How To Measure Exposure For Still Object In All White Background

Product photography on white background coming out too dark - which settings to use?

Mar 9, 2014

Hi, I'one thousand a beginner trying to take product photos on a white background with a homemade light box. I am hoping to be able to do this without having to invest in new lenses or whatever expensive equipment. The lights I bought aren't very brilliant but I was hoping my camera settings could accommodate for that.

This is my setup:

http://i59.tinypic.com/214telk.jpg

And this is what my images are turning out similar:

http://tinypic.com/r/n1v4fd/8

http://tinypic.com/r/2cy16k1/8

http://tinypic.com/r/x10cib/8

The variation is from unlike levels of exposure bounty. I can't seem to go higher than 2 without the whole prototype being blown out. The photos don't seem to come out that sharp to brainstorm with and then when I try to change the Luminance in Curves in Aperture to burnish the background, they become more grainy.

I am in P way and these are the other settings I'm in:

ISO 6400

Exposure compensation - two

Picture show way - Neutral

White rest - White fluorescent light

Automobile lighting optimizer - Strong

AF - one shot

Single shooting

Metering mode - Evaluative metering

RAW mode

Whatsoever pointers would be much appreciated. Thanks!

ANSWER:

This question has not been answered yet.

Tom Axford • Veteran Member • Posts: 8,958

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too dark - which settings to employ?

one

gummybear wrote:

Hi, I'chiliad a beginner trying to have product photos on a white background with a homemade light box. I am hoping to be able to do this without having to invest in new lenses or any expensive equipment. The lights I bought aren't very bright but I was hoping my camera settings could accommodate for that.

This is my setup:

http://i59.tinypic.com/214telk.jpg

And this is what my images are turning out similar:

http://tinypic.com/r/n1v4fd/8

http://tinypic.com/r/2cy16k1/viii

http://tinypic.com/r/x10cib/8

The variation is from different levels of exposure compensation. I tin't seem to go college than 2 without the whole image beingness diddled out. The photos don't seem to come out that sharp to begin with and then when I try to change the Luminance in Curves in Aperture to brighten the background, they go more grainy.

They are grainy because you lot are using likewise high an ISO. Assuming you lot put your photographic camera on a tripod, you should utilise the base of operations ISO and and so use Aperture manner or Manual manner so that you tin set an appropriate aperture for the depth of field you need (yous don't say what camera you are using, so I cannot propose a suitable aperture).

I am in P fashion and these are the other settings I'm in:

ISO 6400

Exposure bounty - two

Picture fashion - Neutral

White rest - White fluorescent light

Auto lighting optimizer - Strong

AF - 1 shot

Single shooting

Metering mode - Evaluative metering

RAW style

Whatsoever pointers would exist much appreciated. Thank yous!

I would suggest using Manual mode and ready the aperture and exposure time so that the white background comes out as nearly pure white (but exist careful not to overexpose) rather than the grayness you have been getting. Use trial and fault to get it correct, if necessary.

I hope this helps - give information technology a endeavour and come back if there are still problems.

photosen • Veteran Member • Posts: 6,226

Re: Product photography on white background coming out as well dark - which settings to use?

What you need is spot metering, didn't see which camera y'all're using but you could get a really cheap older DSLR (on another thread here they were talking almost $100, $200) that has it; I would also suggest pointing your lamps outside of your lightbox instead of direct at the product. There's a great book which could help you with lighting, it's called Light Scientific discipline and Magic.

Canon EOS 30D Canon EOS 70D Canon EF 35mm F2.0 Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Canon EF-South 10-22mm F3.5-iv.5 USM +3 more

Tom Axford • Veteran Member • Posts: 8,958

Re: Product photography on white background coming out besides dark - which settings to use?

Merely another point to add: If yous want the groundwork to appear white, you need to make sure that your lighting lights the background at least as brightly equally it lights the product, otherwise you are leap to overexpose the product in trying to make the background announced pure white.

darklamp • Veteran Member • Posts: 3,567

Light Tent and diffuse lighting

You cannot get an all white background if you apply that lighting setup simply considering the lights are directly illuminating the object. This will always produce an uneven light level over the surfaces of the enclosure.

What you lot need to do is use a Light Tent, which helps create a diffuse and even light level.

http://digital-photography-schoolhouse.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

I would suggest you google more nigh lighting.

