Shooting Leather Goods and Furniture in a One-Light Studio

Black leather is one of the hardest things to photograph. Light it badly and it turns into a flat black hole; light it harshly and every crease glares. Big pieces of furniture are harder still, because they need space and even light across several metres. Yet many small workshops shoot their own work in a corner of the studio with a single light. Here is how it is done.

The kit

• One flash or continuous light with a large softbox.
• A white reflector or a sheet of foam board.
• A roll of seamless paper, grey or white, for small objects.
• A tripod, so every frame in a series matches.
• A dark room. The fewer stray lights, the more control you have.

Lighting black leather

The trick is to light the reflections, not the object. Leather shows its texture and shape through the soft highlight that runs along each curve. Place the softbox high and to one side so that highlight runs along the edge you want to show, then bring the reflector in on the other side to lift the shadows just enough to separate the object from the background. Move the light, not the leather, until the stitching line and the edges read clearly.

Expose for the highlights. A slightly dark frame with clean, detailed highlights is easy to brighten later; a frame with burnt-out highlights on the leather is lost.

Lighting a sofa

Furniture needs a bigger, softer source. Bounce the light off a white wall or ceiling, or use the largest softbox you can find, and shoot from a little above seat height so the piece looks solid. Upholstery with deep tufting benefits from a low side light that brings out each button.

Consistency sells

A set of product photos should look like a family: same background, same angle, same light position. Write the setup down. When the next piece comes off the bench months later, you can rebuild the shot in minutes.

The same light, other subjects

A one-light studio is surprisingly versatile. The same softbox that flatters a leather card case also suits glossy subjects: watches, knives, even the casino chips and vintage playing cards that collectors photograph for auction listings and catalogues. The rule never changes. Find the highlight that describes the shape, then protect it.