Product Photography Lighting: The Ultimate Guide to Lighting

Why product photography lighting matters

The importance of good quality product photography cannot be overstated. As we hinted above, it's one of the most effective ways to promote your products online, especially if you deal with high-end items like furniture or electronics.

Remember, the first impression people have about a company is through its website. So it only makes sense to ensure the site looks professional and attractive. This means making sure that the images on the site look great, which includes having well-lit, eye-catching product photos.

The best tools to use to light your products

If you want to create beautiful product photos, you'll need the best lighting equipment. There are many different types of lighting options available, but not all of them work for every situation. Here are our top recommendations:

Tungsten lights

Tungsten lights are often referred to as "soft" lights because they emit soft, warm colors. Tungsten lights are ideal for photographing jewelry, clothing, and other accessories. But keep in mind; they produce a lot of heat, which may damage delicate items like clothing. Plus, they may not be ideal for outdoor photography.

Lightbox

A lightbox is basically large cardboard or plastic with a grid pattern. A product photography lightbox allows you to take pictures of items without worrying about shadows. The best part is, you can use one anywhere there's enough light. Just ensure that the lightbox isn't too close to the item getting photographed to avoid unwanted reflections.

Studio strobe

A studio strobe is a lighting system that uses powerful lamps to provide illumination. Studio strobes are used to illuminate subjects requiring high light intensity levels. For example, if you're shooting a wedding dress, you might want to use a studio strobe to illuminate the product.

Flash unit

A flash unit is essentially a small device that contains a built-in flashbulb. Flash units usually come with a stand that helps you mount the flash unit onto a camera. However, some flash units are designed to be handheld. If you plan on using a flash unit, make sure that it works with your camera. Some cameras only support specific flash units.

Use PaintShop Pro to edit your photos

PaintShop Pro is a photo editing program available for Windows and Mac computers. It offers numerous features, including image retouching, color correction, and image cropping.

Using PaintShop Pro, you can crop your photographs by moving the edges of the frame. You can also adjust colors and contrast. To do so, simply click on the "Image" tab at the top of the screen. Then, select "Adjustments." Next, click on the "Curves" button to open the Curves dialog box. From there, you can increase or decrease the overall brightness of an image.

Another feature that PaintShop Pro offers is the ability to apply artistic filters to your pictures. This allows you to add exciting textures to your images. Please check out our PaintShop Pro tutorials to learn more about using this one-of-a-kind photo editor!

Conclusion

Whether you're looking to take professional headshots or capture appealing product images, you need to know how to photograph subjects properly. By following these photo editing tips and using any of the tools above, you'll have no problem taking irresistible product shots for improved sales and engagement!

If you wish to see our photo editing software live-in-action, start your FREE trial today!