Photography Expert Advice Wanted

[juan ruiz]

Hello Guys, can someone point me out in the right direction here, I'm looking to take many close up photos as possible using a home made light box

I have included a photo of the set up I made, but I'm still not getting any good results, the one light is 500w, the other one is 100w and I was using a top one 100w, the camera in used is a Kodak Easy/Share V1253 12.0 Mega Pixels.



Any suggestions ?

[Heel n Toe]

Suspend a large piece of whiteboard 24-36" above the box and shoot the light upwards... at the surface that is facing the object... so it reflects downward onto the object.

Try setting the suspended whiteboard at different angles.

[scottmandue]

The guys over at a watch form I post at sell a light box that looks like a three sided dome tent. I always thought I could Mickey mouse something like it with out too much trouble.

[911pcars]

A company on Ebay sells a collapsible light box/tent (about $20-$30) to house small objects like yours. The translucent material softens the light source as in northern light. Position the brighter light above or from the side (like natural light from a window). Balance the darker side (shadow fill) with broad fill light from camera position. Try for a 2:1 lighting ratio for starters (overall light vs. fill light only).

A light source from underneath, balanced with the overhead light will eliminate shadows (as in photographing jewelry). That requires a piece of glass (or equivalent transparent shelf) as a support.

Adjust your white balance, then shoot various exposures on a tripod.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

[juan ruiz]

Thanks, Sherwood do you have a link for them ?

[ErVikingo]

Juansito,

I have seen an add for a light box like Sherwood mentions on the airline catalog. Check on Skymall.

Hasta luego!

[scottmandue]

I have bought a lot of stuff from these guys and have always been happy with their service:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/category/11098/Studio_Equipment_Shooting_Tents_Domes.html

Never bought anything from these guys:

http://www.obnphoto.com/

[juan ruiz]

What you guys think of this one ?

http://www.obnphoto.com/items/sqtent16_c.html

what about the camera we have, is that good enough to do the job ?

[ramonesfreak]

your camera is just fine.

you might try shooting your subject against that white background- outside in natural light with the sun behind you

you might want to try posting some of your failed shots so they can be diagnosed

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by juan ruiz

Thanks, Sherwood do you have a link for them ?

Juan,
I used "photo light box" and got this page link:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=photo+light+box&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Lots to choose from.

Hope this helps,
Sherwood

[RWebb]

don't worry about the camera - post a pic and point to what you don't like

right off the bat, i'd use a tan or gray box and have a curve instead of sharp lower edge

[juan ruiz]

thanks guys, I will take a series of photos using some of the tips and then we can discuss

[juan ruiz]

OK I try a few different ways but I'm not still happy with the end result

Here is a great example of what I like mine to look like



My latest attempts

[scottmandue]

Too much glare... filter the light through some fabric like to photo dome things we were looking at... or bounce it off a white board.

Just my two cents.

[Eric Coffey]

Try making the box a bit taller and/or narrowwer (more like an actual "box"), and put a proper top on it (all white). You might have better luck if you constuct it out of bright white poster board (more reflective), rather than white cardboard. Or, you can line it with white construction paper, which will allow you to use a seamless, cureved backdrop. Then, get two 300-500w floods and aim them at the top/rear of the box. You might fab up some light reflectors ("barn doors") for directing the light where you want it, and avoiding glare/spill.

If your camera has a manual mode, that will help a lot too. If so, try setting it to it's widest aperature (lowest f number) and play with the camera's flash settings (full, fill, +/- flash exposure, etc.). Also, reset the camera's white balance. Good luck!

[trj911]

You nee indirect lighting. Bounce the light off a white top and white sides and any lights directly pointed at the item need to be covered with a thin white fabric. No flash from the camera as that will cause a shadow. And for extra clarity in your image quality, try to have the camera on a tripod and use the shutter delay setting so you don't have any camera shake.

[stomachmonkey]

I highly recommend putting in the effort to get the shot correct.

If you cant get it there then there is always photoshop.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by juan ruiz

What you guys think of this one ?

http://www.obnphoto.com/items/sqtent16_c.html

what about the camera we have, is that good enough to do the job ?

If this is something you plan on doing a lot of or as a side business you might be better off just buying this. ^^^

IMHO

[vash]

hold on a second!

you are going to get all the wrong white balance using lights you pull from your garage.

i would either use a regular flash with a cord extension. modern flashes will sync off the tiny turd of a flash built onto the camera.

or go the cheap route. do it outside. have you tried to move the entire contraption outside? i assume you will just need reflectors to bounce light to key areas. back in the day...way back in the day.. they didnt even have flashes. entire photostudios were built with north facing windows. they got killer even lighting. i did a portrait essay back in photo school, doing just that. i had access to a studio with north light, and shot them all that way. it was CAKE! i never fired off a flash.

[RWebb]

juan - you can use a white sheet to diffuse the light or an empty milk jug

that is the first thing to do

second, staRT WITH 2 LIGHTS - THEY SHOULD BE AT 45° to the sunject - camera half way between them

for reference, kodak used to have an outstanding pamphlet on industrial photography - may be in some libraries