I'm trying to figure out my new light-set... Any tips on lighting would be very appreciated! I used two soft boxes on either side of the toaster. I found that shooting relfective surfaces is very difficult.
*post challenge*
This was extremely last minute...I should have looked closer before submiting this!!! It was only after voting started that I noticed my slopping burning around the edges. Oh well. ;)
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First Impression: Nice setup, meets the challenge. Now I need a glass of OJ, since that looks yummy, but the toast needs some butter or jelly to go with it. A few wrinkles in the cloth are a little distracting, but the toaster is so shiny. There seems to be some odd stuff in the corners... background behind the toaster and extra dark corners where it's black... burning perhaps? The reflected light on the corner of the toaster kind of catches my eye as I look back and forth between the plate and reflection.
After reading your photographers comments: Oof. I'm the wrong person to ask about lighting setups. I have a few desk lamps, a white sheet and some white posterboard. But let's see. It seems like all of the light is coming from the right side... the left side of the toaster is dark, and almost blends in with the background. I guess putting anything in front of/to the left would have shown up in the reflection? What about a little light behind the toaster instead to give it some separation from the background? Maybe use some color somehow to give a warm glow to the toaster? I guess I'm thinking of those flashes with the colored gels that I've seen people use though, not softboxes?
After reading the voters comments: Seems like I just repeated what some of them have said. Looks like shamer had some good information on lighting. Perhaps try a reshoot with his suggestions and post this shot and the reshoot for some more critiques?
Hope this has been helpful! If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me!
When it comes to reflective surfaces, a good rule of thumb is to make your light source as large as possible in relation to the subject. You enlarge light sources via bounce or diffusion (large pieces of vellum, gatorboard/white cardboard, or fabric).
I liked your concept here, but confess I got hung up on the details: 1) fabric wrinkles 2) diffuse surface on the inside of the glass which made it look dirty 3) unmotivated knife (a pat of butter to go along with it would have sufficed) and 4) the sharp reflections of your light source in the toaster and on the glass.
When it comes to reflective surfaces, a good rule of thumb is to make your light source as large as possible in relation to the subject. You enlarge light sources via bounce or diffusion (large pieces of vellum, gatorboard/white cardboard, or fabric).
I liked your concept here, but confess I got hung up on the details: 1) fabric wrinkles 2) diffuse surface on the inside of the glass which made it look dirty 3) unmotivated knife (a pat of butter to go along with it would have sufficed) and 4) the sharp reflections of your light source in the toaster and on the glass.
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