# Professional dessert photography setup?



## erkindemir (Jan 30, 2018)

Hello everyone,

I have a job that the lighting should be exactly the same to the ones in the links.

Since I consider myself a portrait photographer, I guess some tips from the experienced friends on here could be helpful.

I have 3 heads with big umbrellas and a beauty dish.  Guess I will need some smaller modifiers for this project?. renting is an option. any ideas for the setup?

Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Thanks.


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## tirediron (Jan 30, 2018)

Based on those examples, large modifiers would be ideal; in fact, I think a single, large modifier fairly close to the item would get you what you want; soft, diffuse light with a very gentle shadow graduation.


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## erkindemir (Jan 31, 2018)

Thanks for the answer. So A big modifier will be enough for this project. I guess it should be tilted down like 45 degree for the gradient effect?


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## tirediron (Jan 31, 2018)

If you reverse-engineer the lighting in those images, it appears to be a single light, ~45 degrees camera right and angled downward somewhere between 30 and 40 degrees.  The exact placement will depend on your lights and modifier.  For something like this, a speedlight in a small softbox (say 24x24) on low power and very near the item (likely within 12") should be a good starting point.  A second layer of diffusion material might not go amiss either.


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## KmH (Jan 31, 2018)

The size of a light modifier determines how sharp or diffuse shadow edges are.
A bare on or off camera hot shoe flash is a small light source and delivers harsh sharp edged shadows.
Turn that bare flash around so it's pointing into a 32" umbrella, or is pointing at the subject from inside a 24" softbox, and the shadows will have a much more diffuse edge.

In fact as long as you control light spill you might even use a scrim.

Note that skilled product photographers also often use black flats to subtract light.
This inexpensive book is highly recommended and regarded, which is why it's in it's 5th(?) edition now.
Light Science &amp; Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting


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## erkindemir (Feb 28, 2018)

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it.

I have a photex softlighrer 46'' umbrella. Considering the size of the desserts, the modifier seems too big?

Does anyone have an opinion. Maybe I can block the lights with scrims or blackboards to make the modifier smaller?


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## TCampbell (Mar 1, 2018)

Studying the shadows... I’m thinking they’re hanging the soft box from an overhead boom.  The light seems to be mostly from above.


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