When it comes to capturing an electrical appliance with intricate shapes and multiple edges and corners, lighting can be a tricky aspect to master. But with a clever set-up and the strategic use of light, it is possible to create an attractive shot of such a product using just two lamps.

The photographer began by using a large Softbox (with side lengths of 90 and 120 cm) as the primary light source. Directly in front of the diffuser, a deep black background was placed that was large enough to cover the entire picture, but smaller than the Softbox. This allowed the Softbox to dominantly illuminate the contours around the object.

To add depth and detail to the shot, a white acrylic plate was positioned in front of the Softbox. This created gradation in the glossy area around the on/off switch and also reduced the contour light coming from above to prevent the brand name from becoming illegible. Additionally, a grey filter was positioned behind the subject for the same purpose.

To further enhance the lighting, the light from the Softbox was reflected onto the warping blades using two white cardboards and onto the lower part of the handle using a small mirror.

Finally, a small additional light (a Picolite with a narrow honeycomb grid and aperture mask) was used to illuminate the razor from a steep angle from the top right, effectively emphasizing its shapes and structures.

The photographs were taken using a medium format camera and an 80mm lens on a tilt/shift adapter, which extended the focal length to about 120mm. However, to achieve optimal sharpness, the photographer had to take 6 shots with different focus at aperture 16 and then stitch them together.