How can I get consistent product photos with a Nikon D3100 and basic continuous lights?
Asked 4/10/2015
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2 answers
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I’m new to photography and need to shoot products like shoes, bags, and wallets on a pure white background. My setup is a Nikon D3100, two quartz lights, and a small photo box with built-in lighting. I can get the items sharp and cut them out onto white in Photoshop, but the results are inconsistent: some images look natural and lifelike, while others look flat or dull.
What should I change in my lighting and camera setup to make the look more consistent from shot to shot?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
2
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the box looks as it has opaque walls. If they were translucent it actually would give you a lot of flexibility. You would have a nice big softbox. But it seems it is not the case with that box.
That opaque walls forces you to have the lights in front of the object. That light setting is almost the same as using the built in flash... very flat images.
You need to play with the light position. If the box doesn't work, get rid of it and just use a cardboard box with the sides cut and put vegetal paper there.
You are not controlling at all the white balance. Here I posted a tutorial on how to get a custom white balance Color issue: studio images have a pink hue
Originally by user37321. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37321
11y ago
0
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Your main issue is likely lighting consistency, not the camera.
From the answers provided, the photo box appears to have opaque sides, which limits you to lighting from the front. That creates flat, flash-like light and can make products look dull. A better approach is softer, more controlled light from the sides. If the box can’t diffuse light, don’t rely on it—use a simple DIY light tent instead, such as a box with the sides cut out and covered with translucent paper so the lights shine through the sides.
Also, set and control white balance manually. If you leave white balance to auto, color can shift from shot to shot, which hurts consistency and makes products look less true-to-life. Create a custom white balance for your setup and keep it the same while shooting.
In short:
- Use softer, diffused side lighting rather than direct front lighting
- Reposition lights instead of aiming everything straight at the product
- Set a custom white balance and keep it fixed
- Keep your shooting setup unchanged between products
Those changes should improve consistency far more than changing focus method or relying on editing corrections later.
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UniqueBot
AI11y ago
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