Spec product photography for a local Asheville nc honey company, and some lighting tips on how we shot it

We recently did another speculative commercial product photography shoot, this time for Asheville Bee Charmer. I love Honey, and I thought it would be a great product to shoot both because it is delicious and because of the inherently beautiful colors of honey.  To highlighting the product we illuminated the jars from the back in a rather unique way which I will explain below. The effect is a really great explanatory shot of the product that displays a maximum of information in an alluring commercial shot. I love the beautiful colors of this honey, and we hope Asheville Bee Charmer loves it too!

A little product photography tips:

Here you can see the Nikon fiber optic light which is shinning through a lens. The lens focuses the light onto the reflective paper behind the bottle and shines through the product towards the camera.

Here you can see the Nikon fiber optic light which is shinning through a lens. The lens focuses the light onto the reflective paper behind the bottle and shines through the product towards the camera.

A closer look at the lens, sitting on top of the housing it originally was used in. The lens is free to be moved to focus the beam of light.

A closer look at the lens, sitting on top of the housing it originally was used in. The lens is free to be moved to focus the beam of light.

An image with just the illuminating back-light. The lift arm supplies all the light for the back-light. The right arm of the fiber optic light is illuminating the backdrop to create some more shape on the side of the bottle.  

An image with just the illuminating back-light. The lift arm supplies all the light for the back-light. The right arm of the fiber optic light is illuminating the backdrop to create some more shape on the side of the bottle.  

The tabletop is glass covered with pure white paper. Underneath is a strobe with a 1/2 CTO gel to match the fiber optic's light temperature. 

The tabletop is glass covered with pure white paper. Underneath is a strobe with a 1/2 CTO gel to match the fiber optic's light temperature. 

Three more strobes fill in around the product, illuminating the label, lid, and background.

Three more strobes fill in around the product, illuminating the label, lid, and background.

I used a lens I am very fond of, a Nikon 55mm macro AI-S. One of the best lenses for product photography if you are willing to work with an older lens. Very sharp, very simple, and a plesure to use.

I used a lens I am very fond of, a Nikon 55mm macro AI-S. One of the best lenses for product photography if you are willing to work with an older lens. Very sharp, very simple, and a plesure to use.