To help you decide on what to buy when considering product photography, you will find the most frequently asked questions relating to the choice of appropriate utilities in the following passages.

1 Background

1.1 Light tent or background?
1.2 What size light tent?
1.3 White or black light tent?
1.4 What background?
1.5 What background colour?

2 Lighting

2.1 Why daylight bulbs?
2.2 Bulbs or lamps (lighting kits)?
2.3 30 watt, 60 watt or 120 watt?
2.4 Table or floor lamps?
2.5 Reflectors or softboxes?
2.6 Adaptability

3 Accessories

3.1 Camera tripods
3.2 Remote control release
3.3 Grey/white balance cards
3.4 Lens hood
3.5 Acrylic pedestals
3.6 Diffusers
3.7 Multi-reflectors

1 Background

1.1 Light tent or background?

First thing to do if you would like to do product photography is choose the appropriate background for your object(s).

We highly recommend the use of a light tent for objects that - due to their size - would fit into one of our light tents (see 1.2 What size light tent?).

All our light tents include a white and a black background. You can also get other light tent backgrounds as additional equipment (see 1.5 What background colour?).

The big advantage of using a light tent is that you get a diffuse light reflection in the interior of the tent. You are able to soften drop shadows and reduce light spots considerably and you achieve a more natural colour and contrast reproduction. For further information about the light tents, please read our "Questions & tips on ValueProducts24 light tents".

If you cannot use a light tent, you can, however, achieve a quality similar to the light tent's one by using a foldable background or a background system and the appropriate lighting with softboxes (see 1.4 What background?).

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1.2 What size light tent?

The right size of the light tent depends on the size of the object(s) you are going to photograph.

The light tent size always refers to the front opening diagonal. The space in the tent's interior that can be effectively used is a bit smaller:

The double measures result from the asymmetric design for either vertical or horizontal usage.

We suggest you calculate a bit more space for the right-hand and left-hand side of the objects to be photographed, so that you are able to choose freely any picture details. The space you need depends on the object(s) and/or on the question as to whether you are going to edit the photos on a computer. That is why we cannot give a general answer to this technical question.

We suggest that first thing you do is outline the space you need and place the object(s) on this outline in a way that you will get a feeling for the right size.

If you have to take photos of small and larger-scale objects, we recommend you consider the use of two light tents.

If, for instance, a product range comprises engagement rings and car tires, we suggest buying a light tent 40 cm and a light tent 120 cm. The advantage of having different sizes is better lighting and handling.

You will find the light tents we offer in our online shop in the left bar of the category menu.

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1.3 White or black light tent?

We offer both white light tents (standard) and black ones (special version).

The white light tent offers all advantages and is - in most cases - the right choice.

The black light tent is specially made for taking photos of shiny and reflective, mainly metal objects (chrome, copper, silver, gold, platinum).

With this kind of objects reflections of the surroundings can never be completely avoided. But you can make use of this disadvantage by expressly using the reflection in order to emphasize the shapes of the object. One of the best examples is car photography. You use big lighting devices (softboxes) in different shapes, which will be reflected in the paint of the car and which will emphasize - if cleverly used - the car body's shapes and lines.

The black fabric of the light tent helps reduce most of the undesired reflections. The white stripes produce a special reflection effect in the shape of black and white stripes on the object.

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1.4 What background?

In case the objects are too big for a light tent, we suggest using our foldable backgrounds or our background system.

The foldable background is appropriate for objects that are not photographed from top to bottom and that need no concave moulding (seamless transition from floor to wall).

You use it, for instance, when taking photos of tailor dummies. You can also put the foldable background on the floor and put the object directly on it.

The advantage of the foldable background is its easy handling thanks to the patented folding which makes unfolding and folding fast and easy. Thanks to its flexible metal frame the unfolded background is always tightened.

We recommend our background system for objects that are photographed from top to bottom and which thus do not need a concave moulding (seamless transition from floor to wall).

You can either use the fabric or the cardboard backdrop. You thus have an appropriate background for every product you are going to photograph.

The advantage of our background system is its flexible adjustability of the backdrop's width and height and its fast and easy unfolding and folding.

If you wish to use one of our background solutions, we suggest you combine them with our daylight floor studio lamps 120 watts SOFTBOX: you can achieve an effect similar to that of a light tent (see 2.5 Reflectors or softboxes?).

