A Basic Outline of Studio Shoots
In this blog post we will be discussing how to setup and prepare for a studio shoot. The basic lighting that will be followed during this post is a three part outline, Lighting, Product and postproduction.
Step One: Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important factors in all genres of photography but esspecially in studio based pratice. Understanding how light reacts to different surfaces is valauble knowledge which will help any photographer produce high end images. There are a few different way to see how light will react with any given surface. The first is to buy an LED light pack which you can use by holding the LED light source in different places and seeing where the light falls. Another way is to use a light tent and use a piece of black card to see where the black card creates shadow. After understanding where the light falls and how it reacts with the surface of the procuct you must decide where you want to place your highlights and shadows. This process will come down to brand research and personal preference.
Step Two: Product
The product itself is the most important factor in a shoot. If the product is defective or damaged then lighting it properly will not help and excessive damage will make it difficult to fix in post production. Making sure the product is of a commerical standard is very important. As well as making sure you have a undamaged product you should research the product you are shooting. Understanding brand statements and visions will allow you to shoot onbrand and produce realistic images.
Step Three: Post-Production
The post-production side of a shoot gives the photographer the ability to clear up an imperfection on the product and sort any mistakes taken while shooting. Mistakes while shooting are a common occurence when beginning a career in studio based practice. While this is a common occurence in the beginning a photographer should learn from these mistakes in order to reduce the frequency of these mistakes. Along side retouching and mistake corrections a photographer may wish to create a composite image or focus stack.
