Tips For Better Photos

Product photography is about 90% lighting and layout; and 10% camera. Here are some links to pages with hints and tricks for product photography layout.

TableTopStudio. This site has some good 'how to' pages for hard to photo products.

CameraJims. This is billed as a guide for ebay photos, but it gives some inexpensive setup ideas.

Photoflex Lighting School has a LOT of information on lighting. Some of the techniques involve some fairly expensive equipment, but there is some great ideas that you can use. Excellent photos of photo shot layouts.

A LIght Box (or Light Tent or Softbox) is an easy way to get soft, diffuse lighting. Basically, you are either bouncing the light off of a white surface, or shining the light through a white fabric. You can also buy ready to use light boxes for under $100.

$10 Photo Studio. How to make a dirt cheap small light box.

Homemade Light Box. Another approach to making a cheap small light box.

Larger Light Box. This is a larger light tent.

Shoot Through Umbrellas are another way to get soft lighting. You would need two. They are inexpensive and work good.

Using a sheet of white mat board as a reflector is another way to get soft lighting.

Just so you don't leave thinking the softer the light the better... Here is a example of how more shadow makes the subject "pop"