I then split-toned the result slightly to bring in some yellow. We’ve got a tomato for red, the peas for green, and blue paper. The photo below takes the simple idea of RGB as the basis for the image. They act as blocks of vivid color, too, which is good for playing with composition ideas using color theory. I also used to bring in fruit and vegetables from the garden to practice lighting a range of matt to glossy subjects. Basic jewelry and watches can become affordable subjects when you aren’t buying them new. It also meant that I could build up a pretty solid portfolio without spending a fortune. When I then came to work with brand-new items it made everything feel easier. But it was a cheap way to practice my lighting and editing skills. That sometimes made it more of a challenge to get great images, especially if there were any scratches on the subject. When I started out in product photography, I used to buy used items from charity shops to practice with. I basically make my own mini v-flats! Charity Shop Challenge You can use black card as a negative fill or stick some aluminum foil to the card for a strong, harder reflection. The whiter and more glossy the card, the more light is reflected.

I work in a very small studio most of the time so I often use cardboard or foam-core sheets instead of setting up an additional light.

Webex backgrounds images