Underlight for White on White Product Photography

[Canon30Dguy]

Hey guys,

I do a lot of small product photography in a 30" light cube. I'm running into a lot of problems shooting white shiny products on pure white backgrounds. These photos are for the web and my clients want them with pure white backgrounds. Since I am shooting these products right now on white foamcore, overexposing the foamcore to achieve pure white is blowing out the highlights in the white products.

I understand that in these 'white on white' situations, shining an underlight through a semi-transparent white plexiglas base is the answer. That way you light up the white base but the top of the product is slightly less exposed.

Does anyone know of a good light for such a thing? Something small I can fit on a table top in my 30" light cube. I have next to no budget, so expensive lights are out of the question. Really I'm looking for any direction or guidance in this matter. I've been looking on B&H for a light like this but cannot find one thing!

Thanks for any help!

[Ook]

What about shooting on a piece of glass, so that it shows through to the light cube behind?

[Canon30Dguy]

What about shooting on a piece of glass, so that it shows through to the light cube behind?

Do you mean suspending the product away from the white background, and focusing the majority of light onto the background as opposed to the subject?

This is an option, but I'm going to be shooting 20-30 products a day and the time it would take to properly setup something like that would kill me I'm afraid. I think the underlighting would be the most time efficient/effective method...no?

[Ook]

Well, I was assuming your cube was pretty bright by itself, so that by using clear glass you wouldn't need to bother with another light, but I'm not sure what your setup looks like exactly.

To be honest, the cheapest solution is probably to bracket your exposures and photoshop your way out of it, but if you decide to go with the translucent plexi method then I think a cheap lighting fixture would be fine, just balance the bulb's colour with your main.

[Canon30Dguy]

It's just a standard 30" light tent. I just use white foamcore base and background and place the product on that right now. Some objects that I shoot have white hair, and trying to isolate those whispy white hairs on a pure white background is getting real tough.

I currently use a 3-light setup when shooting with the tent. On the right and left sides I shoot a 250 watt fresnel and a 500 watt fresnel, respectively. And I use a 250 watt softbox on the front window at an angle.

[Ook]

Looks like you have more than enough lighting to make a glass-bottom setup work (have a look at this (http://www.prophotolife.com/2008/04/28/episode-6/) video if you haven't seen it).

To correct what I said before, if you're throwing all that light at the product a cheapie fixture might not be able to illuminate your plexi. I'd try experimenting with mirrors and cards to get some of your current light up underneath the plexi.

[brecklundin]

I found a decent deal on a light panel on Amazon last June or so...it's an 8-1/2"x11" Light panel from Porta Trace:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009LPNBQ

It's supposed to be daylight and was only a bit over $50...I use it a lot for product stuff. I find it can be really helpful for glassware both colorless and colored. I have a bunch of jewelry pics I need to get the next few days and will prolly be trying it out for some of those pieces also...I might just have to fiddle with some white-on-white shots to see what happens.

[macro junkie]

check this out - http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/prod.asp?i=16892&1=Lastolite+LiteTable

[macro junkie]

It's just a standard 30" light tent. I just use white foamcore base and background and place the product on that right now. Some objects that I shoot have white hair, and trying to isolate those whispy white hairs on a pure white background is getting real tough.

.
inposiball surly?