Product and materials Lightroom presets

A product photograph is a claim about a material. Brushed steel has to read as metal rather than grey plastic, a cut stone has to hold its facets instead of blowing to white, leather wants its grain and ceramic wants the slow fall of light across a curve. All of that while the background stays where it was set, a white sweep staying white and a black set staying black instead of drifting blue.

Speculars are where most edits come apart. The highlight on chrome or glass is the brightest thing in the file by a distance, and any curve that lifts the midtones carries it past the point where the shape of the object is still legible inside it. Colour accuracy carries real weight here too, because a buyer will hold the photograph against the thing that arrives.

Product Table by Sweeptable is a hundred and forty-four presets across eight surfaces: Studio Object, Studio Black, Clear Glass, Cut Gemstone, Gold Metal, Silver Chrome, Matte Leather and Pale Ceramic. Metal and Glass by Steelsheen is eighteen built for the two hardest of those, shown on a desk flatlay, plain paper, a pour of coffee and unglazed pots.

Steelsheen is the one to start with if metal and glass are most of what goes on your table. Sweeptable suits a catalogue made of several materials at once.