The basic technique is otherwise uncomplicated. As another poster suggested already, you utilise base ISO, a tripod or similar stand, whatsoever discontinuity is required to get the depth of field needed and every bit long an exposure as needed to go the exposure right. You lot would use a timer or remote release to prepare the exposure going.

If your calorie-free level is depression and so you may demand to use Bulb fashion ( where the photographer both starts and stops the exposure ( the photographic camera will not stop the exposure in Bulb way ).

(unknown member) • Regular Member • Posts: 442

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too night - which settings to use?

You lot're attempting to practice something that really requires some understanding of photography but looks easy. Production shots like the ones you lot come across in ads are normally the result of several lights and modifiers controlled to exacting standards to produce specific looks. The grayish pictures are a issue of the way reflective metering works. The camera's reflective meter reads the light reflecting off of objects and calculates an exposure to render the object medium gray. Since your scene is predominantly white, the camera is seeing more light reflected compared to a grey object and thus reducing the exposure to make the negative grey.

A forum isn't a good place to larn about the fundamentals of metering and exposure. One way to solve the exposure trouble is to use a hand-held meter, or increase the exposure until yous go the background as vivid equally possible but not blown out. Either way, I would suggest doing this in manual way as one time you have a good exposure for a constant amount of light, you won't demand to change the exposure.

If you need ISO 6400 to get a good exposure, at that place's not enough lite. While new cameras perform well at 6400, that's an unnecessary compromise in a controlled surround, especially when you desire to characteristic details of products. Bringing in brighter lights would assist reduce the ISO to a cleaner level. There'due south no ane product I can recommend but I tin can say that the more yous pay the better you go. Scout this video about product photography. These are starting points.

A few other tips: When shooting in RAW, none of the picture control settings like neutral or whatever colour spaces make a difference. RAW is 100 per centum of the unprocessed information captured from the sensor and none of the picture control settings are practical except to the JPEG preview you run across on the camera's LCD. Those settings use but when shooting directly to JPEG files, in which case about lxxx percent of the RAW information is discarded and the JPEG is compressed with the called settings applied, which can't be manipulated afterwards without damaging the negative. To get the most out of a negative, RAW is a good choice. Merely empathise the differences. You lot tin can learn more than here.

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too dark - which settings to employ?

You volition never accomplish what y'all want with that lighting setup or with setting the photographic camera on Plan.

If yous want a white groundwork yous take to light it much brighter than the subject.

When you meter a scene with a large white background the meter sets the photographic camera to attain an exposure at mid bespeak between black and white. So the background is also night. That makes a darker than white subject area wait darker than it is. Using exposure bounty will not alter the difference between tonality of the groundwork and subject. Yous accept to make the background white past lighting it and them getting an exposure reading off a neutral gray card, non the subject itself. Once you lot take those setting you can utilise them over and once more.

Your lights are in the incorrect positions for product photos. You would be better off with a lighting tent for modest products. You lot need more than powerful lights because ISO 6400 is an IQ killer.

Providing a detailed explanation would require writing for an hr, drawing diagrams, etc. I don't call up those of u.s.a. who know how to practise it tin can spare that fourth dimension. Looking up product lighting photography techniques on Google and you lot will fins a website that explains how to practice it.

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Re: Product photography on white background coming out also dark - which settings to use?

Kickoff set the photographic camera properly
Base ISO (lowest the photographic camera is capable of), manual exposure and manual focus. The reason for manual exposure is that you can stop the lens down and let the camera decide your shutter speed. Be prepared to bracket the shutter speed to boom down the proper exposure. Manual focus because the camera will focus on the front end of the object and the back may exit of focus depending on your aperture and distance the photographic camera is to the object. If you lot focus on the center of the object, the back and front will be in focus when the lens is stopped downward. Smaller object similar jewelry will be the near challenging.

Lighting is crucial
Obviously start with 2 lights, one on either side at a 45 degree angles. That won't requite you a white background but will give you proper exposure on the object. For a white background with shadows, be prepared to use two more lights striking the groundwork behind the object and mayhap one overhead to divide the object from the background.

The EZCube spider web site has a lot of examples and is a skilful style to get started. I recommend them because they open at the top assuasive you to add light above and backside and to suspend object that look improve suspended, like necklaces or pendants.
http://world wide web.tabletopstudio.com/HowTo_page.html

I use their twenty inch cube to shoot jewelry, it helps control reflections. Simply I employ it with studio strobes and sixty inch white umbrellas and sometimes a small softbox overhead for additional lite. You lot can see examples of the jewelry (and other artwork) I photograph on my spider web site:
http://bermangraphics.com/digital-jury-resource/jury-slide-photography.htm

I never photograph artwork on white because the white will blind the jurors when the images are projected when artists apply to art shows. But I can run across the possible need for white for advertizing. Make sure to control your shadows (direction and size) on the white groundwork and then they look pleasing for your clients.

