How to Use a Light Box or Tent For Product Photography
In this video we will be seeing how to use a light tent or box, which is an enclosure that is also referred to a photo tent or a portable light box. As you will see in the video, placing an object with a reflective surface inside the box can help us get rid of unwanted reflections. Here’s the video:
Video Summary
In this photography tutorial, Kush Sharma demonstrates how to use a light box (or light tent) to capture high-quality product images, specifically focusing on how to eliminate distracting reflections in shiny objects like sunglasses.
Key Techniques and Concepts
- The Problem of Reflections [00:25]: Standard setups often result in “bad looking reflections,” where the camera sees the lights, the room, or even the photographer in the product’s surface.
- Function of a Light Tent [01:18]: A light tent is a structure made of translucent diffusion material. It creates a 360-degree environment of soft, even light, ensuring that whatever is reflected on the product is uniform and clean.
- Front Reflection Solution [02:49]: Most light tents include a front panel with a small hole. By shooting through this hole [03:07], the photographer prevents their own reflection and the room’s details from appearing on the subject.
- Lighting Strategy [03:46]: Because the tent is translucent, lights can be placed at any angle (back, sides, or top). In this video, the light is placed behind the tent to create pleasing shadows in front of the product [02:32].
- Downsides to Consider [04:17]:
- Space Restrictions: You are limited by the size of the tent.
- Angle Limitations: Shooting through a small hole restricts your choice of camera angles and makes tripod use more difficult [04:22].
Important Links
This video is from our Product Photography Course, which has 28 videos and 4 hours of content. Use the link below to access the full course on Udemy:
