How to Shoot Professional Product Photography using Speedlites
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- In this video, I show you the start-to-finish process of how to create professional product photography using Speedlites. All you need is your camera, a tripod and a couple of flashguns.
I walk you through the lighting setup for shooting a clear glass bottle of sparkling water, showing how it’s possible to achieve professional photography results using just three speedlites. You’ll see the flash settings I used, the position of the lights, how I made a DIY modifier to create a controlled pocket of light on the label, and the retouching process to polish off the final image.
For this shoot I used:
➡️ Canon 5D MkIII
➡️ Manfrotto 058B tripod
➡️ 3x Godox V1 Flashgun for Canon with Battery
➡️ Frosted acrylic sheet
➡️ LEE Filters 216 diffusion material
➡️ 1x small softbox
➡️ 1x piece of cardboard/card for DIY snoot
➡️ Acrylic mirror
➡️ More details: bit.ly/Speedlit...
Although I often use more specialist studio lighting equipment for product photography, as I explain in the video, the equipment you use isn’t the most important factor for good photography. Instead, it’s an understanding of light and basic physics. You can learn more about this in our ‘Introduction & understanding light’ photography class: bit.ly/understa...
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"just three speedlites and some homemade modifiers"...proceeds to use fifty things no one has in their home...oh, except that single piece of cardboard, of course.
Haha true, the c-stand costs more than 3 speedlites. However I found this video inspiring, so cool lighting techniques with the diffusion material and the condensation spray was great.
@@joseph-the-seventh you don'tneed to have a c stands. you can use regular studio stans and add bottles with the water as I did. The same is with the camera You can use canon 50D just to learn how to do it. If you have real client you can rent camera and lens. Instead of disffusion you can use tracing paper, just start using your imagination. Karl just show how to spend less money than 2000£ to create this picture.
Exactly, this dude gave a favour not using his Hasselblad but some crap frost frame diffusers. I’ve seen genuine videos people using 3 speed lights with minimum modifiers and achieved much better results.The only Hasselblad I’m using is when flying my mavic 2, LOL!
Why would anybody take high quality photographs of bottles except if they are / want to be professionnal ?
Reflective surface costs 10-20 box in your diy store, you can use tracing paper as the diffuser on the side AND on the background. If you are really broke you can even make stands with 2x4.
What do you want more from the guy ?
How much can you charge for a shot like this?
Sensacional, muito obrigado por compartilhar.
Cheers
Thank you Karl for this video! May i ask if i can achieve similar result with constant LED light?
Yes if you're room is completely dark
@@VisualEducationStudio Thank you for answering me
👏 👏
what you mean "just three speed lights"?! do it with one
Where can I buy one of these "amazon boxes found in a skip" ????
Probably on Amazon.
I love Karl Taylor but he clearly has no idea of the cost of things. He mentions a 35mm camera and just 3 speed lights like it's nothing. First, the Makrolon is about $75 per panel, the roll of diffusion material is another $40. Then we have a tripod with a boom, about $100, and two more to hold the diffusion paper, say another $100 for both. Then we have the speed lights, they're $100 each, trigger...another $50. I'm leaving out the cost of the camera because I assume even an amateur would have one. Total for lighting gear and accessories, $740. Not a lot if you're a professional photographer and will use the lights and materials over and over while making money, but out of the reach of most amateurs who do it as a hobby. I still love Karl Taylor, though. He is a true professional.
Hi Alan, yes there will always be some costs involved if you also want lighting stands, backgrounds etc but that is the same of any hobby; cooking, fishing, diving, horse riding - they all come with subsequent costs if you become deeply involved and are passionate about that hobby.
This is great, Karl. I've been shooting product photos for years and use speedlites all the time. They are so versatile! (Tip: get a battery pack.)
Cheers Peter
Battery packs? For What?
Those speedlites have lithium battery , dont need battery pack.
I just love how informations are simplified, and yet amazing and helpful. Thank you very much. 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Have to give it to you, you take lighting to an extreme level.
