Gradient Lighting for Product Photography

Get to grips with gradients and achieve professional-quality product shots.

There are many different lighting techniques you can use in product photography. One of the most powerful is gradient lighting. This amazing technique enables you to control reflections in glossy surfaces, making products look more luxurious.

In this class, you’ll take a closer look at gradient lighting, discovering the effect it has on gloss- and matte-textured products. You’ll learn how to achieve gorgeous gradients using diffusion paper and affordable DIY modifiers such as scrims and light cones.

By the end of the class, you’ll be ready to create pro-level lighting effects and make products look truly irresistible!

In this class:

  • Lighting tips for product photography
  • How to photography glossy products
  • How to create gradient lighting
  • How to use a scrim
  • Using diffusion material for product photography

If you enjoy this class, check out Electric Guitar Product Photography.

For a simple way to shoot shiny products like a pro, try the Karl Taylor Light Cone.

Questions? Please post them in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. Why do we put black tape around the wooden frame? I made one exactly like this, but with white edges so the reflection doesn’t show up on the perfume cap, for example, if it’s reflective. I also have another question: I made a wooden frame like this, measuring just one meter by one meter. Will it serve the same purpose for photographing products and create the same gradation? Or do you recommend making a larger frame? Thank you, creative person.

    1. Hi, white tape around the frame is just as good! A 1m x 1m is good for many small products but sometimes you need bigger. But also remember you don’t always need a frame you can just hang the scrim straight from the roll using a C-stand.

  3. Hi Karl, I have learned lots of new skills in the last several months since I subscribed thank you. What size of arm are you using on that grip, and what brand is it? I own Kupo 40″ Hex Grip Arm with Big Handle. I would like a large rod without the grip, any a suggestion. Thanks

  5. SaraFdez

    Hi Karl
    Can’t you just use diffusers (those that come in the 5-1 reflectors) to create the same gradient effect?

    1. Hi, some of them you can if the fabric is good. Others the fabric weave doesn’t give a good highlight reflection in the product and it can end up looking like a ‘starburst’ highlight.

        1. Hi, great let us know how you get on. I mostly use LEE 216 diffusor or sheets of white opal acrylic as you will see in some of our other classes.

  6. Hi, these videos are so good and clear!! which light reflector would you recommend and not to expensive?

  7. wowwww… Finally a teacher who teaches amazing tools and insights! Most of the people I know will not share such valuable information!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear Karl, for the generosity and professionalism you share with us!

  8. Thank you so much for this video, Karl! I’ve been shooting glossy products with a few softboxes hoping it would help me manage the reflective parts of the products, but in vain. This video was a real eye-opener and I’m super excited to get my hands on some diffusion filter and build my own scrim as soon as possible!

  9. maria.cristina.ene

    Hi Karl
    Thank you so much for your videos! This one specifically has cleared up so many questions for me!

    1. Hi, no this one was only shot during an actual workshop with students in my studio some years ago but it wasn’t filmed.

    1. Hi David, it’s impossible to say as this is a woven fabric and not a paper, some fabrics create a ‘starburst’ effect in the diffusion which then reflects in glossy subjects and looks bad. You’d have to test some to see as some fabrics are OK.

  12. hello.
    It is difficult to fully understand because they do not provide Korean.

    However, I respect your lectures and consider them the best.

    Even with Google’s automatic translation function, I can understand it enough, and I think it will be of great help.

    If you have a chance someday, please add the automatic translation function.

    thank you

  15. What is the difference between using a p70 reflector to create gradients through a thin pine cloth and using a softbox to create gradients through a thin pine cloth?

    1. Hi, when you say pine cloth I’m going to guess that you mean diffusion scrim? From between 3mins and 5 mins 30 seconds in this video it is demonstrated and explained very clearly the reasons why?

  16. Hi Karl,

    What is the difference between scrim and softbox? Why do they produce different lighting? Just looking at them I’d say that scrim is just a larger softbox.

    Is it the material or the way light travels inside of a softbox? Or perhaps both..

    1. Hi Denis, a good softbox has two layers of diffusion which means the light at the front surface is perfectly spread out and even or homogenous in lighting terms. With a scrim it is deliberately not perfectly homogenous, that would have been apparent in the result comparisons in this video?

      1. Thank you for the explanation. I am in the beginning of my lighting journey so a lot of things are not apparent to me. 😊

  17. Hi Karl,

    Thank you for the video very very helpful, as Im planning to start tacking photography for food , (mostly pastry) I’m wondering if this rules can be apply to food for example , bread are mat, and some pastries with glossy chocolat glaçage are glossy and can reflect light???

    Another question, do I need to build a big scrim even if the product or food are small in size does it effect something I mean the size of the scrim??

    Thank you again
    Louna

    1. Good questions Louna. There are lots of food like glazed tarts, glossy cakes and moist meats that really benefit from gradient reflections (or even an egg yolk in a bowl) so yes a scrim is always helpful. I always say make the biggest scrim that you can realistically use and stow away . If you have a large plain white ceiling this can also be used to create gradient reflections and we cover that in other classes. Scrims can also be used for matt subjects but they will look similar to softboxes but softboxes are often more convenient.

      1. johnleigh

        i like the sound of using ceilings as a way to create gradients without have a big scrim due to my lack of space –

  18. Hi Karl,

    do I need the Lee diffusion material or can I use also fabric for softboxes?

    Thank you,

    Jan

  19. So much of planning would have gone into making this video that you could fit it into 10 min.
    Nicely edited too, crisp and to the point.

    Good work team KTE!

  20. Hi Karl,
    What method would you suggest to arrive to a nice gradient lighting on a matt surface object? Or it is not really feasible?
    Thank you and keep the great videos coming
    Cheers

    2. Dear Karl,

      First of all, love your videos!

      What would you recommend for shooting aluminum foil pans on pure white background? Which lighting setup would work best for these 100% reflective items?
      It seems like no matter what I do I am a little off from the “sweet spot”. If I get the lighting to be uniform throughout the item then it usually looks a little too matte and the item loses it’s metallic feeling. Contrarily, if the item is brightly lit and feels right then I always get a few unwanted reflections.

      Thank you,
      Guy

  21. Not sure what it is about this particular video—but I like the production and pace of this one.
    👍🏻

  24. what kind of diffusion roll would you suggest for product photography like, frosty or normal diffusion for getting started with it ?

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