We can provide the foldable backgrounds as well as the background fabrics in different colours (see 1.5 What background colour?).

You will find the background solutions we offer in our online shop on the left of our category menu.

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1.5 Welche Hintergrundfarbe?

Before choosing the background colour, first thing to do is define how to present your product/object.

In most cases online shops or catalogues recommend isolating objects from their backgrounds (e.g. on Amazon, this is a basic requirement).

In this case it is useful to use a background colour that contrasts strongly with the object(s) to be photographed. This means, that with white objects we suggest you use a black background and with a black object a white background.

With dark objects placed in front of a white background you might be able to achieve isolated objects with your camera only. With white objects placed in front of a black background you need to edit the photos afterwards in order to isolate the object form the black background.

If the object, however, has got light and dark elements or if the contrast between object and background is generally too low, it can be difficult - no matter if you use white or black backgrounds - to get isolatable free-standing objects in your photo.

In such cases we suggest you use so-called chroma key backgrounds with strong blue, green or red colours which help isolate the object from the background afterwards. This method was originally used in motion picture technology (blue or green screen).

In some cases you may not be able to discern a reference point for the isolated object in your photo and might get the feeling that the object is floating in the air. This can be a problem, if it is important to understand the object's three-dimensionality.

In this case it's often enough to add a kind of horizon in shape of a little reflection beneath the object. You can achieve this by using acrylic pedestals (see 3.6 Acrylic pedestals) or by editing the photo on a computer.

If isolating the object is not necessary, you might opt for a special and creative presentation of some objects. For this purpose we offer special DREAM colour backgrounds.

You will find the backgrounds we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (background) into the search box at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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2 Lighting

2.1 Why daylight bulbs?

The daylight bulbs we offer in our shop are very useful - for many reasons - when taking photos and especially when doing product photography.

As they are energy saving bulbs, you have - apart from saving energy - the advantage of considerably less heat output. You work with so-called cold light bulbs (referring to the heat output, not to the colour temperature).

With these bulbs it is possible to place the light source directly next to the light tent or the object. You can also use other lighting devices or foils, without causing any fire hazard (in contrast to 300 watt construction site floodlights with their enormous heat output).

Apart from this, the room will not heat up, which can be important if you take photos of people (no sweating, no running make-up etc.).

Another advantage of our daylight bulbs is their fixed colour temperature of 5000 kelvin and their colour purity of 85 up to 90 ra, which makes colour neutral results possible.

Photoflash devices, in general, are also adjusted to 5000-5500 kelvin. This colour temperature has become the quasi standard for daylight in the field of photography (for example the right colour temperature for analogue daylight films).

Especially in the field of digital photography it is important to use only one type of light source, otherwise you will get problems if several light sources with different colour temperatures are mixed up.

The continuous lighting of our daylight bulbs offers you the advantage of being able to directly check your results. So you can try and test different kinds of lighting as you can directly check their effects. When using a photo flash device you always need to make a test photo first.

If you already have a photo flash device, it is no problem to use them together with our light tents and backgrounds. You just don not have the possibility of checking the results directly - which is only possible with continuous lighting.

You will find further information in our "Questions & tips on ValueProduct24 daylight bulbs".

You will find our daylight bulbs in our online shop on the left of our category menu.

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2.2 Bulbs or lamps (lighting kits)?

We differentiate between daylight bulbs and daylight studio lamps (lighting kits) - available in different versions.

The daylight bulbs are delivered without any accessories, so they can be directly screwed into any lamp with an E27 socket. Please pay attention to the dimensions indicated in our article descriptions so that you can choose the appropriate daylight bulbs for your lamps.

The daylight studio lamp is a complete lamp set including bulbs as well. In general this lamp consists of a tripod, a socket, a reflector and the bulb(s).

If you do not have appropriate lamps, you might wish to use our complete studio lamps. The reflectors are adjusted to the type and size of the respective illuminant.

Furthermore you have the advantage that our lighting system is a modular system, which means you can always and at any time upgrade it, alter it or order replacement equipment.

We offer daylight bulbs in different qualities (see 2.3 30 watt, 60 watt or 120 watt?).

