Get set up for creative still-life photographs lit with flash

1 CAMERA SETTINGS

When using off-camera flash it’s usually best to set your exposure to Manual mode with ISO100. First, set the shutter speed to 1/200 sec and aperture to f/8, then take a test shot and either adjust the power of the lights or the aperture until the exposure looks right. Here we had our camera set to 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO100.

2 TRIPOD

We arranged our three red watering cans, then poured water into the top one so that it would trickle into the opening in the lower can. Once captured, we could move the lowest can and string it up in a higher position, then repeat the process. A tripod is essential to keep all the frames in alignment.

3 TOWELS AND BUCKETS

Messing around with water when using high-powered studio flashes can be a recipe for disaster, so we made sure to keep our equipment and wires well away from the water, with plenty of towels on hand to mop up splashes between shots, and several buckets placed to catch the falling water.

4 BACKDROP

A plain backdrop is usually the best choice for still-life work, as it places the attention on the subject. We taped a roll of blue paper to the wall – the masking tape is easily removed later in Photoshop. A dark backdrop like this helps the water drops to stand out (they would be less clear against a lighter backdrop).

5 WIRE GRID

A wire mesh frame is held aloft with four light stands. We used an old frame from the garden for this, but any similar grid-shaped object will do. With our watering cans strung up on wire and hooks, the grid allows us to quickly move the hooks until each can is in place exactly where we want it.

6 LIGHTING SETUP

We have a three-light setup here using portable studio lighting units. Two lights are fitted with softboxes and placed to the left side. Directional lighting like this helps to emphasise contours on the watering cans. A third flash is placed to the right and behind, fitted with barn doors to stop light spilling onto the backdrop.