Simple Setups on Location

How do I get great results with a simple setup on location?

This project for a custom woodworking company that specializes in doors was done on location in a dusty shop with just a single flash and a fill card. I used a white cloth as a background and touched it all up later in Photoshop. Yes, this is another example of us 'lazy' photographers making silk purses in post-production.

But in this case, there was no way to get it perfect in one shot and in the time allotted. The shop crew could not be disturbed from their work and there was literally no other place to do the photos - studio shots were not part of the budget or the timeline.

So what to do? Get a good digital capture: sharp, color-balanced, well-lit and clean. Make sure that the walnut looks like walnut and the oak looks like oak. Then, add it to a background and everyone's happy. This approach actually works much better sometimes because all the backgrounds can match.

If you need product shots done at your location, don't just ask a photographer when they can show up - ask them if they have the experience to make a quick-and-dirty photo into something that is substantial enough for a glossy brochure. I've done it with things as tiny as jewelry and as large as the 9-foot-tall pair of matched walnut doors you see here.