Love your eye for detail.
IMO it's all about the knowledge where to put the lights , basically you have taken the shot already in your mind, this is merely the execution.
Since you have a lot of equipment at your disposal, I wonder do you ever add lighting in post (PS or LR/C1) ?
Thanks for sharing !!
Thank you RS and yes you are correct I've nearly always 'taken the shot in my mind'. Regarding adding lighting in post, no this isn't something I often do. Generally I only exaggerate or reduce what I already put there with B&D, or via a new layer and combined shot, the only shot I can remember where I 'fake' added a light was on the front right wing of the porsche shot on my commercial site. Cheers Karl.
Actually ignore my question - I can do that. I think I’m a member of Karl Taylor photography. It would be rude not to be. The man is up there among the very best in the world.
I will do this shot over the weekend.
Ps please let us know the magic ingredient. ...
New photographers shouldn't let big brain ego enlist photographers get to them. You can still achieve high quality photos with $20 speed lights, a starter camera, and very well planned stage and background. This guy will always show you the way
👍
great video as always. this is the very heart and core of photography: understanding the light. thank you!
My pleasure!
Hey you have links to everything that's in the video?
pretty sure i could duplicate the set up and shoot even without the modeling lamp feature of those speedlites, but holy CATS! i have no idea what you did in Ps afterwards. i really have no clue when it comes to that software (im primarily a Lr guy) and that 'quick overview' was certainly that!
Main question is how much do you charge client for one single shop like that?
nice watch daddy
When i saw studio that complain about pple moving to from real shots to 3D. I think they just dont go ur knowledge Karl.
Would nice if you can shoot with a kit lens . Not much people can afford expensive lens . Maybe kit lens
Great ideas Karl. I actually already used the bottle frosting method before as I used to build 1/35 scale model terrain. A PVA solution plus ink simulates water nicely. I have a job for an optician soon, and I need to photo a large number of spectacles, will your courses cover this? If so ill be signing up very soon. All the best.
Hi Leonardo, we look forward to welcoming you aboard and you enjoying some of top level content and live shows. Yes we have several classes on shooting glasses, sunglass and similar scale products.
wooo! I've never thought of using an ND Filter in the studio! Cool idea. Do you have any vids showing the difference it makes? Keen to try this out when I get my new R5 drop in filter adapter!
What was the liquid product you used for the condensation on bottle?
Very nice vid, however I think that for this type of shots it's very important to use a speedlite with modelling light (actually, only a few have such characteristic), while for portraits it is not necessary. What do you think about this? Even if it's possible to shoot products without modelling light, I think it would be a nightmare!
You deserve the name of legend 🖤
That's right!!! It surely ain't the tool... Good job Karl!!!
Cheers Lem
Great
Can someone tell me what He was spraying to get the droplets effect on the bottle?
What do you use to make the droplets? What is the exact mixture?
Hi Karl . Is the permanent condensation formula a secret ?
Blessings Karl, I really love the fact that you used your 5D and not a high end medium format. Sometimes people feel that it's all about your expensive gear. You're a man that study and practice to get where you are. Much love!
Good point you make...Karl is really just trying to encourage people... ultimately it's not really about the gear you have but it's about principles surrounding photography that you use. I used to purchase so much gear it was insane but none of the gear did anything to make my images turn out better. I've been fortunate either to use or have been on set with some of the most expensive gear I could only imagine and it's pretty much all the same. It boils down to the higher end gear is going to be bullet proof built for production environments and anything that they can throw at it.... for strobes for instance Profoto built like a tank and can be used for ten hours a day everyday without failing. One of my favorite pieces of gear is my iPhone because I have it all of the time and if I can figure out how to compose an image with it... it makes it easier for when I have my gear to compose the image. Like you say just keep on studying... I didn't go to art school but I take excellent images..and what is helping me is going back and studying art history, typography, and graphic design history. Somehow studying the fundamentals has given me a fresh take on my photography and is teaching me that equipment is actually way down on the list... the creativity comes from the concepts and ideas you have. Keep up.the good work and keep studying.
