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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Lighting for Commercials

Commercial photography is about solving problems with light. This advanced studio course focuses on the precise lighting techniques required for advertising products, food, and jewelry. Students will master the “Family of Angles” to control reflections on difficult surfaces like glass and metal, learning to sculpt light to create desire and drive sales.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master the physics of light: Reflection, Transmission, and Absorption
  2. Control specular highlights and define form using the "Family of Angles"
  3. Execute complex setups for transparent (Glass) and highly reflective (Chrome) objects
  4. Utilize advanced modifiers: Scrims, Gobos, Snoots, and Strip boxes
  5. Create "High Key" and "Low Key" lighting styles for specific brand identities
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Physics of Light: The Law of Reflection
  2. 02Studio Equipment: Strobes vs. Continuous
  3. 03Modifiers: Softboxes, Umbrellas, & Grids
  4. 04The Family of Angles: Managing Glare
  5. 05Surface Efficiency: Matte vs. Glossy
  6. 06Lighting Textured Objects: Raking Light
  7. 07Lighting Box-Shape Objects (Packaging)
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Lighting Metal: Defining Shape on Chrome
  10. 10Lighting Glass: Bright Field vs. Dark Field
  11. 11Food Photography: Texture & Appetite
  12. 12Liquid Photography: Splashes & Pouring
  13. 13Cosmetic & Jewelry Photography
  14. 14Composite Lighting: Multiple Exposures
  15. 15Tethered Shooting Workflow
  16. 16Final Project: The High-End Product Campaign

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The High-End Product Campaign

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Light Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, and Paul Fuqua
  2. Lighting for Product Photography by Allison Earnest
  3. Studio Anywhere by Nick Fancher
  4. Commercial Photography Handbook by Kirk Tuck
  5. Matter: The Art of Metal, Glass, and Wood (Visual Reference)
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