Matt Esteron from Aperture recently posted two videos on lighting products for stills and video shooting, both offer some useful tips on how to get the most out of your product shoot.
On the video above Esteron discusses top lighting, using a reflective surface and having your light as close to your subject as possible so that your light will be as soft as possible. The bigger the light is in relation to your subject the softer it is. Another useful tip – don’t use a grid.
Using a hard light with double diffusing can be a very useful tip – Esteron uses the small MW light with double diffusing and still get a very soft light.
The video below is very similar but it also discusses the camera (we covered some options for this in some of our own videos – see our overhead camera rig) and the way to get even light in your frame.
What you need to have for both the above and front angles. Using soft light close to your table and products and be careful about shadows (you can use a bounce or a second light from another angle).
Matt Esteron on Lighting Overhead Shots
Product photography bonus video: Lee Morris (co-founder of fstoppers.com) on how you can use a TV to create any background that you like for your product shot
You can find many more product photography (and videography) related videos on our dedicated product photography subsection found in our general technique section.