Agree! But he does most often shoot on his hasselblad h system from what I can see on his website
Hallo Karl, what is that Spay that you use for the Rockhard Kondensationslook? You mix something in the Glas an spray on the Bottle and before that, you use another Spray. What is that too? Hope for an answer :) Thanks for your perfekt Videos, love it so much!!!
Hi Berthold please see the info here: karltayloreducation.com/product-photography-courses/
Several things.. details. The spray on drops. Looks like only on the forward facing surface?
I have an ancient decades old Norman system.. trying to use it more now, still works. Also have speed lights. I’m a little poor currently, but I think your lighting course is one I really see value in. Just trying to decide if I commit. I have some product ideas I’m working on and I want to push my limits and learn some professional level solutions. Need to try a few things then ask more detailed questions.
Hi Gary, if you do decide to jump in on our platform we offer full customer support to training related questions. Cheers Karl.
A diagram for the setup could have made the setup picture clear. However the tutorial is good.
Ahh yes but this is free on youtube, for our best stuff with every last detail you'll need to head over to our website :)
the secret water condensation is vaseline and whater???
Ha Ha no and you'll find the answers on my site along with a thousand other awesome tips
Hi there. May I ask: this was done with 3 flashes, right? But are the spots on the label also flash? I couldn't work it out. Thanks a million.
Yes, it is I showed how I made a snoot out of cardboard for that.
oh, what's the magic solution please?
I just wish that someone would give help to Joe Blogs with a tiny budget, this gear is way above the average person's ability. We need simple ways to do this for anyone with a low budget.
What about the tutorial is above the average person’s ability? Unless you are also lighting a glass bottle with the exact same specifications, your stage is going to look different. The only things he’s using are his desired background, his desired effect on the product, and speed lights with diffusers. Oh and a cardboard cone.
Awesome Karl as every time! Is there any info how much light is transmitted through frosted acrylic sheet? For example Lee 216 has 36% light transmission. Thanks you
Hi Tomas I'm afraid I'm not the sort of person who would have even known the transmission value of LEE 216 let alone a peice of frosted acrylic I'm the sort of person who just does everything by eye, I try it I assess the results and then I adjust it.
@@VisualEducationStudio Thanks you
love this video! yeah, im late to the game but still made it here!
i couldnt follow what you did in PS because a) ive only ever tried using PS Elements (about 8 years ago) b) i wasnt sure what you were working on, it went so quickly except i DID see you cloned the bottling information from the cap.
i know LR (although it seems a lot of people do HEAPS more work in post than what i do!)
again, great video!
WHat was that concoction you spritzed on the bottle? Where DO I get it? How do I make it ?
karltayloreducation.com/product-photography-courses/
Hello, Mr. Taylor, I would like to ask what is the thickness of the frosted acrylic sheet?
5mm
👏👍🎥🍮
Great tutorial Karl! May I ask where did you purchased the diffusion material from? I'm having a hard time finding it in the UK
Lee filters
Sorry, but can you buy the post production video lesson? and where ?
Hi you can find a link below the video
The photoshop part was not clear. Do we get understanding on photoshop in Kar Taylor edu.
Hi Krishna, yes we go into much greater detail there on photoshop and all photography techniques.
That was incredible
This was beautiful. Intricate lighting steps. Thanks a lot for sharing such invaluable techniques.
Glad it was helpful
Thank you for having the video. This be great if your contract worker, personal work, or business for E Commerce.
I can't stop admiring your work, Karl. Thanks a ton for your lessons.
Best regards from Mother Russia
Nick
My pleasure mother Russia.
Hi Karl great to see another of your "its not about having expensive gear" shoots - Im using speedlites and also LED lights for my work and Im often debating with myself per project the need for flash versus constant lights. Flash is great if one is not able to black out a room it gives that control oveer ambient, as well as being able to shoot at ISO 100 for noise free shots, whereas LED allows a what you see is what you get approach which can be easier and more fluid way of working, but with the lower power usually meeaning higher ISOs and higher noise. Today Im trying a whiskey bottle challenge and while its daytime Im going to use speedlites but later when dark will try LEDs and compare results for interest!
