Digital Photography Tips and Techniques

This is a video tutorial showing you how to use Capture NX2 to change the gray background of a product photo to pure white. Ideally a good lighting setup and proper exposure should be able to get you the result you want. However in cases the lighting or exposure isn’t perfect, it is relatively easy to fix the gray background so the product stands out of a pure white background. This type of product photo gives a clean modern look. They are quite popular these days.

A few quick tips on how to get good product photos:

• Use a light tent or large softbox or umbrella close to the subject to get the wrap around lighting for reduced shadow or shadow-less images. Another options is to use bounce panels placed around the setup.
• If possible, light the background independently of the main subject for better control of the exposure. This allows you to get pure white background while getting proper exposure on the product.
• The large white background can fool the camera’s light meter. Use manual camera and flash exposure settings to ensure consistent result. Use a flash light meter if you have one, or use exposure bracketing.
• If possible, shoot tethered so you can inspect the image in details on a computer monitor instead of the tiny LCD on the back of the camera.
• Make sure the white balance is properly set.