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Photography Question 

Chris Scott
 

Shooting Cabinetry/Architechture


I've been asked by a carpenter friend of mine to shoot his cabinetry for a portfolio he's putting together. He does custom, high-end carpentry work and really wants to show off the rich colors and textures of the cabinets, trim and molding work that he does, without getting harsh shadows or bright spots where a typical flash hits. So, any suggestions on how I can capture those colors and the richness under even lighting? What types of lighting should I use? This friend has a couple of lights with umbrellas and whatnot, would those work? I've never used anything other than the flash on my camera (Digital Rebel) and am a newbie when it comes to lighting techniques. Any advice would be very much appreciated!


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November 01, 2005

 

Justin B. Renshaw
  hey Chris, I have a little practice with this type of photography. I would think you could get by with 3 lights (1 key, and 2 fills. The more contours the cabinets have the more lights you'll need to penetrate the angles and cancel out the shadows. The umbrellas will help soften the light so you can avoid harsh reflections. You'll want to set everything up and play around with the lighting positions until you achieve the desired accent. Hope this helps.


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November 01, 2005

 
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