The above image was taken for yesterday's article: Campfire Audio Andromeda - excitement engine. Andromeda is an earphone, meaning that the above image is an example of macro photography.

And, while not commercial-quality, it clearly illustrates the role carefully placed lights play in bringing out detail and texture from an object. Too direct and details become too contrasty. Too indirect and they get washed away.

In the image above I used a semi-direct spotlight above the earphone and two heavily modified lights (one bare, one in a strip box) to the left and right of it.

Using specially-made flags, I forced lateral light to cascade away from the earphone's face.

By the way, the earphone in this photo is Campfire Audio's flagship earphone, Andromeda. It contains five speakers per side, houses a patented acoustic assembly for bringing out the highs, and lots and lots of aluminium. It sounds great and costs 1.099$ USD. Campfire Audio are not a client of mine.

Had I been more careful, or had more time, I would have moved the bare light closer to my left shoulder, and angled it upward so that the lower left lip didn't fall off so quickly. Whatever the case, flags are key in sculpting light fall off and directing indirect illumination.