Hi John, you can do a lot with LED but for me it will always be flash because of the extra available power and the need to shoot people without blinding them. You can also apply a 'what you see is what you get' approach by using studio flash that have proportional modelling lights.
@@VisualEducationStudio thats a great point about blinding people with constant lights I have found that to be the case in my experience but it does make me wonder about those amazing old Hollywood shots from the likes of George Hurrell do you think the models/actors just had to accept and grin and bear the bright fresnel lamps back then or some technique that helped avoid
it's not the equipment it's the knowledge of how light works which takes years of practice.
Quick question if you don’t mind.
Do all flashes / strobe / speed light always go off at the same time when triggered for a shot
Or are there situations when they are timed to go off at a delay or interval from another flash going off?
Either. Most flash systems can do both.
@@VisualEducationStudio thank you.
I will have to learn the reasons for having them delayed then.
Having them all come on at once to light the subject for the duration of the camera shutter speed , that I understand.
Having the camera take 1 shot with different flashes, need to find out more.
Karl, u r the best teacher i am really inspired by your photography and tricks. i am following you in my photography....... blessings
What exactly is in the droplet mixture? Nail polish? With water?
karltayloreducation.com/class/photographing-clear-liquid-bottles-gin-vodka/
Incredible 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thanks for that tutorial,I only have speed lights,and try to keep um with the competition s, it's tricky but once again you showed it's possible ✌️✌️
Thank you.
Thanks 👌
Welcome 😊
You have a very good professional delivery style of presenting. Impressed with your videos.
From Russia with love!!!
You're welcome Russia.
Hello. I wanted to ask, what exactly is the name of a camera flash Pixapro? Does it have a modular lamp inside?
I believe these are Godox speedlites that have been rebadged.
Thanks Mr. Karl, I found it :) : GIO1 Round-Head TTL Speedlite With Built-in 2.4GHz Receiver and High-Speed Sync (V1)
Simple tutorial without to much blabla, great job
Glad you liked it
I just took on a big project based on what you wrote and presented in this clip. 98% of the pictures are old wine bottles that I wanted to present in a professional way and that can be sold.
Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. 🖤
can smart phone do this
.. wooooowwwww ... 👍😍
Why do small objects such as watches, only look sharp when you go above f20, where you can even get ears and hair sharp with portraits when you
focus on the face?
Small objects you focus on the watch, and the strap is out of focus even at f15.
But with a model, you focus on the eye at f9 and even eats and hairs are sharper than the strap of the watch does.
What's the explanation for this?
Depth of field reduces with increased magnification. So with Macro or telephoto or even moving closer will cause DOF to reduce.
@@VisualEducationStudio thanks Karl.
by being closer to the subject affects DOF, do people mean the distance between camera (lens) and subject, or zooming in from a long distance is also considered getting close?
- Is focus stacking the only solution to this?
- Is there a specific macro lens that was made designed for this? Where you focus on your small subject and around f9-f10 everything us sharp? Such as a wristband or watch?
Any instance where you magnify the image, whether that is zooming, telephoto or moving closer then they are all magnifying the image and DOF will become less. There is no lens that will do what you ask but a Macro lens is designed to be better than an ordinary lens magnifying at the same amount. This is the laws of physics and optics and we cover this closely on my website. Focus stacking is a good solution for still life, using Schiempflug theory and tilt and shift lenses is the other option if the DOF plane can be set to a particular angle.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why the ND filter? Why not just turn down the power of the lights?
The light coming through the bottle was too bright even on low power and I didn't want to close the aperture down as it would increase depth of field.
@@VisualEducationStudio ah, makes sense. Proves the point of what can be done with just speedlights. A strobe would have been ever more power
@@VisualEducationStudio sharp image 👍🏼
Its always a treat to watch your photography educational clips. You have got such command over your specialty. And its actually the knowledge of the camera, lens, lights, props, photoshop etc that results in this marvelous image at the end. You are the master.
