During my university experience, weekly workshops are provided to help build a range of techniques and approaches to create high quality photographs for the creative industry. This week’s focus is on commercial photography and how to light the subject in suitable manner. Freelance commercial photographer, Sophie Traynor had visited to demonstrate how to light beauty products and models to achieve a high quality image for the commercial business.

 

Her first demonstration was a set up shoot of a perfume bottle, which created a water effect shadow as the bottle was transparent, this led Sophie to play around the with the shadow. Sophie continued to experiment with the positioning of the products, camera settings and adjustment of the lighting direction. It was interesting to watch the transformation to when Sophie moved around the light positions, as it reflected the power of lighting and how it can change the portrayal of the person/or object and it's reading of the image. 

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I acknowledged that a theme of lighting and positioning in Sophie’s images are usually placed to complement and enhance the subject and product. She takes the opportunity to showcase the beauty of the product by moving the lighting in different positions. Her next demonstration she asked for a student volunteer to model for her, this involved a similar approach but just a different set up, which used a white reflector board and beauty dish and softbox light. Similar techniques apply, to all images.

 

Her experimentation introduced an individuality to the reflection of the product or model through an artistic aesthetic, such as silhouettes and light reflections, which complimented the shape, theme, or aesthetic of the product.

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All information and images above – credited to Sophie Traynor https://www.sophietraynor.com/