How to Use a Lightbox for Product Photography

Appealing product photography is an essential marketing tool that can give your business the edge. However, if you don’t want to spend big on professional photography, it is possible to get fantastic results yourself using a simple portable photographer’s Lightbox. Indeed, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, a lightbox is an invaluable asset for creating perfect product shots. So, here are a few tips for using a lightbox to produce excellent product photography.

What is a Lightbox?

A lightbox is designed with a built-in light source, a white backdrop, reflective sides and an open side for the camera to capture the image. The lights, usually LED, give an even light across the product. Usually, it is a box shape about 30 to 40cm wide, high and deep. Lightboxes are used for close-up product shots, jewellery, still life, and art photos. Also, many lightboxes come with different coloured backdrops so that you can get creative.

Strike a Pose

Think of the Lightbox as a miniature studio. Here’s how to set up your products to achieve awesome images in minutes. So, start by placing your product in the centre of the Lightbox and determine the angle of the shot you want. For instance, an overhead, flat lay, eye level, or off-centre angled perspective. Then, set up your distance from the Lightbox and start shooting. Aim to capture a full product shot, overhead view, images of different sides of the product,  and a detail shot of key features such as the brand name. Because of the bright and even lighting, using Lightbox photography really is an easy and effective way to create high-quality images of your products.

How to Set Your Camera for Product Photography

Use a digital camera if you wish, but a mobile phone camera will achieve excellent results for most folks. This is because the camera quality on most modern phones is more than adequate to take high-resolution pictures. Plus, your phone’s built-in photo editing software will most likely be all you need. A good tip is to ensure you use the same changes across all the photos from the shoot. This way, they’ll all have the same warmth, contrast, vibrancy, etc.

Product Photography – Lights, Camera, Action!

Once you’ve taken the photos but don’t use your phone’s editing software, you can post-process them using photo-editing software such as Photoshop. It is also helpful to label each image with the product name and number to make it easier to locate them in the future. Finally, don’t forget to keep your Lightbox clean and tidy – seriously, it’s easy to miss that speck of dirt or hair on the backdrop! Happy shooting!

If you don’t have the time, equipment or know-how, talk to us about our very affordable Professional Photography Packages.