Thank you very kind.
Nice 👍 product image photo shoot I like to edit product image also i am a product image editor.
Karl, your work is absolutely incredible, and you’re an excellent photography educator. If you produced a series of courses lighting entirely with speedlites, and affordable strobes similar to the Godox AD200 and AD400 pro and common affordable (let’s say Amazon acquired) modifiers, I for one would subscribe to your paid education and I’m sure many others would as well. Thank you so much for the time, energy, enthusiasm and careful technical detail you put into these RUclips videos. Great job!
Thanks but what you don't realise is that many of the course on KTE are with speedlites and many of the others just use barebulb studio lighting with my own made modifiers so for the most part you simply have to imagine swapping those bare bulb lamp heads with any other brand or speedlites. The physics of what I'm teaching remains the same and it's interchangeable across any brand.
@@VisualEducationStudio Hi there. Not sure if it was really Karl who replied or one of his team, but I just subscribed to the annual plan. Karl's work is incredible and I'm sure I will learn a ton!
@@rbvan Hi, yes it was me that replied. I reply to 90% of the comments on youtube as they are often technical in nature. Thanks very much for signing up I'm sure you will enjoy the platform and do join us on some of the live shows. All the best Karl.
@@VisualEducationStudio Thanks so much Karl. I already watched your Intro to Lighting and the food shoot at your Dad’s house. Was laughing at your joke about your Dad having a “Russian lady on his table” 😂. Cheers and stay safe!
Glad this pop up again. I can adapt most of it for personal work.
Expensive gear and a big studio helps, but it doesnt matter if you lack the creativity!
Really glad I stumbled over your channel! Thumbs up, and a great thanks for your effort in helping others!
what clarity exist is a human.[::::::] Siembra.
Do your courses have a caption or a transcript of what you say?
Yes.
Świetne materiały
What was he thickness of the frosted acrylic? Great as always!
Where is the best place for me to learn the skills for this art?
Karl Taylor Education website
It was a very useful video. Your shooting techniques are very nice. Thanks Mr. Taylor
Dear Karl, please suggest me a solution to use godox flash systems & trigger with Hasselblad X1D .
Put a Godox trigger on your X1D and use Godox flashes?
@@VisualEducationStudio x1T not working
@@VisualEducationStudio I have tested with Godox X pro also. Trigger is not working with Godox flashes. Please suggest the checklist in camera w.r.t settings ...! Expecting your reply.
I love your work and the passion with which he transmits his knowledge. Thank you!
My pleasure!
Hello, Karl Taylor! I watch You from Russia!)) I have a question about this video, which nd filter do you recommend (for example, 8 or 64) thank You!)
3 stops of light reduction is the one I use the most. Get the best glass you can afford so that the image remains perfectly neutral. Best one's I've used are the LEE IRND.
Karlito's Way
Wow karl si using a Cheap Godox
Yes to prove that it is knowledge that makes good pictures not just top equipment. Top equipment makes it easier and faster but it won't make good pictures with out a skilled operator using it.
been watching karl taylor before he even started his youtube channel :)
Does Karl have cauliflower ear? He go for deh trane?
Karl number one
I've been into all things photography for a solid 3 years. I'm a subscriber to many photography youtube channels. I'm a member of Dave Morrow photography (which I HIGHLY recommend) landscape photographer. I have 3 canon cameras, all the lenses, and all the studio gear needed to shoot just about anything on the planet. I have shot events, parties, studio portraits, fashion, landscape, wildlife, macro, etc. etc. I'm a member or subscriber to several Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop training channels. I'm having a lot of fun and learning a lot from many of these avenues.
