How to set up a homemade photo studio for product photography with perfect backdrop?

Product photography expert at PackshotCreator, I would like to share with you my knowledge and tips to help you setting up a homemade photo studio.

1. The space, equipment and specifications to get off to a good start

For this Do It Yourself, we are not going to waste time and ask ourselves the right questions: how will I organize my space? How many products do I have to shoot for this project? Which camera and lens should I choose?

- The organization: the specifications

Every detail must be thought out and worked out in advance in order to be as productive as possible. Do you have 20, 100 or 1000 products to photograph? Are the shooting frequencies linked to your arrivals, to special operations? A little bit of research and thought beforehand can't hurt.

Each question must be anticipated to avoid doing certain manipulations again: take the product out of its packaging to have to be photographed again from another angle, for example. Here is an exhaustive list of points to include in your specifications:

• How many products do you want to shoot?
• How many images do you want to create per product?
• What type of views do you want to create per subject (face, profile, top, multi-angles, 360°...)?
• What preparations do I need for my products? Unpacking, cleaning, conditioning...
• What format (s)/resolution (s) for your produced image files? It depends on their use (print, website, social networks...).
• What nomenclature to better organize yourself? An example: name_suffixe_index = Shoe_Red_01. The “01” can also be replaced by the type of view (front, top, three-quarters...), such as major categories.
• The frequency of your shots: every week, every month, every day?

- The shooting space: the set

Setting up a good “home” photo studio is not out of reach and does not have to be overpriced. It doesn't have to be a lot of space and expensive hardware. Internalizing and creating your visuals must rhyme with return on investment ! First of all and depending on your products, you will need different types of studios: full floor for textiles or “compact” studio adapted to macrophotography of objects (jewelry). Depending on the volume and type of products to be photographed, you can either use a corner of a room, or even a dedicated space of less than 20m2.

Choose either a closed or open space (in a stock) that gives you enough space to install the necessary equipment. Finally, provide a table to put your products to be shot and another for those already photographed, having to go back to stock.

- Photo shooting equipment: the essentials

Here are the professional photo studio equipment you will need (if you search a bit, it is possible to find interesting second-hand offers):

• An SLR camera
• A lens adapted to shooting your products: Macro for jewelry ; a zoom, if you have a range of different products...
• A tripod: for stable and sharp shots
• A wall charger for the camera: endless battery life!
• A light kit (with photo light holders and photo studio light boxes)
• A white cyclo background: you will get neutral visuals on a white background and will more easily cut them out!
• A white or transparent support: for neutral or reflective visuals

Caro's pluses for your photo shootings

• Promote LED lighting for a homogeneous and faithful rendering (colors and textures).
• Accessories to position your products (transparent plastic support, mannequin, suspension kit, adhesive tape...).
• Light diffusers and reflectors: they will allow you to play with or eliminate shadows or to optimize the rendering of colors and textures of the subject.
• Placing the studio in a room without light: no risk of having two different types of lighting

2. Preparing the product for the shooting

A photograph of a dusty product or a crumpled shirt does not make you want to. In addition, Photographing well-prepared products makes it possible to avoid a sometimes tedious step: post-production (or retouching). So we are going to take care of our products to show them in their best light.

Here are a few steps to follow for a successful photo shooting project:

• Wear gloves when handling products and avoid fingerprints.
• Use dust spray for textured products.
• Use window spray and a microfiber cloth for smooth products (glass, metal, etc.).
• For textiles, remember to iron them well.

- The presentation

Each product family is unique and finding the best framework is necessary to properly highlight your product. Showing as much detail as possible about a product is essential to increase your sales.

- The number of views

It often varies between four and six views depending on the family type: each sector has its own specificities.Face, profile, three-quarters, back. For a six-view presentation, we add a photo taken above the product and a zoomed photo for details (fabrics, stitching, materials, etc.).

- The point of view

- From the front : it is the first photo of the product that is presented and therefore the most representative. For this view, you must position your camera “level”. That is to say that the center of the lens should aim at the center of the product. It will then be proportionate and its contours absolutely parallel: no deformation of the product.

- flat (or flat-lay): he is often chosen for the food photography, and the fashion sector (textile, jewelry...) for a simple and effective photo. To take a good flat-lay shot, care must be taken to ensure that the objective lens is parallel to the product, to avoid perspective defects.

- The carried : also chosen for fashion sectors, the worn allows you to imagine the product “in situation” and to help the visitor see themselves wearing this product: a fitted suit, a hat, a ski suit... the Examples are multiple and all have the same effect: a higher conversion rate.

