Practice, practice, practice!
UPDATE:
Set up for first two: Soft box to camera left at a 45º angle. About 5 feet in the air, angled down slightly. Reflector card to right of peppers.
Third shot: same but dropped soft box a couple of feet. You can see the change in direction.
Set up for wine glass shot: Moved soft box light so light reflected off backdrop through wine glass. White reflector card held above and to right of objects for fill.
White continuous backdrop (which is a window shade, $11 at Walmart) for all.
Also, I’ve started a Still Life gallery at SmugMug which will give you all the details on ISO, aperture and shutter speed.
Carissa Snedeker Photography 
Really, really good.
Ever considered adding shooting data, set-up, etc.
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Update added to post.
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I assume you shoot from a tripod? Do you compensate for the flash, or is it a constant light source? I ask because of the metering.
Eventually I’ll have to start playing around with lighting . . . I’m often asked to shoot stuff for work (equipment and stuff). I should learn to do it right.
Thanks.
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Also, and I think you mentioned it once before, wondering about the equipment. I seem to remember you mentioning a kit or stand-alone softbox, but was wondering about the make and associated pieces.
I know . . . nosy bastard, I am.
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I got a cheap set of softboxes with stands from Amazon. Cowboy Studio. Reflector card is white posterboard.
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Yes, absolutely used a tripod. Used my camera’s light meter set at spot meter. I do, however, have an incident light meter but didn’t use it this time. Did not use flash/strobe with this. Continuous light.
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What brand posterboard? What size do you use?
. . . yes, I kid . . . well, I adult, but I am joking.
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By the way, thanks for the info.
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Love your photos. I struggle with lighting. I’m with Emilio – would you be willing to give us a little info on your set-up. Thanks so much.
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Update added to post.
Thanks!
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Thanks.
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Have you ever seen Edward Weston’s peppers? You should take a look.
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Yes, I have. That was kind of my inspiration for these, however, I couldn’t find any “deformed” ones. I’ll keep looking!
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Yeah, it’s hard to find a deformed pepper unless you grow it yourself.
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Wow . . . she just called you out as a poor pepper grower.
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Great images! 🙂
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Thank you!
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wonderful shots and thanks for the info… I really like the softness of the wine glass shot
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Thank you, sayvan.
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Thanks for telling us how it’s done!
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You’re welcome!
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NIce work Carissa. It’s been so long, make that really long, that I attempted any kind of serious still life lighting. I like the Walmart window shade. Back when I did portraits I used shower curtains. I still have a rainbow collection around somewhere 🙂
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In my lighting class last semester we shot models in our instructor’s studio and one of the backdrops we used was a shower curtain with a light behind it. It made for a fabulous backdrop! Thanks so much for your kind words, David.
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This is great shot, I loved them all. You are amazing, you inspire me too now 🙂 what about with the mirror! Thank you dear Carissa, love, nia
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Ever think about charging an instruction course fee? 😉
The lighting here is perfect, of course. I never think of using a reflector card. Thanks for the tips.
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Thanks so much!
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This still life is so very well done, Clarissa. Love the colours, and the composition too. They are really lovely (I want: peppers & wine)…
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Thank you so much, Bente!
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