Product Photography Tutorial: How to Get ‘Clinique’ Style Product Shots

When it comes to product photography, the smallest changes in lighting and setup can completely alter the final image, for better or worse. This applies doubly to objects like perfume bottles where you have both transparent and reflective surfaces to deal with.

Here to help with a rather simple fix for making sure photographing these products stays as hassle-free and gorgeous as possible is photographer Andrew Boey, who gives us a rundown on how to make use of a simple piece of ‘hybrid’ gear to get “clinique” quality product shots.

Combining a well-known tool in product photography, the M-flag, with a Zebra Flag, Boey created the — wait for it — “Zebra M-Flag.” This hybrid card is meant to give precise, hard shadows on the reflective surface while you light up the transparent glass from behind and below simultaneously.

In addition to this hybrid tool, Boey also shares some great tips on solving problems that often arise when photographing transparent without the M Flag. The video comes in at eight minutes long, but it’s well worth the watch for anyone wanting to step up their product photography game.