1 last tip
Take detailed notes and measurements on the positioning of the objects and lights for every photo. When you lot finally get pictures that work, y'all'll be able to duplicate the settings.

OP gummybear • New Member • Posts: eleven

Re: Product photography on white groundwork coming out too dark - which settings to utilize?

Thank you, I am using a Canon EOS Rebel T3.

In G style the base of operations aperture is 5.half dozen.

In Av (aperture priority) fashion the base aperture is three.5.

Which practise yous advise?

Tom Axford wrote:

gummybear wrote:

Hi, I'm a beginner trying to have product photos on a white background with a homemade light box. I am hoping to be able to do this without having to invest in new lenses or any expensive equipment. The lights I bought aren't very vivid merely I was hoping my camera settings could accommodate for that.

This is my setup:

http://i59.tinypic.com/214telk.jpg

And this is what my images are turning out similar:

http://tinypic.com/r/n1v4fd/eight

http://tinypic.com/r/2cy16k1/8

http://tinypic.com/r/x10cib/8

The variation is from different levels of exposure bounty. I can't seem to get higher than two without the whole image beingness blown out. The photos don't seem to come out that sharp to begin with and and so when I try to change the Luminance in Curves in Aperture to brighten the background, they get more grainy.

They are grainy considering y'all are using besides loftier an ISO. Assuming you put your camera on a tripod, you should use the base of operations ISO and so employ Discontinuity mode or Manual mode so that you can gear up an appropriate aperture for the depth of field y'all need (you don't say what photographic camera yous are using, and then I cannot propose a suitable aperture).

I am in P manner and these are the other settings I'one thousand in:

ISO 6400

Exposure compensation - 2

Picture mode - Neutral

White residue - White fluorescent light

Automobile lighting optimizer - Strong

AF - ane shot

Unmarried shooting

Metering way - Evaluative metering

RAW mode

Whatsoever pointers would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I would suggest using Manual manner and set the aperture and exposure time and so that the white background comes out as virtually pure white (just be careful not to overexpose) rather than the grayness yous have been getting. Utilize trial and fault to get information technology right, if necessary.

I hope this helps - requite information technology a try and come up back if there are still problems.

OP gummybear • New Member • Posts: 11

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too dark - which settings to use?

In reply to photosen • May 11, 2014

I am using a Canon EOS Rebel T3. It does not have spot metering. I'll look up the book. Thank you.

photosen wrote:

What you demand is spot metering, didn't see which camera you're using but you could become a actually cheap older DSLR (on another thread hither they were talking about $100, $200) that has it; I would too suggest pointing your lamps exterior of your lightbox instead of directly at the product. There's a bully book which could help you with lighting, it's chosen Light Scientific discipline and Magic.

OP gummybear • New Member • Posts: 11

Re: Light Tent and diffuse lighting

In reply to darklamp • May 11, 2014

Ok, so it sounds like I could modify the box I already have. I recall the lights I have are not brilliant enough, that was the strongest I could find in a clamp light.

For shooting products at a close distance what is a good base ISO and discontinuity? I do have a remote for the camera.

darklamp wrote:

You lot cannot go an all white background if you employ that lighting setup but because the lights are directly illuminating the object. This will ever produce an uneven light level over the surfaces of the enclosure.

What you need to practise is use a Calorie-free Tent, which helps create a diffuse and even light level.

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-cheap-light-tent

I would advise you google more than about lighting.

The bones technique is otherwise elementary. As another affiche suggested already, you use base of operations ISO, a tripod or similar stand up, whatever aperture is required to get the depth of field needed and equally long an exposure as needed to get the exposure correct. You would use a timer or remote release to set the exposure going.

If your lite level is low then you may need to use Bulb fashion ( where the lensman both starts and stops the exposure ( the camera will not end the exposure in Bulb mode ).

OP gummybear • New Fellow member • Posts: 11

Re: Product photography on white groundwork coming out as well dark - which settings to use?

