How to Shoot Product Photos Using a $10 IKEA MELODI Lamp Shade

Lighting equipment can be expensive, but sometimes you can get great results using makeshift products that won’t put a dent in your wallet. Here’s a 15-minute video from Dustin Dolby of workphlo that looks at how you can shoot high-quality product photos using something as basic as an IKEA MELODI lampshade.

This technique allows you to get “consistent materials and background colors” using a modifier that regularly costs just $10. It’s perfect for online storefronts, creating a uniform look between a variety of different products.

With a product placed on a white table, the MELODI lampshade is placed over the subject to “suffocate the item.” The lampshade provides a tunnel vision viewpoint from the top only, allowing you to envelop and fill the entire “tent” with light.

Creating symmetrical lighting around the MELODI lampshade results in even lighting in the final image, but the actual technique behind setting up this shot doesn’t appear too complicated at all. Once the frames are taken, Dolby moves into post-production to create a pleasing gradient and mood for each image.

Here are some images captured using the IKEA MELODI lampshade as a light modifier:

Check out the full video above to see how the shoot is set up as well as how Dolby processes the images afterward.