Large Paper sacks with Cubelight?

I work for a company that manufactures large paper sacks. Of course we need some product photos from time to time...no problem there.

Today I'm using a paper background and two strobes (Elinchrome D-Lite4) with umbrellas.
Since we don't have a designated photo-studio/space I have to hang up the background etc every time, and that takes time and isn't the smoothest thing to do by your self...

So I've been thinking about a Lastolite Cubelite, one of the big ones:
http://www.lastolite.c​om/6-x-6-x-7-lllr6687
(There is also a smaller one, 1,5x1,5x2.1m).

This should propably be easier/quicker to set up and take down?

Do I just shoot the strobes on the sides of the box? With what reflectors?

Any other ideas/thoughts about this?


Please see attached images for examples of what we shoot!
(Not the sexiest products to shoot..but someone has to do it )


/Jocce

how are you hanging the backdrop? At my last job where I had to occasionally take product shots in a temporary environment, I had the vinyl backdrop set up with a pipe through it and ran a rope through that. I could raise the backdrop just by pulling on the rope and tying it off, which was much easier than trying to climb up a ladder and clip both ends.

steelbluesleepr wrote in post #16604511
how are you hanging the backdrop? At my last job where I had to occasionally take product shots in a temporary environment, I had the vinyl backdrop set up with a pipe through it and ran a rope through that. I could raise the backdrop just by pulling on the rope and tying it off, which was much easier than trying to climb up a ladder and clip both ends.

Depends on where I can hang it for just that day. Often in a meeting room or simular.
And almost always hanging it up in a temporary way since I can't mount any proper hooks for it...


/Jocce

Bumping this thread a little bit!


/Jocce

The lighting on those looks OK to me, except that the bags themselves look pretty crappy. Can't you get new bags without all the wrinkles?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #16649812
The lighting on those looks OK to me, except that the bags themselves look pretty crappy. Can't you get new bags without all the wrinkles?

The thread is not about the images/pictures!

And yes, these are new sacks/bags directly from the production line...paper is a "living" material, unless I iron them there will be wrinkles...
And the wrinkles gives them a little bit of life, makes them look real instead of fake...


/Jocce

Jocce wrote in post #16651916
The thread is not about the images/pictures!

If this thread is not about the images, are you not interested in a better way to light these bags?

Unfortunately, most people are going to equate the bags as being "used" rather than having "life". For product shots, in most cases, people want to look at products that look new and unused. With these bags you could have at least fluffed out the corners and edges so that they were not poking in and looking like they were rumpled. It's all about presentation and appearance on product shots. To make them less crumpled and wrinkled you could fill them up. You could fill the inside with paper or what ever that gives it a full look and then put a real object, something that looks good, on the top part that will be viewable. Or just fill them with paper to put pressure on the inside and don't let it show at the top like you have it now.

Your lighting is actually not that bad on the left one. You have a clean background. The one on the right the background is gray. If these images are going to go into a catalog or online where you need a clean background, you want something more like the one on the left... or take it on a green screen so the image can be lifted off and placed in the publication or online catalog.

Mike

If the images are for web pack shots you'll most likely have to cut out the subject and provide an FFFFFF white background - for a print catalog you may also need a clipping path. If these are the requirements you won't have to worry about the background. Check with the printer/graphic department before worrying about the background.

Green screen is not always a solution with product shots - problems arise if the product has 'green' in it.

The larger cubes are also a bit of a pain to use - remember you need a big surface to place them on, as well as more lighting if you're trying to 'white out' the background in camera rather that post.

For the sake of speeding up the camera shots, I prefer to use the pen tool (which most graphic designers use) for quick background removal.

Hope this helps.