Shoot-through vs reflective umbrellas for small product photography
Asked 1/25/2016
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2 answers
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For small product photography, is a white shoot-through umbrella or a white reflective umbrella with a black backing generally a better choice? I understand both can produce soft light, but reflective umbrellas seem more efficient while shoot-through umbrellas can be placed closer to the subject. I’m also wondering whether two 33-inch umbrellas or one 43-inch umbrella would be more useful, and whether a convertible umbrella is a good way to try both styles. I already have two 5400K LED/video lights and want to know if that kind of setup is likely to be enough for product shots.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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White shoot through or white with a black reflective back are both good choices. The quality of light is going to be similar and the much of the differences will be due to other factors such as distance to the subject, room size, and reflective surfaces in the room.
Reflective umbrellas concentrate more light forward so they are more efficient but shoot through umbrellas can be placed closer to the subject which is like having a "larger" light source. Because they are closer it can make up for the loss of the spilled light out the back. The spilled light might also be good for lighting the overall photo, but only you can decide which is better for your application.
In my experience 33" umbrellas are rather small for portraits but might be just the right size for small product photography. If you plan to only do product photography then get the 33" umbrellas, but I would advise getting 2 43" "hybrid" umbrellas and 2 65W (275W equivalent) CFL bulbs so you can use them for other projects. With the "hybrid" umbrellas you can then experiment with shoot through and reflective and decide which you like better.
I have no experience with LED lighting but they might come in handy as fill lighting in addition to the main umbrella lighting.
Originally by user39427. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user39427
10y ago
0
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Either type can work well for product photography. With white shoot-through and white reflective umbrellas, the light quality is often quite similar; the bigger differences usually come from distance to the subject, room size, and nearby reflective surfaces.
Reflective umbrellas are more efficient because they send more light forward. Shoot-through umbrellas waste more light, but they can be placed closer to the subject, which effectively makes the light source larger and softer. That closer placement can offset the lost output.
For small products, 33-inch umbrellas may already be a suitable size. A 43-inch umbrella gives a larger source and may be more flexible, and a convertible model is a reasonable way to experiment with both approaches.
Your existing 5400K lights may be enough depending on the size of the product, how close you can place the light, and how much output you need. In product work, light placement and source size often matter more than umbrella type alone.
Also consider diffusion panels or scrims: a large diffused light source can work very well for product photography and may be preferable to umbrellas in some setups.
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