Lighting & Styling
Lighting is the single biggest difference between a product photo that looks amateur and one that looks like it came from a professional studio. AIMS applies physically accurate lighting to every generated image — but understanding how it works helps you get consistently better results.
How AIMS handles lighting
When you upload a product photo, AIMS analyses its existing lighting — the direction of shadows, the position of specular highlights, and the overall colour temperature. When generating a new background scene, the AI matches the environmental lighting to your product's existing light signature, or applies a new lighting preset to both the product and the background simultaneously.
This is why a product photographed with flat, overhead light will look slightly flat even in a lifestyle scene — the AI can only add so much drama to lighting that wasn't there in the original. The best results come from source images where the product was already lit with intention.
Lighting presets
In the Generation Studio, expand the "Lighting" panel to access style presets:
| Preset | Effect | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Daylight | Soft, even, slight warmth. Mimics window light from the side. | Skincare, food, homeware, fashion accessories |
| Studio Softbox | Clean white light from above-front. No hard shadows. | Packshots, marketplace listings, electronics |
| Dramatic Side Light | Strong directional light from one side, deep shadows on the other. | Spirits, fragrance, luxury goods |
| Golden Hour | Warm orange-amber tones, low-angle soft rays. | Outdoor lifestyle, food & drink, summer campaigns |
| Neon / Studio Pop | Coloured rim lights in brand or complementary hues. | Tech, streetwear, energy drinks |
| Flat / Minimal | Very even, near-shadowless. Product-forward, clinical. | Medical, supplement, white-label products |
The three-point lighting principle
Professional product photography is built on a three-point lighting system — key light, fill light, and backlight. Understanding this helps you both take better source photos and choose the right AIMS preset.
Key light: The main light source, positioned at roughly a 45-degree angle to the product. Creates the primary highlight and defines the shape.
Fill light: A softer light from the opposite side that reduces the harshness of shadows. Without it, the shadowed side goes too dark.
Backlight (rim light): Positioned behind the product, facing the camera. Separates the product from the background and creates a subtle glow around the edges.
The "Studio Softbox" and "Natural Daylight" presets in AIMS simulate this three-point setup. "Dramatic Side Light" removes the fill light to increase shadow depth. Knowing this helps you predict which preset to reach for.
Handling difficult materials
Glass and transparent products
Glass is the hardest category. Direct light creates blown-out reflections; no light makes the product invisible. The best approach: photograph your glass product against a white background with light positioned at 45 degrees from each side (two fill lights, no key). This reveals the shape without creating harsh reflections. In AIMS, use the "Studio Softbox" or "Natural Daylight" preset — avoid "Dramatic Side Light" for glass.
Chrome and metallic surfaces
Metals reflect everything around them. Your source photo should be taken in a controlled environment where there's nothing in the room to reflect back. A DIY tent (white card on three sides) works well. In AIMS, "Studio Softbox" gives the cleanest result for chrome; "Neon / Studio Pop" works for stylised fashion or tech contexts.
Matte surfaces and textiles
Matte products are the most forgiving. They respond well to directional light and benefit from the "Dramatic Side Light" preset, which reveals texture. For fabric — clothing, bags, cushions — light from a 45-degree overhead angle shows stitching and weave detail better than front-on light.
Consistent lighting = brand cohesion
Pick one or two lighting presets and use them across your entire product range. Consistent lighting across a catalog makes your brand look intentional and professional — even when every product has a different background. Inconsistent lighting is one of the most common reasons AI-generated product libraries look "AI-generated."
Colour temperature and warmth
Colour temperature describes how warm or cool the light appears. Cool light (5500K, daylight) makes whites look crisp and clinical — good for tech, supplements, and skincare. Warm light (3200K, tungsten) creates a cosy, premium feel — good for food, homeware, and fragrance. AIMS applies colour temperature matching as part of each lighting preset. If you need a specific temperature, use the custom prompt field: add "warm golden light" or "cool clinical daylight" to your background description.
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