Tips on what camera/lighting/lens I need to do this shot?

[totalwise]

https://imgur.com/9CH9Lia

hello

I'm trying to photograph some watch straps and I'm really struggling to get good photos. I tried to shoot them on a lightbox - the problem with the lightbox is the shine and luster of the product disappears - I think becasuse of the surrounding 360 light, the camera almost ignores all the shimmer and looks very dull.

I recall reading somewhere that for shiny objects, lightboxes are known to mattify them on the camera, and it's better to shoot them outside of the lightbox shot from a single powerful light source which will accenturate the shimmer.

I really like the look of this photo. I think for ecommerce photography it's well done. Does anyone know what sort of setup I'd need to pull this off?

I have a canon 600D
Kit lens with extension tube on the way? Do I need extension tube for this shot I don't know..

I will need to buy lighting because I'm not happy with the photobox results. Any recommendations for budget friendly liights that I need for this shot?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Lightbox . . . This isn't the Private Eye Pedantry Corner - but I think we need to be clear about this. A lightbox is a transparency/negative viewer and I'm guessing that you mean either a light cube or a light tent, not a lightbox.

A light cube is the modern version of a light tent and typically includes one or more strips of LED lights. A light tent is the previous (and less bad) incarnation, with translucent walls and ceiling, with the lights placed outside of the box and aimed through the walls and ceiling. Less bad than the light cube but still useless for nearly all types of photography.

These things are basically sold to people because they're cheap and because they claim to be the perfect solution to product photography solutions. They are in fact pretty useless because of the lack of light control, and product photography is mainly about getting the lighting right.

The example photo you've shown is, IMO, terrible at every level.

If you want to photograph a watch, then your starting point is to put the camera on a solid tripod, position it to suit and then place a flash fitted with a softbox in about the same position as in your example photo (above and behind) but at an angle that doesn't create that horrible glare. The softbox will need to be at least 4 times the size of the subject but, with such a small subject, that won't be a problem for you.

But, it seems to be the watch STRAP that needs to be right for you. Same setup, same light position but it needs to be a much smaller light source and it needs to be further away. This will reveal the texture. The strap will then look good, but the watch face will look terrible, so if the strap is attached to a watch then you'll need one shot lit for the watch and another for the strap, then just comp them together in Photoshop, a very quick and simple process once you've got the hang of it.

As for using an extension tube, yes, you will almost certainly need to do that.

As for choice of lighting, it needs to be flash and although studio flash is cheaper and better for this type of photography, off-camera flashes will be good enough too. Brand doesn't matter unless you buy at the junk end.

 

[totalwise]

Thanks for the feedback. I gathered the light was a bit too close because you can see the light on the reflection on the watch, and it's leaving a shadow.

You're right about the light cube. It does the job for an ebay product photo and is good for someone whose just looking for something OK without needing to learn about lighting and spend a fortune on lighting, backdrops etc.

Do you have any specific lighting recommendations for me.

To be honest I hate shooting these strap on a light cub and light tent because these strap don't stay in positing very well and manipulating them and fixing them into position through the 18" hole with the camera in the way is annoying. I would like to photograph them outside of a light cube if possible,.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Thanks for the feedback. I gathered the light was a bit too close because you can see the light on the reflection on the watch, and it's leaving a shadow.

Not too close, simply at the wrong angle.

You're right about the light cube. It does the job for an ebay product photo and is good for someone whose just looking for something OK without needing to learn about lighting and spend a fortune on lighting, backdrops etc.

It doesn't do the job for any kind of photography

To be honest I hate shooting these strap on a light cub and light tent because these strap don't stay in positing very well and manipulating them and fixing them into position through the 18" hole with the camera in the way is annoying. I would like to photograph them outside of a light cube if possible,.

All that you need for such a small subject is a piece of smooth material on which you can place the subject. Blu-tack will hold it in place perfectly. I use A3 size shiny acrylic for this type of subject, the semi-reflection adds visual appeal. Available in both white and black. Something like this, good quality product, lousy quality photos produced in a light tent . . . https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171394197263?var=470440190496

And stick it on one of these Lazy Susan turntables, makes it very easy to get the angles right https://www.ebay.co.uk/ipp/194270314291?transactionId=1875295001009&_trksid=p2047675.l48352

Do you have any specific lighting recommendations for me.

You could spend a whole £4.99 on a book called "Product Photography Magic" sold on Amazon and written by someone called Garry Edwards. There's a lot of detail in there about equipment.