Lighting and camera

The lighting and camera controls in GESTEL let you dial in a specific look without writing anything in a prompt. Camera presets simulate the characteristics of that camera system — sensor rendering, color science, dynamic range. Lighting direction, quality, and temperature work together to set the mood.

How the controls relate

Camera preset — overall image character (grain, color rendering, tonal range)
Light direction — where the light source is positioned relative to the subject
Light quality — how hard or soft the light appears
Light temperature — the color cast of the light (warm, cool, neutral)

These four settings multiply each other. A rim light with warm temperature and harsh quality produces a very different result than a rim light with cool temperature and soft quality. Experiment with combinations rather than changing one setting in isolation.

Recommended combinations

E-commerce
Luxury / editorial
Fashion editorial
Vintage / retro

Goal: Clean, professional product shot with no distracting atmosphere.

Setting	Value
Camera	(no preset, or Canon 5D IV for neutral rendering)
Light direction	Front
Light quality	Soft diffused
Light temperature	Neutral

Front lighting with soft diffused quality eliminates shadows and shows the product’s true color. Neutral temperature keeps color accuracy intact. This combination reads as “studio white background” even when the background isn’t white.

Goal: High-end, aspirational feel with depth and richness.

Setting	Value
Camera	Hasselblad X2D
Light direction	Rim
Light quality	Studio strobe
Light temperature	Warm / golden

The Hasselblad preset gives medium-format rendering — smooth tonal gradients, rich detail in highlights. Rim lighting separates the subject from the background and creates a product-on-pedestal feeling. Warm temperature adds warmth without looking cheap.

Goal: Dramatic, directional look with strong contrast and attitude.

Setting	Value
Camera	Fujifilm X-T5
Light direction	Side (left) or Side (right)
Light quality	Harsh direct
Light temperature	Cool / blue

Side lighting creates strong shadows that sculpt the subject. Harsh quality preserves those shadows rather than diffusing them. The Fujifilm X-T5 preset adds film-like color rendering and slight grain. Cool temperature pushes the image toward a contemporary editorial look.

Goal: Nostalgic warmth with an analog film feel.

Setting	Value
Camera	Kodak Portra 400
Light direction	45° key
Light quality	Natural
Light temperature	Sunset

The Kodak Portra 400 preset simulates the characteristic warm, skin-flattering color palette of that film stock. Natural light quality avoids over-polished studio looks. Sunset temperature adds golden-hour warmth. 45° key lighting gives gentle directional depth without harsh shadows.

Other camera presets

Preset	Character
Sony A7IV	Neutral, high-resolution look. Clinical and accurate.
2000s Digicam	Early digital sensor rendering — slightly overexposed highlights, limited dynamic range.
80s Vintage	Heavy grain, shifted color, VHS-adjacent degradation.

Tips

If you’re unsure where to start, Front + Soft diffused + Neutral is a safe baseline for any product.
Light direction has the biggest visual impact of the three lighting controls. Start by choosing direction, then refine quality and temperature.
Some camera presets add grain — if you’re going to upscale the result, check that the grain level still looks good at larger sizes.

Getting great results

Use cases

Lighting and camera

How the controls relate

Recommended combinations

Other camera presets

Tips

Getting great results

Use cases

​How the controls relate

​Recommended combinations

​Other camera presets

​Tips

How the controls relate

Recommended combinations

Other camera presets

Tips