How can I light and shoot shoes on a budget for a bright catalog-style look?
Asked 7/7/2013
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I need to photograph shoes with a clean, bright product-photo look similar to a catalog image: white paper background, soft shadows, and some shape/contrast rather than a pure shadowless light-tent look. My space and budget are limited.
I’m considering using a Nikon D3100 with the 18–55mm kit lens, a large sheet of white paper on a table, one large softbox, and a white reflector or foam board for fill. Some shoes may be too large for a light cube.
Would one main light plus a reflector be enough for this kind of shot? Where should the light go? Is a light tent helpful here, or would it make the lighting too flat? Also, is the kit lens suitable for shoe photography, or should I look at another lens?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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Softbox above and slightly to the left. you have non- moving subject so light shought not be a constraint. would suggest that you mount camera on tripod to increase the sharpness of the pictures. One light is probably going to give a bit to much contrast. Use white reflector (anything you got handy sheet shirt etc). to right of subjuct to pride some fill. After getting the desired exposure from your main light move the fill reflector closer or further to get your desired contrast.
You planning on buying all this just to shoot shoes? I am gear junkie myself but for this shot you probably have all the gear you need lying around your house.
Play around with the light and see what effects you can create. starting with one light and a reflector is always great way to hone your understanding.
Originally by user20900. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user20900
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—one soft main light plus a white reflector is a good budget setup for shoe photography.
Place the main soft light above and slightly to the left of the shoes. Then put a white reflector/foam board on the opposite side to fill shadows. Adjust the reflector distance to control contrast: closer = softer shadows, farther = more shape. A second light can help, but it’s not essential.
A light tent can work, but it often makes product shots look too flat. Since you want a bright image with some shadow and dimensionality, a paper sweep on a table with controlled side/top lighting is the better choice.
Use a tripod. Because the subject doesn’t move, you can use longer exposures instead of needing lots of flash power, and this will help maximize sharpness.
Your 18–55mm kit lens should be fine for this. You don’t need a special lens just to start shooting shoes. The bigger factor is careful light placement and experimenting with the main light and reflector until you get the look you want.
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