Product photography with only one Speedlight

Dear blog readers,
One speedlight should be enough to lighten the entire picture properly. It can be used speedlight which can be adjusted manually. Such flash does not cost much (about 30-40 EURO). However, these flashes have a disadvantage. It is not possible to use a softbox or other light shapers because the flashtube is located in the flash and the light comes only at the front of it and it is a small light source. So, how to enlarge the light area?
You could use a light umbrella. But has the disadvantage that it produces a lot of spill light, and it is hard to control the light. In addition, you lose by such umbrellas output. The solution in this case is a reflective screen or called pseudo parabolic reflector. Here you do not loose light and you can focus or defocus the light. So you have a huge light area. In my case the diameter is 215 cm. The next 4 pictures (1-4) show focused and defocused light. It is important that the flash is close to the umbrella axis; otherwise it will not spread the light in the umbrella properly (pic 4a). I put a plastic diffuser on the flash, so that the light spills and fills the umbrella.

Photo: Martin Behrsing. Licht defokusiert

Wichtig ist, dass der Blitz dicht an der Schirmachse ist, weil sich sonst das Licht im Schirm nicht richtig verteilt. Auf den Blitz habe ich einen Plastikdiffusor gepackt, damit das Licht im Schirm schön streut und den Schirm ausfüllt.

Photo: Martin Behrsing – fokussiert

Photo: Martin Behrsing – Icht fokussiert

Phot: Martin Behrsing – Defokusiert

Since the cup is here around, it must be ensured that you can recognize this in the picture. Here offers gradient from light to less light in. I put the light source in an angel about 30- 45 degrees behind the object and then directed the through a diffuser. The diffuser then provides a nice gradient. See next picture.

Photo: Martin Behrsing

The picture looks quite good, but there is still something missing (pic 5). The right side looks still relatively lifeless. A rim light is missing on the right side. Normally you have to put another light from behind at the right side. But it did not work in this case, because only one speedlight was the light. A mirror that reflects the light from the umbrella to the cup will help. Trying with the position of the mirror will bring a result (pic 7-9)