# Recreating overcast outdoor light indoors



## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

I work with artisans to take photos of their creations for Etsy, blogs, print, etc.  I am more of a marketer who ends up taking photos, as opposed to a real photographer   I have a Canon Rebel T2, a decent sized lightbox & a Cowboy Studio 320 W strobe/flash/softbox (two) setup for my use.  Plus Photoshop.  I have found that taking photos of the creations outside, against a building, creates a photographic "look" that the artisans like and help sells the product.  With winter weather approaching, this is no longer feasible.  How can I recreate that nice white overcast lighting indoors?  I can purchase more equipment besides the strobe flashes that I have, but I have no idea what to purchase.  This product photography is all I will ever be doing in the upcoming year or so (no portraits, no artsy stuff).  Attached are photos of my outdoor lighting sample and the indoor lighting sample.  The indoor one has harsh shadows plus doesn't show off the product as-is.  The outdoor photo looks exactly like the product is in real-life.  Help?   Much appreciated.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

Overcast lighting is just soft lighting! Soft shadows! Easily done with large scrims, softboxes, etc.... 

if you don't know this... I question that you should be be "working", unless you are doing it for free!


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## Mully (Dec 15, 2012)

One works better ....just open it up some ...not too much


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

cgipson1:

Working for free?  Why, I received 10 million dollars for taking a photo of that $5.99 bent metal tree with glitter and bells on it that I attached to the message.  Should I have charged more?

I am looking for help.  Not insults.  This is a beginners forum, isn't it?  I don't need someone so advanced as you are telling me it is so "easily done" and telling me I should be "working for free."  Did you even look at the examples I posted?

Specific product recommendations would help instead.  e.g. you need to also buy a continuous lighting kit.  Or setup guidelines like - if you are placing your tripod 5 feet in front of the object, then I would suggest placing your strobe kit 15 feet away and turn it down to the lowest setting to rid those shadows.




cgipson1 said:


> Overcast lighting is just soft lighting! Soft shadows! Easily done with large scrims, softboxes, etc....
> 
> if you don't know this... I question that you should be be "working", unless you are doing it for free!


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

Mully -

Thank you very much.  I'll play with just the one.  Just got the strobe kit yesterday, so I haven't figured out all it can do.  Are there any other guidelines such as placing it x amount of feet away from the object?   I also have a series of material at my disposal.  Should I diffuse the light perhaps by draping something in front of it?

Thanks again!


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

themamayada said:


> cgipson1:
> 
> Working for free?  Why, I received 10 million dollars for taking a photo of that $5.99 bent metal tree with glitter and bells on it that I attached to the message.  Should I have charged more?
> 
> ...



It is basic knowledge that any "pro" would have... I have a problem with amateurs that charge for poor work, and expect us to teach them how to shoot.  And if you are getting paid, why are you in the Beginner's forum?


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

Cgipson1, you are yet again insulting instead of helping.   I certainly never asked for you to teach me how to shoot, for you chose to hit reply on your own volition regarding my question about lighting.  I never said anything about getting paid, hyperbole aside.  You dance around all sorts of non-photography-lighting issues without, still after 2 replies, never actually answering an apparently very basic photography-lighting question in a beginners-photography forum.



cgipson1 said:


> themamayada said:
> 
> 
> > cgipson1:
> ...


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## Derrel (Dec 15, 2012)

Yeah, that's a pretty fair assessment of what he's done...

That's his style...he gets all offended when noobs shoot for money...that's one of his 'things'...


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## Mully (Dec 15, 2012)

Bounce some light off the ceiling keeping it soft.  Overcast days produce little shadow so that is the look you want.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

themamayada said:


> Cgipson1, you are yet again insulting instead of helping.   I certainly never asked for you to teach me how to shoot, for you chose to hit reply on your own volition regarding my question about lighting.  I never said anything about getting paid, hyperbole aside.  You dance around all sorts of non-photography-lighting issues without, still after 2 replies, never actually answering an apparently very basic photography-lighting question in a beginners-photography forum.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I did answer it... Soft Lighting (google it!) ... Scrims (google it!) ... softboxes (google it!) So there!   That should be more than enough for anyone with any experience at all to go on....


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

Thank you for the explanation Derrel.  I joined this forum yesterday and made my first post today.  Can you imagine my surprise when I saw his response?  What a way to welcome a new member to the forum, eh? 



Derrel said:


> Yeah, that's a pretty fair assessment of what he's done...
> 
> That's his style...he gets all offended when noobs shoot for money...that's one of his 'things'...


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

Thank you Mully!  Now that makes sense!



Mully said:


> Bounce some light off the ceiling keeping it soft.  Overcast days produce little shadow so that is the look you want.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

Mully said:


> Bounce some light off the ceiling keeping it soft.  Overcast days produce little shadow so that is the look you want.



and if the venue has 20 or 30 foot tall ceilings (coliseum or something?) Or a really ugly color green on the ceilings?


