Lighting is the single most important factor in product photography. A $100 lighting setup with a smartphone will produce better photos than a $3,000 camera with bad lighting. This guide covers three budget tiers — from completely free to under $100 — so you can get professional results regardless of your budget.

Tier 1: Free — Window light only ($0)

Natural window light is soft, flattering, and free. Most professional product photographers still prefer it over artificial light for many products.

Setup

1. Find a large window — North-facing windows (in the Northern hemisphere) give the most consistent light throughout the day. East or west windows work too, but light intensity changes.
2. Place table perpendicular to window — The window should be to one side of your product, not behind or in front.
3. Use a white reflector — A piece of white poster board ($2) on the opposite side bounces light back and fills shadows. Lean it against a stack of books.
4. Diffuse harsh sunlight — Tape white tissue paper or a thin white bedsheet over the window on sunny days.

Best for: Clothing, accessories, cosmetics, food, crafts — anything that benefits from soft, natural light.

Limitations: Only works during daylight hours. Inconsistent across seasons and weather. Not ideal for reflective products (jewelry, electronics).

Tier 2: Budget — DIY + basic gear ($20–$50)

Option A: Two desk lamps + diffusion

• 2 desk lamps — You likely already have these. Use identical bulbs for consistent color.
• Daylight bulbs (5000–5500K) — $8 for a 2-pack. "Daylight" color temperature matches natural light and gives accurate product colors.
• DIY diffusion — Tape white paper or fabric over the lamps to soften the light. This eliminates harsh shadows.
• White foam board reflectors — $5 for a 3-pack at a craft store.

Place one lamp on each side of the product, angled at 45°. The foam board goes behind the product to fill in back-lighting.

Option B: DIY lightbox

Perfect for small products (jewelry, electronics, cosmetics). Total cost: $15–$25.

• Large cardboard box (free — from a recent delivery)
• Box cutter to cut out three sides
• White tissue paper to cover the openings ($2)
• White poster board inside for seamless backdrop ($3)
• Two desk lamps positioned on each side

The tissue paper diffuses the light evenly. The white interior bounces light around, eliminating shadows.

Tier 3: Semi-pro — LED panels ($50–$100)

For consistent, repeatable results regardless of time or weather, invest in LED panels:

Recommended budget LED panels

Two-light setup (the classic)

1. Key light — Main light source, positioned at 45° to the product and slightly above. This creates natural-looking shadows.
2. Fill light — Secondary light on the opposite side, set at half the brightness of the key light. This softens shadows without eliminating them.
3. Optional: backlight — A small light behind the product separates it from the background. Useful for dark products.

Lighting tips by product type

Common lighting mistakes

• Mixing light sources — Using daylight from a window AND a warm desk lamp creates a color cast. Use one type or match color temperatures.
• Using overhead ceiling light — Creates harsh shadows underneath the product. Always use side or angled lighting.
• Using flash — Built-in phone/camera flash creates flat, washed-out images with hard shadows. Never use it.
• Inconsistent lighting between products — Mark your lamp positions with tape so you can recreate the exact setup for every shoot.
• Forgetting the reflector — Without a reflector, one side of the product is bright and the other is dark. A simple white poster board fixes this.

After the shoot: AI post-processing

Great lighting gives you great raw material. AI post-processing turns it into marketplace-ready images:

• Remove the background — Even with a white backdrop, AI gives cleaner results than studio photography alone.
• Replace with pure white — Guaranteed Amazon-compliant #FFFFFF background.
• Upscale resolution — If your setup doesn't produce 2000+ px images.