We also offer our daylight studio lamps in different qualities and different versions (see 2.4 Table or floor lamps? and 2.5 Reflectors or softboxes?).

You will find the daylight studio lamps we offer in our online shop on the left of our menu category.

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2.3 30 watt, 60 watt or 120 watt?

We offer daylight bulbs in different wattages. We always indicate the effective output.

We guarantee that our energy saving bulbs comply completely with the indicated wattage. Quite often the efficacy of energy saving bulbs is unfortunately much lower than the wattage indicated. But you can easily check this with an energy meter.

When comparing our products with those of other manufacturers be aware that indicating watt efficacy does not really indicate their quality. You should also check the light efficacy measured in lumen and the colour purity measured in RA.

When looking for the appropriate quality, you need to consider the size of the light tent first (see 1.2 What light tent size?). We always recommend two lamps as a basic setup (to be able to illuminate the object from the left and from the right).

Even though it is difficult to give general advice, since different objects may need different solutions, or since you might wish to get different results, we can still give you the following tips to help you make a decision:

	30 watt	HIGH POWER 60 watt	ULTRA POWER 120 watt
Light tent 40 cm
Light tent 60 cm
Light tent 80 cm
Light tent 120 cm
Backgrounds

We recommend at least two daylight bulbs. The stronger one can always be used.

Furthermore, it is possible - at any time - to upgrade all our studio lamps afterwards to achieve higher efficacy.

You can also experiment with a third lamp placed in the back or above. It depends on the scene to be photographed.

In general, it is said that in photography you can never get enough light (which is, however, not always true), but fortunately you have the possibility to optimize the results accordingly even with little lighting thanks to the camera's exposure compensation and the possibility of adapting the exposure time.

All in all it just means that you need to test the camera adjustments and the lighting, until you get the desired results. But it is quite sure to achieve good result at the first go (if so far you haven not used any light tent and daylight bulbs).

To achieve optimal results we recommend using a camera tripod (see 3.1 Camera tripod) and a remote control release (see 3.2 Remote control release).

Apart from differences in quality and efficacy, our daylight bulbs also differ in shape and size. Please read the information given in our article descriptions to make the right decision.

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2.4 Table or floor lamps?

We offer our daylight studio lamps with two different tripods.

The advantage of daylight studio lamps combined with a table tripod is the small floor space and thus the easier handling. If, for example, you place the light tent on a desk, the table lamps can be simply put next to the tent (to its right and left).

The table lamps are only available or combinable with 30 watt bulbs or the 120 watt daylight bulb kits.

The advantage of the daylight studio lamps combined with a floor tripod is the higher adjustability and flexibility. You can perfectly adjust the daylight studio lights to the scenes you are going to photograph.

The floor lamps are available or combinable either with 30 watt daylight bulbs, HIGH POWER 60 watt daylight bulbs or the ULTRA POWER 120 watt daylight kits.

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2.5 Reflectors or softboxes?

We offer our daylight studio lamps with different reflectors.

We combine our 30 watt daylight studio lamps with an aluminium umbrella reflector adjustable to the shape and size of the lighting device. This umbrella has got a so-called MAGIC-REFLEX surface for the best light exploitation possible.

The HIGH POWER 60 watt daylight studio lamps can be combined with two different reflectors.

The first combination is with umbrella reflectors (which are usually used in photography).

We offer these umbrella reflectors in three different versions:

The umbrella reflector WHITE is covered with a translucent nylon material and can be used either as a reflector or for continuous lighting (like a softbox). Continuous lighting produces an effect similar to the one produced with light tents or softboxes. With both kinds of use, however, you will always lose a part of the lighting to one side.

The umbrella reflectors SILVER and GOLD have both a double, opaque covering. The outside covering is black, the inside one is silver and gold coated.

If you wish to combine an umbrella reflector with our light tents, we suggest you use the umbrella reflectors WHITE and/or SILVER. The silver version offers a better light exploitation because the complete light is reflected (the silver coating does not harm as the light also passes the exterior coating of the light tent). The white version has the advantage that you can also use it for direct lighting (softbox effect) - in case the object does not fit into a light tent.

The second combination is with softboxes (usually used in flash devices).

