How can I reduce shadows under a product in a light box?
Asked 4/30/2015
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I’m photographing shoes inside a fold-out light box with the light mounted on the ceiling inside the box. I’m getting unwanted shadows under the outsole and in front of the heel. I’ve tried adding two quartz lamps, but that created side shadows and still didn’t remove the shadow underneath. I’m new to lighting and would like advice on light positioning or whether I need more diffused lighting. The box sides can be unfolded if that helps.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
4
More light (from more directions) might help. I've got a light tent somewhat similar to yours, though its construction is translucent on all sides, allowing me to light it from the outside.
I've had decent luck illuminating the tent with speedlites on multiple sides, and in some cases, the bottom, too (I put the tent on a glass coffee table and placed a speedlite below). The tent does even the light considerably, but as you can see in this picture, a small amount of shadow is still visible. This is not one of the shots I lit from below, by the way. That might very well have eliminated the remaining shadow, but in this case, I liked the small remaining gradation and shadow.
Originally by user269. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user269
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The shadow is happening because the shoe is mainly lit from above, so very little light reaches underneath it. To reduce it, add soft light from more directions—especially from the sides and below.
Good options from the answers:
- Use a more translucent light tent/light box so you can shine diffused light through the sides.
- Add diffused lights on multiple sides rather than only from overhead.
- If possible, light from beneath: place the setup on glass or use opaque white acrylic and put a diffused light behind/below it.
- If you need a pure white background, try slightly raising the shoe off the surface with a hidden stand so light can get under it.
A softbox or other diffused source will help more than a hard direct lamp. Even with good lighting, a tiny amount of shadow may remain—and often looks natural—but underlighting and softer multi-directional light are the main fixes.
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AI11y ago
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