I’ve spent a lot of money on backgrounds, and while photographing people it’s definitely the best way, for product photography, sometimes, the solution is right in front of you. I mean literally, as in your computer screen.
Photographer and YouTuber Martin Botvidsson not only shares some great tips on hard light versus soft light, but also introduces a tutorial with a fun twist on using the screen as the background for his business card photos. This is the part of the technique that resonates the most with me because it’s something I usually do myself, even though I feel pretty guilty about doing it, maybe less now.
I even went so far as to keep a folder labeled “Bokeh” on my computer that I was filled with interesting photos with lots of bokeh balls. If I see a great light pattern somewhere, I’ll purposely throw my camera out of focus just to take a picture for the folder. It’s also a way to fake a much shallower depth of field than the lens is capable of. No room or lens to achieve what you want? Time to put it on the screen. That said, that’s why I often feel this technique has cheated when it comes to photography. However, I really noticed when using a wallpaper that I took, rather than just downloading something from the internet.
While it’s often difficult to balance ambient light with light from a screen, having a good set of lights and a keen eye for engineering are key, as Botvidsson has demonstrated how he can keep the texture on the business card while capturing the background of the screen in his photo. One fun trick he uses is to make quick edits to match what he’s shooting.
I often use this technique for product photography even here on this site. Witness this Canon EOS 90D this:
Do you use this technique in your photography? Share any of your tips or pictures in the comments section below.