The softbox can be used in two ways:

The softbox has a black, opaque exterior coating, which is coated with silver inside. These coatings ensure a very effective light exploitation. Furthermore there is a diffuser made of translucent nylon material which produces an effect similar to the one produced with a light tent.

The advantage of the softbox is its all-purpose usability. You can use it with a light tent (then you should better not use the diffuser) or for direct lighting of objects which do not fit into a light tent. You have the most effective light exploitation and a diffuse light (thanks to the diffuser) with all the advantages (softening shadows and reducing light spots, better colour reproduction etc.).

To to choose the right reflector, you need to know what the daylight studio lamps will be used for.

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2.6 Adaptability

Our daylight studio lamps are very flexible and can be adapted to all kind of purposes.

It is possible to alter all versions of our daylight studio lamps afterwards. Thanks to the modular components of our lighting system you only have to exchange the respective parts.

A list of the all our studio lights components:

To have a better view, please click on the graphics.

List of the most efficient combinations of our studio lamps components:

To have a better view, please click on the graphics.

If you need information about the composition or adaptability of your studio light, please contact us.

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3 Accessories

3.1 Camera tripods

In general we recommend you use a camera tripod.

It is possible to achieve good results without a tripod, but a tripod enables you to use some of your camera functions in a specific way - which helps you to improve the quality of your photos.

You have, for example, longer exposure times (smaller apertures - higher focal ratio), which produce a higher focus depth. This can be the dot on the i for a successful presentation of your product.

You also achieve sharper photos. You do not need to change the camera position and it is easier to take photos of several objects.

You can find our camera tripods via direct search by typing the keyword (camera tripod) into the searchbox at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.2 Remote control release

We suggest you combine a camera tripod with a remote control release.

A remote control release enables you to take photos without having to operate the camera. When taking photos with the normal camera release you cannot avoid vibrations and this can affect the exposure negatively.

With the help of a remote control release you can avoid this effect and improve the sharpness of your photos.

For better handling (depending on the use of a light tent or a background system) we offer cable releases for most common camera versions with cable lengths of 80 cm and 300 cm.

You can find the cable releases we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (cable release) into the searchbox at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.3 Grey/white balance cards

Especially when taking photos with a digital camera, we suggest you use a grey/white balance card.

You achieve more natural photos (colours and contrasts) thanks to the accurate white balance and/or more accurate exposure.

In case your camera cannot focus itself (the contrast is too little, too dark etc.) you can also use the grey card. You just have to place it directly in front of the point you are going to focus and then you just restart to focus. It might be useful to have a remote control release as well.

You can find the grey/white balance cards we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (grey card) into the searchbox at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.4 Lens hoods

You can achieve optimal results by using a lens hood.

A lens hood placed on the camera lens increases the contrast of your photos and prevents aberrations that can be produced by reflections at the lens.

You can find the lens hoods we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (lens hood) into the search box at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.5 Acrylic pedestals

You get a special reflection for jewellery and other precious objects when using an acrylic pedestal.

You can produce photos with special reflections (depending on the colour of the acrylic pedestal), which is often considered an extraordinary way to present a product.

Sometimes the viewer of a photo is not able to discern a reference point for the isolated object. You might get the feeling the object is floating in the air. This can be a problem, if it is important to understand the object's three-dimensionality.

In this case it's often enough to add a kind of horizon in form of a little reflection beneath the object. You can achieve this by using acrylic pedestals or by editing the photo on the computer.

You can find the acrylic pedestal we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (acrylic) into the search box at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.6 Diffusers

You can produce diffused light in all kinds of situations if you use a diffuser.

Similar to light tents or softboxes the diffuser produces softer light, with all the advantages (softening shadows and reducing light spots, better colour reproduction etc.).

Especially when working with direct lighting (without softboxes) it can be useful to have a diffuser. By changing the distance of the diffuser to the light source you quickly get a feeling for the effects a diffuser can produce.

You can find the diffusers we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (diffuser) into the search box at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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3.7 Multi-reflectors

You can manipulate lighting by using a multi-reflector.

You can brighten or darken photo sections and you can use special light effects (especially if you cannot use a light tent). The functionality of a diffuser is integrated in these multi-reflectors.

You can find the multi-reflectors we offer via direct search by typing the keyword (multi-reflector) into the search box at the top on the left in the header of our online shop.

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