If I were to give advice to anyone serious about either their photography as an art or business...the #1 thing I would recommend, 90% out of 100% of the learning tools available on the planet, would be Karl Taylor's education system. There are many, many great and wonderful teaching tools available on the internet these days, and they all should be pursued. But in my opinion and experience photography requires a huge foundation be laid to become a true and great artist and/or a true and great photography business person. No one is addressing the FOUNDATION--the foundation of not only gear, and technique, and approach to various photography genre, but also of the attitude needed, the discipline, the hard work ethic needed, and the openness of mind and fortitude to pursue each student's artistic insight and taste.
As a member of Karl Taylor Education I found Karl's teaching system to be the most comprehensive and complete foundational systems there is. Frankly, there is no other system designed to take you from kindergarten to graduation. Karl's experience and passion is obvious. His lighting techniques are artistic, whether he is teaching studio portrait, fashion, or food photography. His guests are experts and he uses them to help teach his students. All the teachings overlap to some degree. It is all important.....and frankly, it is all very interesting and entertaining to a degree that it doesn't matter if one is going to ever shoot in that genre--there is still something to learn there. I really think that Karl Taylor Education is the best tool available to the any photographer today.
Hi Stephen, thank you for this as we just can't beat testimonials like this directly from customers. I'm very happy to hear you are enjoying the platform, the team and I are working really hard making it better and better and we have some great new things in the pipeline coming soon for our members.
Hi Karl. Love this video and I'm a subscriber to KTE! If you had to shoot an image of 6-10 different bottles in one image, would you shoot them all separately and put them together in photoshop, or try and shoot them all together?
Hi, if it was that many bottles I'd probably shoot them separately.
Nice video. I have one question, a proffesional studio like your's is complete white. How could i get to your result in a normal living room?
You can manage small product stuff in a small space and probably head shots.
3 speedlights are not a “just”
As with any hobby or profession at some point you will need a few tools. For photographers who can't afford more than a camera or lens then they will stick to natural light photography. The next step up is for those with 1-3 speedlites and they expand into other areas. If anyone wants to experiment with lighting but doesn't have the budget for speedlites then here is a great product photography hack I created using 3 ikea desk lamps - ruclips.net/video/z2bziSAb7wo/видео.html
Excellent as always and one of the reasons I subscribe to Karl Taylor Education.
I urge anybody that wants to further their photography knowledge to sign up.
Thanks Thomas
Where can we purchase Perspex acrylic diffusion panels in North America?
Plastic suppliers and sign service companies
Thanks Karl, what are you using for the drops on the bottle ? Thanks you for your amazing videos
That secret is revealed on KTE
Excellent.....
First of all, thanks to Mr. Taylor for sharing his vast experience. Secondly, after seeing the video, I noticed that I can´t seem to see the role played by the light located camera right, as well as the mirror, as I don´t see the reflections one would expect to have on both sides of the bottle. The roles of the other two lights is, on the contrary, quite evident. I am quite certain that the lack of reflections may be related to the angle of incidence/reflection in relation to the camera but then again: are they really necessary?
Hi, no problem thank you. If you look at the cap of the bottle you can see the lighting. The key reason there isn't a huge amount of light on the bottle is because a lot if it is diffused by the application of spray applied to the bottle and the base spray for the condensation to adhere to. The levels of light were also quite low but are still apparent on the sides of the label.
Hi wgeeat video but I was wondering what speedlites are you using? It looks like profoto but then again it looks like another brand name on them?
I think these were rebadged Godox ones.
Thank you for showing a good example. btw, what is the filter for? what happens if you shoot without?
That was a Neutral Density filter (like a pair of sunglasses) as the light coming straight from the back was too bright.
You are such an ENORMOUS BLESSING!! Thank you so much for providing this valuable information for free to us! You are so incredibly experienced and teach so well!
You are welcome.
Hi Karl, really loving your video's giving me the right input to my work.
One question for using speedlights with softboxes.
What are your recommendation for using the built in scatter and zoom together with a softbox or behind diffusion foils.
Thanks
Hi, you need to get over to our site to understand the physical properties of light and how it works, diffuses, angles or reacts through various materials and modifiers. That's not something I can answer in a YT comment. Once you've learned this knowledge you'll know the answers for yourself for nearly every occassion.