Lighting to shoot furniture

foxymoose

foxymoose

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I have been asked by a friend to photograph some of her work - this being furniture, lampshades, and cushions. It would set up studio in her shop, so what lighting would I need to do this ?
I have no experience in using lighting but am keen to learn :thinking: and she is keen for me to use her pieces to practice on so need to go shopping..... but what for?
all help and advice greatfuly received ;)
 
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Soft furniture? Cabinet furniture? Kitchen furniture? Garden furniture? Bedroom furniture?
What is the maximum size of the pieces?
 
antique distressed/painted tables, a bureau, sofa 2 seater. um 3foot long maybe?
 
It's a big subject, but a fascinating one.

The cabinet furniture and tables will sometimes have a fairly highly reflective top, so you need a large softbox overhead, supported on a boom arm.
Often, the front and end can be lit by the same type of softbox, and angled shots often need just the one. Then you need a honeycomb, at an acute angle, to emphasise the texture on the front, for example the distressed finish, fittings etc.

Typically you will need a low level lighting stand, to get the front(ish) softbox square to the subject. And another one for the honeycombed light. And a normal height stand to hold a reflector holder boom arm and a reflector, to provide fill light without the expense of an extra light. You will need 3 flash heads for these modifiers, the flash heads are the least of it, it's the light shapers that do the work. You will also need 1 x standard reflector, the honeycomb fits into it.These are ideal, there are of course other makes too.

The soft furniture is far easier to photograph, and uses the same equipment.

This equipment list is probably bigger than you expected, but it is the absolute minimum that you can manage with, and it doesn't include any lighting for the background, which is a separate subject.

I hope your friend is going to pay for it:)
 
sorry was catching the zzzzz s! ok thanks will go and have a look and chat see what the plan is. what is the minimus I could use on a test run and does anyone hire stuff like this, incase its a disaster?!...
 
foxymoose said:
sorry was catching the zzzzz s! ok thanks will go and have a look and chat see what the plan is. what is the minimus I could use on a test run and does anyone hire stuff like this, incase its a disaster?!...
Click to expand...
There isn't really any point in using anything less than I've linked too, that's what you need, assuming that you don't want to light the background as well as the actual products - if you do, then you need 2 more flash heads, stands and white reflective umbrellas.

We don't hire, but you can hire from a number of suppliers. It probably won't help you though, there is far more to it than just equipment and if you're going to hire it for long enough to actually learn how to use it well enough to judge the results, you will spend a lot of money on hire.

Basically, you need to decide whether you're going to do this photography (properly) or not. If you are, then the cheapest option is probably just to go and buy it. And if you (or your friend) feels that it's too expensive, then it's probably best for her to hire a pro photographer who specialises in this kind of work. Expect to pay around £1000 per day for the right photographer.
 
What camera will you use, what lens will be on it, describe the size and general characteristics of the area you will be taking these photographs in, the expectation of your friend as to what they want you to produce quality wise, is it for the web, is it for a swish magazine or a simple pamphlet, whats he most important aspect of the images for them.

Then listen to Garry and cut your cloth accordingly.

Just my two pennyworth.:)
 
I would probably use my 1d mkiii, or my 5D with 24-70 2.8 (canon), it would be carried out in her shop, I'm not sure how much room she will be able to make.

Thanks Garry, your advice is greatly apreciated, I expect she will end up getting a pro to do it, and then hopefully I can go and watch and see how it all works and should be done. :)
 
Fine, just advise her to pay the extra for a commercial photographer with a good furniture portfolio - the skills (and equipment) required are very different from other types of photography and it's not unknown for people to take on jobs that they really can't do...

My favourite was a fitted kitchen manufacturer who hired the wedding photographer at the end of his road to do a highly technical job. Apparently the guy just walked around for about 20 minutes taking dozens of unusable snapshots, which they couldn't use and refused to pay for. I was then asked to do the job, it took me a day to take 3 shots.
 
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