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

Thank you for answering.  Since I sew, I made several scrims or diffusers as I call them with drapery rods and various materials.  And as mentioned in my original post, I already have two 320W strobe flashes inside soft boxes.  I am curious if a continuous lighting source is a better option though instead of the strobes that I have?  And if so, is there a particular type or manufacturer I should look at?



> I did answer it... Soft Lighting (google it!) ... Scrims (google it!) ... softboxes (google it!) So there!   That should be more than enough for anyone with any experience at all to go on....


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## JAC526 (Dec 15, 2012)

If you have windows take a bedsheet and put it over the window.  If you have direct sunlight coming in the window the bedsheet will soften the hard sunlight and make it behave like an overcast day.

If you don't have direct sunlight coming through the window just put your strobes outside and shoot through the bedsheet for a similar effect.


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

I have an art room, 30 feet long by 20 feet wide by I think 9 or 10 feet high.  Painted pure white.  Fluorescent fixtures, with bright white lights in them, along with some full-spectrum lamps here and there. 2 large windows in the room, 1 with north light exposure.  This is where I am hoping to take the photos for my fellow artisans instead of outdoors.  So I can indeed bounce light off of the ceiling.



cgipson1 said:


> Mully said:
> 
> 
> > Bounce some light off the ceiling keeping it soft.  Overcast days produce little shadow so that is the look you want.
> ...


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## themamayada (Dec 15, 2012)

JAC526:  Thank you!  I can indeed put the strobes outside - that is brilliant!  Will also try diffusing the one window to see if that helps recreate the overcast light that I love.


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

themamayada said:


> Thank you for answering.  Since I sew, I made several scrims or diffusers as I call them with drapery rods and various materials.  And as mentioned in my original post, I already have two 320W strobe flashes inside soft boxes.  I am curious if a continuous lighting source is a better option though instead of the strobes that I have?  And if so, is there a particular type or manufacturer I should look at?
> 
> 
> 
> > I did answer it... Soft Lighting (google it!) ... Scrims (google it!) ... softboxes (google it!) So there!   That should be more than enough for anyone with any experience at all to go on....



Unless you spend major bucks, want to deal with a lot of heat and glare.... continous lights are seldom a good option for photography! The cheap ones that are so popular with noobs are a complete waste of time. If you already have a room like that.. and the flashes, and scrims... use them.


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## JAC526 (Dec 15, 2012)

themamayada said:


> JAC526:  Thank you!  I can indeed put the strobes outside - that is brilliant!  Will also try diffusing the one window to see if that helps recreate the overcast light that I love.



Hey no problem.  Good luck.


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## JAC526 (Dec 15, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> themamayada said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for answering.  Since I sew, I made several scrims or diffusers as I call them with drapery rods and various materials.  And as mentioned in my original post, I already have two 320W strobe flashes inside soft boxes.  I am curious if a continuous lighting source is a better option though instead of the strobes that I have?  And if so, is there a particular type or manufacturer I should look at?
> ...



He is definitely right about that.  Don't bother with constant lights.  Just learn the strobes.


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## unpopular (Dec 15, 2012)

Gipson - at what point is a question sufficiently advanced enough that one can ask and not be harassed by your self-righteous crusade? Perhaps only one which you yourself cannot answer?


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## Helen B (Dec 15, 2012)

I do product photography. Most of the time I use plain 100 W incandescent household lamps in a 4 ft softbox on a boom, which lets me vary the angle of the very soft light. The softbox is sometimes as close to the product as it can be without getting in the way of the shot. Constant lighting is very easy to work with. Incandescent light has excellent spectral quality.

You can get strong diffusion material 4 ft wide and make 4x4 wooden frames quite simply, then staple the material to the frame. It is easier with a big softbox. What is your budget?


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## cgipson1 (Dec 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> Gipson - at what point is a question sufficiently advanced enough that one can ask and not be harassed by your self-righteous crusade? Perhaps only one which you yourself cannot answer?





I did give good information in my post... although I did not go into Spoon Feeding Detail... so what is your point? And you are more than welcome to ignore me... and save yourself grief! Might even be best!


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## tentwo (Dec 30, 2012)

I have posted a huge conglomerate of tutorials on lighting that could help you.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...299286-new-feature-photography-tutorials.html

Here is a decent tutorial on product lighting.

Camera Skills - Studio Lighting Example - Worth1000 Tutorials

Hope this helps.


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## nycphotography (Dec 30, 2012)

If you have a north facing window, you can get pretty good diffuse light coming in from it.  Use a bounce card to balance the light.

Closer to the window the light will be more diffuse w/ less shadow because the light source (window area) is much larger than the object.  Farther from the window, it becomes more directional.

I did a 3 minute demo.  Here's the setup.  Window sill.  White paper taped up as the bounce.  Northeast facing window at 1PM (sun has moved behind the house, shadow extending to other side of street).








Here are two sample "product shots".  











Notice the "white" fill on the left?  You may want to use a grey card.  or Move the fill farther away. This was just a quick demo to get you started.


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