Thanks, I will watch the video and read your web log post. It sounds similar I should continue in RAW and M mode just get better lighting and reduce ISO.

hirejn wrote:

You're attempting to do something that actually requires some understanding of photography but looks piece of cake. Product shots like the ones you see in ads are ordinarily the result of several lights and modifiers controlled to exacting standards to produce specific looks. The grayish pictures are a outcome of the way reflective metering works. The photographic camera'south reflective meter reads the low-cal reflecting off of objects and calculates an exposure to render the object medium gray. Since your scene is predominantly white, the camera is seeing more light reflected compared to a grayness object and thus reducing the exposure to make the negative gray.

A forum isn't a good identify to learn about the fundamentals of metering and exposure. One way to solve the exposure trouble is to use a paw-held meter, or increment the exposure until you go the background as vivid as possible but not blown out. Either way, I would suggest doing this in manual mode as in one case you have a good exposure for a constant amount of light, you won't need to change the exposure.

If you demand ISO 6400 to go a good exposure, there's not enough light. While new cameras perform well at 6400, that's an unnecessary compromise in a controlled environment, especially when yous want to feature details of products. Bringing in brighter lights would help reduce the ISO to a cleaner level. There's no one production I tin recommend but I can say that the more you pay the better you get. Watch this video near production photography. These are starting points.

A few other tips: When shooting in RAW, none of the picture control settings like neutral or whatsoever color spaces make a difference. RAW is 100 percentage of the unprocessed data captured from the sensor and none of the picture control settings are practical except to the JPEG preview y'all see on the photographic camera's LCD. Those settings use only when shooting direct to JPEG files, in which case about 80 percent of the RAW data is discarded and the JPEG is compressed with the chosen settings practical, which can't be manipulated later without damaging the negative. To get the nigh out of a negative, RAW is a adept choice. Only understand the differences. You can learn more than here.

OP gummybear • New Member • Posts: xi

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too night - which settings to use?

Thanks a lot. I thought what I had was a calorie-free tent merely information technology sounds similar I need to alter the box. Is at that place whatsoever premade lite tent y'all recommend for purchase?

I don't have spot metering with this camera so I presume I will just need to get a amend lighting setup. And lower ISO.

Richard Weisgrau wrote:

Y'all will never accomplish what you want with that lighting setup or with setting the camera on Program.

If you want a white background you take to low-cal it much brighter than the subject.

When y'all meter a scene with a large white background the meter sets the camera to achieve an exposure at mid betoken between blackness and white. So the background is too dark. That makes a darker than white subject look darker than it is. Using exposure bounty volition not change the difference between tonality of the background and subject area. You have to make the background white by lighting it and them getting an exposure reading off a neutral gray card, not the field of study itself. One time you have those setting yous tin use them over and over once more.

Your lights are in the wrong positions for production photos. Yous would be better off with a lighting tent for pocket-sized products. You need more powerful lights because ISO 6400 is an IQ killer.

Providing a detailed explanation would require writing for an 60 minutes, cartoon diagrams, etc. I don't recall those of united states of america who know how to do it can spare that time. Looking up production lighting photography techniques on Google and you will fins a website that explains how to do information technology.

OP gummybear • New Member • Posts: 11

Re: Product photography on white background coming out too dark - which settings to use?

Cheers very much for the tips. Ok so on M mode the base aperture is F5.6, and and then the lowest ISO is 100.

The EZ Cube looks worth investing in. Is there a specific type of lights yous recommend?

Larry Berman wrote:

First fix the camera properly
Base ISO (everyman the camera is capable of), manual exposure and manual focus. The reason for manual exposure is that you can stop the lens downwards and allow the camera decide your shutter speed. Be prepared to bracket the shutter speed to nail down the proper exposure. Transmission focus considering the camera will focus on the front of the object and the back may go out of focus depending on your discontinuity and distance the camera is to the object. If yous focus on the middle of the object, the back and front will be in focus when the lens is stopped down. Smaller object like jewelry will be the most challenging.

Lighting is crucial
Obviously start with two lights, i on either side at a 45 degree angles. That won't give you a white background only will give you proper exposure on the object. For a white groundwork with shadows, be prepared to use two more lights hitting the background backside the object and maybe one overhead to divide the object from the groundwork.