The pluses of Caro

• For a smooth sequence of shooting, Label your products by family, but also by size, color, material...
• Be equipped withshooting accessories : hand mannequin, head, ghost mannequin allowing a simpler detour (white mannequin).
• For homogeneity in the series of views, do not zoom in/out and do not move the camera position, at the risk of having images of different sizes and perspectives, which would distort the product

To get successful product photographs, good lighting is essential. It is the driving force in product photography. The rendering of the objects to be presented online or in a catalog is a determining factor in the purchase decision: the better informed they are, the more details they have and the more the visitor appreciates!

3. Lighting: the concepts you need to know

• Color temperature : it represents, in simple words, the tone of the light: if a light is rather warm (candlelight) or rather cold (very overcast sky). It is measured in degrees Kelvin and varies from 800°K to 12,200°K.In product photography we will choose a color temperature that is as close as possible to neutral light: neither hot (yellow) nor cold (blue). This is called “daylight”, and it is estimated at a color temperature between 5000 and 6500°K.

• The white balance : it is closely linked to color temperature. It is a camera feature that allows you to identify the different light sources and their color temperature in order to correct them by” daylight ” and have a photo, once again, in tones that are neither too cold nor too hot. LED lighting is the one that comes closest to daylight.

- Spotlight on the lighting

As mentioned above, the LED lighting is the most reliable light source for neutral lighting such as product photography. It also has other advantages and that is why we will favor this type of lighting:

• It is a lighting that can be connected to the mains: autonomy guaranteed!
• LED lights can benefit from power dimmers: no need to approach or distance the light source to change its intensity.
• Unlike flash, LED lighting allows a direct preview of the light impact on the product.
• It is economical lighting, which is at its maximum intensity as soon as it is plugged in (does not need to “heat up”): ready to use.
• It is also a light that does not heat up, so perfect for photographing products that are sensitive to temperature variations.

Caro's advantages for DIY photography: the ideal light set

• Number of sources : for small and medium-sized products (max 30cm): five LED sources (three for the product, two for the background) and for large products (human size): minimum eight LED sources (four for the product, four for the background).
• Source size : to have a diffuse light, we will favor large lighting such as a light box, to reduce the contrast of the lighting and therefore the shadows.
• Positioning the sources :
  • On the product : two LED sources on the left and on the right, oriented at 45°. The more parallel the impacts of the sources are, the more homogeneous the light on the product will be: the shadows on the product will be automatically cancelled out. For a five-source configuration, position a third source above the product, between the first two sources.
  • On the bottom : position the two sources on the cyclo base as on the product, parallel to each other and in relation to the ground.
• Product positioning : make sure that your product is as far away from the cyclo background: this will prevent you from having shadows due to the lighting of the product.

Here we have come to the heart of the matter: List of settings you need to know for your camera. First of all, a short photography course so that you understand how the camera + lens couple works.

4. The camera and the lens: the basics

To make a photograph that is called well exposed - neither too bright (burnt out) neither too dark (blocked) - we have to adjust three variants that are coupled together: if one varies, so do the other two.

• The opening : also called the diaphragm. This is where the light comes in. The smaller the “f number”, the larger the aperture will be, so more light will enter the camera to take the photo. It manages the depth of field: the Blurry part in a photo. The larger the aperture (so the number f smaller), the more the fuzzy part will be.

• Shutter speed : it is the time that the diaphragm remains open to let the light in. To have a well-exposed photo, a sufficient amount of light must enter the camera: not enough, not too much. If you let in too much light, it means that the speed is too slow and therefore the photo will be “burnt”, i.e. too bright. Depending on the environment you are in, an aperture/speed combination will always exist to create a well-exposed photo.

• The ISOs : they manage the “sensitivity” of the sensor. In the age of film photography, you could “force” a photo to be clearer by increasing the light sensitivity of photo film. It is an ancient technique, which has been applied to digital devices. If the speed/aperture combination is not strong enough and the photo lacks light, you should increase the ISOs in order to get more light. This works well but you should not abuse ISOs, because this technique ends up damaging the image (adding grain in silver, adding noise in digital).

Take control

If you want to get quality photos that are faithful to your products, forget about the fully automatic mode. It may be tempting for a beginner but there is nothing better than having control over your production. You'll see below, it's not rocket science. MANUAL mode position!

• Adjust your white balance : either automatically, the camera calculates itself what is the best setting for a photo with neutral tones, or in personalized mode. You have the possibility, have a “gray chart”, to directly create your own white balance appropriate to your production set.
• Choose your image quality : in general we choose L (large). If you want to do some editing on Photoshop and you know a bit about it, then choose the RAW + Large mode.
• Turn off the flash : it would throw off the whole setup of your studio.
• The opening : in order to have an absolutely clear product, and eliminate the depth of field, we will start with a value of the number f between 11 and 16. The larger the product, the smaller the opening should be.
• The speed, coupled with the aperture, must be slow, in order to leave enough light in the diaphragm. We will therefore start at a speed of 1/30th of a second. It is advisable to choose a tripod that is very stable to avoid vibrations and therefore blurry photos.
• To give your camera a boost if your photo is too dark, Raise the ISOs. Basically, we start with a value of 100. You can go up to 800 if you really need more light. Be careful, the more you go up in ISOs, the more you lose in image quality.

