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Every other month our blog posts a tutorial showing how to take at home the pictures we create in the studio. If you have a question about our suggestions please don’t hold back - write to us.

Would you like Via U! to create your photography instead of doing it yourself? Anywhere in the world you live, we are here to help.

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I am an advertising photographer in NYC. My pictures help large corporations sell more and keep their brands looking fresh. I am also the founder of Via U!, an online studio dedicated to creating photography that helps people selling in Etsy increase their sales too.

1. February 2011 11:00

Studio Quality Product Photography With a $12 Set Up

Step by step photography tutorial showing how to get studio quality photography using stuff you have available in your kitchen right now.

 

Here’s what you’ll need:


1. A cardboard box you can use to cut a piece from.
2. A roll of aluminum foil, it’s easier with a wider one.
3. A piece of tracing paper of at least 20” of width and 3 feet in length. You can also use any white, no color, translucent material that you have around your home.
4. One 6” spring clamp.



This is one of those times when bigger is indeed better. Cut a flat panel from the box that is much bigger than the thing you want to photograph. Make it as big as you can but not so much that it becomes unhandy to move around.











1. Cut a piece of foil a bit larger than the cardboard. You can use several pieces of foil to cover the board if you need to.

2. The duller side of the aluminum foil will give a softer light than the shinny side - the shiny side will reflect much more light . I used the dull side for this picture.
3. Fold around the cardboard and tape it.
4. Congratulations! You just made a reflective card.



Now you will need to redecorate your home a bit, move a table as close to a window as you can.














Is your furniture high enough? Make sure that the top of the table is higher than the window sill.














Don’t let the neighbors watch. Tape the piece of tracing paper to the window. Use a single piece to avoid seeing seams and put the paper so it goes down the window well below the top of the table.











Put a long piece of aluminum foil on the table, I used the dull side up for this picture. Place your product close to the window.












 

Fold down the foil to have a clean edge.
















Use the card so the light coming in from the window bounces back to reach the bottle.














Play with the angle of the card to find the position that puts the most light on your product.














Once you find an angle you like move the card as close as you can to the product - without showing it in the picture.













Now you are ready to take a picture! Take many. Try taking a few too light pictures and some too dark too. Try different camera angles as well. You can choose later the one you like best.











 

 

Each new month we post a new product photography tutorial showing how to take at home the pictures we create at the Via U! studio.

Making a Bottle Look Bright

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Comments (14) -

Esthercita*
Esthercita*
3/9/2011 5:51:30 PM #

Me encanta la fotografia y estos inventos y ayudas me viene geniales pero cuando puedas dame alguna idea para hacer fotos de autoretrato y de cuerpo entero me vendrian bien te sigo un besito

Reply

Kerkes Goldworks
Kerkes Goldworks
3/11/2011 12:11:53 AM #

This is a really fantastic method of photographing products.  I followed Mariano's above steps and achieved fantastic results for the ring I was photographing.  Check out the results on our homepage at: www.kerkesgoldworks.com   or on our blog at: kerkesgoldworks.blogspot.com/.../...ond.htmlThanks for the great helpful hints Mariano, you are awesome!

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Product Photographer
Product Photographer
3/16/2011 6:05:59 PM #

Nice set up with natural light Smile

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Thistle Cottage Studio
Thistle Cottage Studio
3/21/2011 7:06:09 PM #

Thank you so much for sharing this simple, and ingenious trick!!!  I've had minimal good results with a light box--this si SO much better!!  Can't wait to try it!!!

Reply

George Banis
George Banis
3/28/2011 5:13:44 AM #

Very helpful, thank you. We are going to use it for a new website with organic extra virgin olive oil from Greece.

Reply

Toni
Toni
4/22/2011 2:18:36 AM #

I am SO EXCITED to try this. That watery underneath look is something I've been after for a while. This is absolute genius, Mariano!

Reply

AmigurimiShop Desings
AmigurimiShop Desings
4/26/2011 3:48:39 PM #

This si SO much better!ThanksSmileMaijo

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Anonymous
Anonymous
6/15/2011 4:16:39 AM #

Thank you for the tip

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male enhancement
male enhancement United States
10/24/2011 1:50:32 AM #

great post.. i really enjoyed it

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Linda Keesee
Linda Keesee United States
11/14/2011 9:20:12 AM #

Wow! I'm going to try this one out to. Maybe I will have better luck.  I have a light box and I thought I finally had it figured out. Put the next time I took my picture with same settings they just weren't as good as the week before. Maybe I had my lights placed different. I don't know. But I will try this out to .
Thanks,
Linda @ MixedKreations.com

Reply

vimax
vimax United States
12/29/2011 11:17:14 AM #

great post... this article was very useful

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Iryna
Iryna United States
1/5/2012 3:51:24 PM #

Thank you so much for this tute!

Reply

Daisy
Daisy United Kingdom
1/13/2012 6:11:12 PM #

I made my set but couldn't wait till morning to use natural light! I got impatient and used a lamp behind the tracing paper and got a really nice warm effect. Thank you so much for this! Was very very helpful!

Reply

Diane
Diane United States
3/4/2012 1:42:55 PM #

As soon as I write this I am running for your follow button to become your newest follower!  Awesome post, love your pics and your clean clear explanations!  I will have to look through your posts and see if you have any recommendations on how to use a light box.  Thanks for the fab tutorial!

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