The Best Product Lighting Setup

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Product lighting is everywhere you look. Whether it’s high end commercials, unboxing videos, or casual photography, people are always lighting products. Of course, there are hundreds of different ways you can light a product, but there seems to be one type of lighting that can make anything look good. This is called. overhead lighting. Overhead lighting creates dramatic highlights and shadows on an object that make it appear more sleek and desirable. Today on 4 Minute Film School, we will be showing you how to create nice overhead lighting on two different budgets.

In this video, Matt from the A-Team shows us how to set up and shoot with overhead lighting, using high end lighting as well as a budget friendly lighting option. First, he thinks about a surface to put his products on. A dark reflective surface will give the best results. Second, he rigs a light directly overhead. This can be done with a c-stand for most lights. Lastly, he figures out how he’s going to diffuse the light. The softer the light the more pleasing the light will be.

The main aspects addressed in this video are light position and light quality. Light position refers to where the light is placed within your setup. For this we are mounting a light directly over the set, and there are a few things that you need to know in order to do that safely. Light quality refers to how soft or hard a light is. For this we wanted a soft light so we wanted to make the light as large as possible.

The creative possibilities of the overhead angle are limitless. YouTubers use it for reviewing products, photographers use it for laying out large spreads, and filmmakers even use it for dynamic angles in Hollywood movies. Even if it’s just you standing over the set with your phone, experiment with overhead lighting to see what works for you. Having a few go to lighting setups can help make you a more efficient filmmaker once you get on set.

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Aputure's YouTube channel provides free high-quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.

[aputurelighting]

What's something that would look good in this lighting? Comment below for a chance to win an Aputure M9!

[mikedesrochers]

I am a blacksmith and I make knives, BBQ tools etc. You’ve given me a great tutorial and I could use all the lighting I can muster. Thanks so much.

[BrightsideBLVD]

Affordable tip. Head to Lowe’s, purchase the plexiglass, also buy glossy paint of your choice and spray paint evenly on one side. Let dry and use the unpainted side as your display surface. ✊🏿

[SaltLake]

Thanks a lot for this realistic, to the point tutorial by actually showing the actual issues.

[ddive]

I am 3d artist and this is going to help me a lot for 3d product visualization

[ulysseproton]

I think that a little plant like a basil for exemple would like awsome with the sub surface scatering of the very green leaves!

[VideoUpskill]

Excellent diffusion tips and C stand setup.

[thewildernesshiker-howtose]

My hiking kit, with all the experienced gear, scratches, character, and all.

[MrCbsmith]

Thx for this! I'm going to try this with some cool bottles I have - I think I'll get a nice outline, plus the reflections from the black plexi.

[AlessandroGiordani]

My vintage pocket watch would be amazing in this setup! :)

[Nichabodcrane]

Pretty much any kind of glassware looks really nice with this kind of setup. I like shooting on translucent white plexiglass though. You can use black card stock on either side of the glass just out of frame to create black lines on the side of stemware to create really nice imagery!

[zarnvideoproduction]

Object: car keys!
Question: do you have tips for keeping your plexi-glass clean? I find mine gets scratched and dusty super easily.

[سعيدالكعبي-لز]

My green cup of coffee I bought from Harrods with hot American coffee and some steaming from the heat of the coffee

[macsnapsmedia]

I make leather wallets and they would look amazing using this same technique and an M9

[davidmarsham]

A pile of whole coffee beans with a well designed bag behind it would look awesome with this lighting

[robertcollins]

Man I love when I get a notification saying you guys dropped a vid. I'm actually working on a video how to make everyday objects look cool I used
Stuff like pocket knives, and watches

[substrate]

Anything can look good in this lighting setup

[ShortBetter]

How about if I need to film the product from the top?

[vishalpoddar-securities]

That's really helpful. Thanks a ton 😊

[temitayoisme]

My pot of chicken sauce taken right out of the fridge. The ice flares would make a great effect