Caro's pluses: which equipment to choose

• Camera : two options, a mid-range camera will be more than enough for photos intended for the web (Canon EOS-90D or Nikon D610), while it will be advisable to use a full format camera for print use of the visuals (Canon EOS 6D Mark II or Nikon D850).
• Objective : for the photography of medium to large products, we can go for a 18-135 mm or a 24 - 105 mm. For the photography of small products (jewelry for example) we will choose a 100mm macro lens.
• Tripod : stability will be very important in your shots. We recommend the brand Manfrotto, which allows the camera to be positioned very finely.

Successful product photography is not only synonymous with an attractive presentation but also with a wealth of information.

Without being able to try on a piece of clothing, observe in detail household appliances, the functions of a technical device, or even a piece of jewelry, a visitor seeks to obtain as much visual information as possible. To do this, you can equip yourself with accessories that help you best photograph your products.

5. Accessories

• Supports : to raise an object, hold it in the desired position, photograph it from several angles.
• Suspension kit : it will help you, for example, Photographing a handbag and its handle.
• Adhesives : it will help you maintain a product, for example.
• Ghost Mannequins : for the photography of worn clothing.
• It is at the same time possible to be classic and to have a touch of originality. For jewelry, for example, you can use stone pebble type supports to position a pendant.

- Still shots

• The classic : the front/back photo, use it for simple products like bottles, containers, wrappers.

• Flat-lay shooting : a classic that has become trendy on social networks, ideal for presenting a single product or a composition of products, such as a gift box for example. It is particularly used for textile photography.

• The macro : mandatory for photographing small objects such as jewelry, electronic components or to reveal product details. It is imperative to do it with a camera equipped with a macro lens.

- Multi-angles

This is the essential step, the most common to show a reference in different facets, different shades or color hues. These are generally three to six photos taken at the same scale.

• In the case of a pair of shoes, photograph each angle of a pair: three-quarters left, front, back, three-quarters, top and bottom.
• The use of a motorized turntable and the position memory of a packshot software will make it easier for you to obtain a series of homogeneous multi-angle visuals.

Caro's tips

• Learn about new trends or simply get ideas by looking for examples by product on Pinterest or instagram.
• Use markers to mark the angles to be photographed in order to have consistency depending on the products photographed.

6. 360° animation or videos?

Both make it possible to make the border between physical and digital presentation less impermeable. The two fundamental differences between video and animations come from the format and their use. The Animation is interactive (zoom, possibility of rotating it by touch or via a mouse...) and its format, HTML, only allows it to be read and to see all of its functionalities used on a website. video is certainly not interactive but its formats (MP4/.MOV) give the option of integrating it on a site but also on social networks, on an email, etc.

360° animation:

360° video:

https://youtu.be/uGnloq_LJJc

- Process for a 360° animation

• Equipping yourself with a 360 motorized turntable is essential to easily create animations and videos of several subjects.
• Center the product on the turntable. Without software, you will have to mark marks on the turntable, degree by degree. You will then photograph the product at regular intervals... Tedious and especially time-consuming, if several animations are to be carried out.
• Count 12 to 24 photographs when rotating the tray to obtain a smooth result with an acceptable final file weight for use on the web.
• For a quality final result, retouch each visual (clipping if the background is not already white, adjusting the colorimetry...).
• The final assembly is done in HTML5 format, compatible with use on any type of support (smartphones and touch tablets in particular) with 360 creation software.

7. Retouching visuals and exporting files: how to save time?

Here we are, the last stage of our production flow, and not the least: the Retouching visuals and the export of your files.

- Retouch

For product photography, it's about color cropping and adjustments (if necessary). Shooting your subjects on a white background with optimal lighting, as we saw earlier, makes your job much easier. This is because the object is distinguishable from the background. Below is an example of retouching:

- Photoshop

• In the layers on the taskbar, duplicate the background with a right click.
• Select the magic wand tool, available on the toolbar.
• With this wand, click on the background of your visual
• Adjust the tolerance to select the entire background.
• Once the background is completely selected, a “curves” fill layer must be created.
• Adjust the curve to get a pure white background
• The principle of clipping is the same, working with layers and selection, except that you will have to remove the background rather than lighten it.

For a 360° animation, you will have to repeat the action as many times as you have photos.

Export

In Photoshop, it is possible to set up an export for all the photos in your animation. They're called scripts. You can customize it according to your specifications: format, image size, DPI...

The circle is complete!