The EZCube web site has a lot of examples and is a good way to get started. I recommend them because they open at the top assuasive you to add together lite in a higher place and behind and to suspend object that look better suspended, like necklaces or pendants.
http://www.tabletopstudio.com/HowTo_page.html

I use their 20 inch cube to shoot jewelry, it helps command reflections. But I utilize it with studio strobes and 60 inch white umbrellas and sometimes a minor softbox overhead for additional light. You can see examples of the jewelry (and other artwork) I photograph on my spider web site:
http://bermangraphics.com/digital-jury-resource/jury-slide-photography.htm

I never photograph artwork on white because the white will blind the jurors when the images are projected when artists apply to art shows. Merely I can see the possible need for white for advertising. Make sure to control your shadows (direction and size) on the white background so they wait pleasing for your clients.

One terminal tip
Have detailed notes and measurements on the positioning of the objects and lights for every photo. When you lot finally go pictures that work, yous'll be able to duplicate the settings.

Mike_PEAT • Forum Pro • Posts: thirteen,344

Y'all need to use Thou mode for this photography...

Since this has been reopened after months, and I use a like setup professionally thought I'd comment.

First you want M mode, you don't want the camera deciding the exposure, y'all want full control. Otherwise the camera exposes for middle gray.

Second, a good tripod...I typically shoot f/22 around a second at ISO200, but that will be different for you depending on your lighting.

Third, you didn't mention which camera simply expect into tethering to your calculator...y'all can come across the image simulated before yous take it on a larger screen, and command the photographic camera at the computer, so you don't have to affect the camera reducing the potential for milk shake.

Attempt Spot Metering and Spot Focussing (nt)

Olympus SP-570 UZ Olympus SH-50 Olympus Stylus SH-1 Olympus OM-D Due east-M10 Two Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV +1 more

Re: Production photography on white groundwork coming out likewise night - which settings to use?

Here is your image with some Post Processing.
I call back a white background for the CYAN colour of the bottle volition non create contrast between the bottle and the background.

I would attempt other groundwork colour.
See my blog for samples
http://robertevangelista.blogspot.com/2014/02/blog-vi-product-photography-lighting-and.html

Olympus E-M1 Samyang 85mm F1.4 Aspherical IF Olympus 1000.Zuiko Digital 45mm F1.8 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.viii Canon Pixma Pro-100 +xi more

TTMartin • Veteran Member • Posts: vii,304

Re: Product photography on white background coming out besides dark - which settings to use?

gummybear wrote:

Hello, I'm a beginner trying to accept product photos on a white background with a homemade light box. I am hoping to exist able to do this without having to invest in new lenses or any expensive equipment. The lights I bought aren't very vivid but I was hoping my camera settings could adapt for that.

This is my setup:

http://i59.tinypic.com/214telk.jpg

And this is what my images are turning out like:

http://tinypic.com/r/n1v4fd/8

http://tinypic.com/r/2cy16k1/8

http://tinypic.com/r/x10cib/viii

The variation is from different levels of exposure bounty. I can't seem to go college than 2 without the whole image beingness blown out. The photos don't seem to come out that abrupt to begin with and and so when I endeavor to change the Luminance in Curves in Aperture to brighten the background, they go more grainy.

I am in P way and these are the other settings I'm in:

ISO 6400

Turn ISO downward to ISO 320 or lower.

Exposure compensation - two

Picture show style - Neutral

White balance - White fluorescent low-cal

Car lighting optimizer - Strong

Turn ALO off

AF - one shot

Single shooting

Metering way - Evaluative metering

RAW way

Whatsoever pointers would exist much appreciated. Thank you!

Plow your lights so they smoothen on the white board and not on the product.

Use a tripod and a remote shutter release or the cameras self timer.

Catechism PowerShot S100 (2000) Catechism PowerShot SD1000 Canon PowerShot G1 X Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 400D +26 more

TTMartin • Veteran Member • Posts: 7,304

Re: Production photography on white groundwork coming out too dark - which settings to apply?

gummybear wrote:

Thanks very much for the tips. Ok so on M manner the base aperture is F5.vi, and then the lowest ISO is 100.

The EZ Cube looks worth investing in. Is there a specific type of lights yous recommend?

Those EZ Cube prices are about three times higher than you would pay for an equivalent light tent on Amazon.

Your lights should exist fine. Y'all are just trying to go along too high of a shutter speed.

Apply a tripod and remote and don't worry how dull the shutter speed is. Likewise when using a tripod, plough the image stabilization on your lens off.

Canon PowerShot S100 (2000) Canon PowerShot SD1000 Canon PowerShot G1 X Catechism EOS 40D Canon EOS 400D +26 more