Product Photography
Photography of goods for sale, prioritising accurate description of form, colour and material.
In depth
The controlling factor is surface: matte objects are lit by shaping shadow, while glossy and metallic ones are lit by shaping what they reflect, so the photographer is really arranging large white and black panels rather than lights. Colour accuracy is a commercial requirement, since a returned order over a wrong shade is a direct cost.
Examples in practice
A chrome kettle is photographed by building a tent of white panels whose reflection defines its shape.