# STL PhotoStudio — Studio product photos from 3D models.

> Drop an STL, GLB, OBJ or 3MF and shoot it like a real product — backdrops, softboxes, real materials and path-traced renders.

Source: https://dcarock.com/apps/stl-photostudio

- Type: web app (runs in the browser)
- Category: 3D · Render
- Open the app: https://stlphotostudio.com
- Made by: dcArock (https://dcarock.com)

Put your 3D model on a seamless backdrop, light it with softboxes, give it real materials and take the shot. Perfect for Etsy listings, colour variants and Kickstarter pages — before the first print.

**Made for:** Etsy & eBay sellers, STL file designers, 3D print shops, Product designers, Kickstarter campaigns, Social media posts, Online store owners, Makers & hobbyists

## Features

- **Drop any model** — STL (binary or ASCII), GLB/glTF, OBJ with its colours, and 3MF. STL files stand upright automatically.
- **Backdrops & HDRIs** — A seamless cove, a wall and table, a 360° HDRI of a real place — or your own photo behind the model.
- **Studio lighting** — Softbox, spot, bulb, sun and ambient lights. Start from a rig, then drag lights around the light plan.
- **Real materials** — Matte, glossy, metal or translucent, with print-line, grainy, textile or glitter textures.
- **Paint parts** — Click regions, brush or box-select faces to turn a single-colour STL into a multi-colour print.
- **A real camera** — Lens, aperture and focus behave like the real thing — soft background blur and a viewfinder frame included.
- **Cut-outs & turntables** — Transparent or green-screen backgrounds with contact shadows, and 12-shot turntables in one ZIP.
- **Path-traced renders** — Physically correct light on your own GPU — soft shadows, reflections and photos up to 8K with Pro.

## Why it was built

Selling a 3D-printed product means you need photos, and good photos usually mean printing the part, building a lightbox and wrestling with lights. If you sell STL files — or the product doesn’t exist yet — that isn’t even an option.

So I built **STL PhotoStudio**: a photo studio for 3D models. You put your model on a backdrop, light it with softboxes, give it real materials — print lines included — and take the shot, the way you’d photograph the printed part.

It runs in your browser, on your own graphics card. No install, no sign-up, and your model never leaves your computer unless you choose to save it.

## How it works

1. **Drop** — Drop an STL, GLB, OBJ or 3MF anywhere on the page. It opens right in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
2. **Light** — Pick a scene preset or a backdrop, start from a lighting rig and give your model real materials and colours.
3. **Shoot** — Frame the shot, set lens and aperture, then render — a fast preview in a moment, or path traced for photoreal light.

Pick the Cut-out backdrop for a transparent PNG or green screen — the model keeps its contact shadow.

## Pricing

### Free — $0 forever

- STL, GLB, OBJ & 3MF import
- Every backdrop, light, material & camera
- Fast preview photos up to HD (1280 px)
- Cut-outs & turntable ZIP
- No account needed
- Not included: Path-traced photos up to 8K
- Not included: Several models in one composition
- Not included: Cloud saves & composition export

### STL PhotoStudio Pro — $10 / month

- Everything in Free
- Path-traced photos up to 8K (7680 px)
- Unlimited models per composition
- Save compositions, lights, materials & camera angles
- Export .stlpsc compositions & .stlpsm models
- 100 MB cloud storage — Team (200 MB, $15) and Agency (500 MB, $20) too
- Or $100 / year — a year costs 10 months

## Frequently asked questions

### Is my model uploaded anywhere?

Not unless you choose to save it. Your model opens and your photos render in your browser, on your own graphics card. Files are only uploaded when a Pro user saves to their private cloud storage.

### Which file formats can I use?

STL (binary and ASCII), GLB/glTF, OBJ with its MTL colours, and 3MF. STL files are turned upright automatically, so a Z-up model lands standing on the table.

### What’s the difference between Fast preview and Path traced?

Fast preview renders exactly what you see, in a moment — great for drafts and quick shares. Path traced simulates real light bounces on your GPU for photoreal shadows, reflections and translucency. It takes longer and is part of Pro.

### Can I get a transparent background?

Yes. Pick Cut-out as the backdrop and you get a PNG with a transparent background, or a solid colour like green screen — and the model keeps its contact shadow.

### Can you build a tool like this for my business?

Yes — that’s what I do. Besides my own apps, I build websites and custom web tools for clients, from browser-based 3D tools like this one to full web apps. Tell me your idea and I’ll tell you how I’d build it.