compensate for lower light with a longer shutter speed and get the same exposure.
Higher power becomes important when you need things that shutter speed can’t fully solve:
- freezing motion
- handholding instead of using a tripod
- stronger control over lighting ratios versus ambient light
That last point matters in studio work. More powerful lights give you more separation from room light, so it’s easier to independently control subject and background brightness. For example, making a backdrop look very white or very black often depends on lighting subject and background differently; weak lights can reduce that control if ambient light becomes a significant part of the exposure.
So for still-life/product photography, low-power continuous lights can work fine if you can tolerate longer exposures and control ambient light well. Very powerful lights are mainly useful for speed, flexibility, and lighting control rather than because the camera inherently “needs” more light.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How much strobe power do I need for indoor/outdoor portraits and small group shots?
Why use studio strobes instead of bright continuous lights for photography?
How can I get slightly harder, more directional light than a softbox for clothing product photos?
How can I estimate the lighting needed for handheld product photography in a lightbox?
What camera settings are typical for product photos on a white background?