How to Set Up Product Photography for Under $100

The under-$100 gear list

Item	Price
2× LED panel lights (with adjustable brightness, 5500K)	$40–50
Mini tabletop tripod or flexible tripod	$15–20
White foam core boards (×6)	$15
White seamless paper sweep (60cm wide roll)	$10–15
Backdrop clips or binder clips	$5
Total	$85–105

Use your smartphone as the camera. If you already have one of the camera items from around the house, adjust the budget accordingly.

Setting up your space

You need a table with at least 60cm of depth and clear access from the front. Here's the layout:

1. Tape a piece of foam core flat on the table surface
2. Unroll and clip the white seamless paper at the back edge of the table, draping it over the foam core as a continuous sweep
3. Position your product in the centre of the sweep, about 20–30cm from the background

This creates the "infinity sweep" look that most commercial product photos use — no visible corner where the surface meets the background.

Two-light product setup

Position your two LED panels:

• Light 1 (key): 45° to the left of the product, at product height, about 40cm away
• Light 2 (fill): 45° to the right of the product, slightly further away and at 60–70% of the key light's brightness

Both lights should be aimed at the product, not the background. If your background looks grey, move the lights forward slightly or add a third piece of white foam core as a bounce behind the product.

Adjustment	Effect
Move key light closer	More brightness and contrast
Move fill light further	More shadow, more dimensionality
Add white card behind product	Brightens background
Add black card on one side	Deepens shadow for dramatic look

Camera and settings

Using a smartphone:

• Lock focus and exposure on the product (long-press on screen)
• Turn off HDR mode (flattens lighting)
• Use a tripod and the self-timer (2 seconds) to eliminate any camera shake

Using a DSLR:

• ISO 100, f/8, shutter speed adjusted to correct exposure (typically 1/60–1/125 under LED lights)
• Manual mode for consistent results across the whole shoot

Making it work long-term

• Mark positions of your lights, tripod, and product with tape on the table — recreate the same setup every time
• Save a camera preset with your fixed white balance, so colour is consistent across shoots
• Store everything together — box your lights, foam core, and clips so setup takes under 5 minutes

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